The church of All SAINTS stands about a quarter of a mile to the southeast of Ingleby Cross on a site slightly to the north-west of that of the old church close to Arncliffe Hall. The old church was pulled down about 1821, in which year the present building, which is in the Gothic style of the period with pointed sash windows, was erected. 'From a pen-and-ink drawing of the old hall made in 1718 in which it appears, and from a sketch on a last-century plan of the Arncliffe estate, the old church would seem to have had a low tower at the west end. The east window, which has been transferred to the present church, is quite distinguishable in the sketches, as is also a perpendicular window on the south side since destroyed.' Graves describes the building about 1808 as 'an ancient structure of a simple form and small dimensions,' but gives no description of it. A round-headed 12th-century doorway of two plain orders and outer angle shafts with scalloped capitals has been reproduced in the present building as the west entrance below the tower, the original Norman capitals alone being retained, and three fragments of pre-Conquest stones have been preserved, two built into the walls of the tower and the other in the vestry. A hog-back stone found about fifty years ago in a hedge bank and a later coped gravestone are now in the Cathedral Library, Durham. A parish book which gives details of expenditure from 1588 to 1628 records the erection of a new roof in 1595 and repairs to the steeple and porch in 1599.
The building, which is of stone with slated roofs overhanging at the eaves, consists of chancel 19 ft. by 15 ft. 3 in., with north vestry, nave 46 ft. by 19 ft. 6 in. and west tower 6 ft. by 7 ft., all these measurements being internal. The tower is of two stages with straight parapets and angle pinnacles. The belfry windows are of two round-headed lights, and over the west doorway in a circular panel, apparently intended for a clock, is the inscription 'Domus mea Domus Orationis Vocabitur cunctis populis. a.d. 1822.' The walls are plastered internally, and there is a flat plaster ceiling and elliptical chancel arch. The fittings all date from 1821, and include a three-decker pulpit in the north-east corner. The old east window is of three trefoiled lights with tracery in the head and is apparently of 14th-century date. It contains two pieces of old heraldic glass, one with the arms of Fauconberg, and the other those of St. Quintin, in reference to the two wives of Sir William Colvill. The doorway on the south side of the chancel is now built up.
The principal objects of antiquarian interest in the church are the two recumbent stone effigies which lie on either side of the altar and are said to represent Sir William Colvill and his brother Sir Robert. Both figures are in chain armour and surcoat, the feet resting on a lion with an animal in its mouth, and have helm and shield. The shield of the figure on the north side bears the Colvill arms, but the other shield is broken. 'There is one feature which is very unusual and in one respect unique, that is the ailettes.' The unique feature exists on the effigy on the north side and consists in the use of the ailettes on the left shoulder as a peg on which to hang the helmet. The ailette on the right shoulder, which is only visible on the effigy on the south side, though broken, shows the Colvill arms. The bordure round the stones on which the figures rest has a quatrefoil ornament. At the head and feet of each figure are two stones with coats of arms, eight in all, the connexion of which with the effigies, if any, is not established. They probably belong to some other monument in the old church.
The font is circular and apparently of the same date as the church. The original 12th-century font is now at Newton.
There are two bells in the tower without inscriptions.
The plate consists of a cup and cover paten of 1570, with the usual floral band, and with the maker's mark H.S., probably for Henry Sutton, and a paten of 1868, inscribed 'Arncliffe Church.' There are also a pewter flagon inscribed 'Arncliff Church 1699,' and a pewter almsdish 'Arncliff Church T.M. 1699.'
The registers begin in 1659.
To the south-east of the building, occupying the site of the chancel of the old church but enlarged in recent years, is the burial-place of the owners of Arncliffe. It contains a brass plate with rhyming inscription to Elizabeth Mauleverer, who died in 1674.
[From British History Online]
If anybody would like to expand this series please do, I would just ask that you could let Sadexploration know first so he can keep track of the Church numbers and names to avoid duplication
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