Simonburn church – NY871736 – and the benefice website is www.humshaughbenefice.org.uk. Having entered through the Lych Gate, I walked into the porch. A Saxon cross shaft and other Saxon stones.
As you entered the church and look east it is long (and full of Coffee Club people). On the left we have memorials to members of the Allgood family, to the right members of the Ridley family. One memorial is to George Guy Hunter Allgood who was accidentally killed at Allahabad, India, in 1890 – it is one thing to die in action, but in an accident … so sad. This lovely memorial is to Robert Lancelot Allgood and his wife Elizabeth (who both died in 1864, just a few months apart). The artist was Matthew Noble, he also carved the statue of the Prince Consort on the Albert Memorial in Manchester. It is cleverly lit by a skylight.
At the east end of the south aisle is a monument with the kneeling figures of Cuthbert Ridley and his son Alban. Cuthbert was rector 1604-1627 (during the reigns of James I and Charles I). It is suggested that they would originally have been painted. Twenty years later, in what a notice calls “an excess of Puritan zeal” they were defaced and buried in the churchyard – how sad that you give 23 years of your life to a parish, then you get thrown out.
In the Chancel there are plenty more memorials. This one is “In loving memory of James Allgood … who died May 20 1910 in his 84th year, also of Isabella his wife who was killed in a railway accident at Abbots Ripton Jan 21 1876 in her 43rd year. They are buried in the churchyard at Ingram.” We met this family at Ingram – at the start of 1876 his wife was taking two of their young sons to a new public school in the south of England when all three died in the Abbots Ripton train crash. James was 13 and David was 11. Interesting that 44 years later, when James died, he still wanted his wife to be remembered with him. That says something about their love.
As I say, there are lots of memorials. On one a child died while a pupil at Giggleswick School, on another a child drowned in the Thames while at Eton. Not wise to send your children to school.
This memorial is on the south side of the altar. Annabella Scott, who died on 28 January 1779: “She was the mother of James Scott, D.D., rector of this parish and granddaughter to Tobias Wickham Dean of York, the grandson of William Wickham, Bishop of Winchester who married Antonia Barlow one of the five daughters of William Matthew, Archbishop of York. Another to Wickham, Bishop of Winchester. Another to Overton, Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield, a fourth to Westpaly, Bishop of Hereford. And a fifth to Day, Bishop of Chichester. It is very remarkable that William Barlow was the first English bishop ever married.”
I liked the marble carpet – beautifully polished. The altar rail is supported by Norwegian candlesticks – or so they say. Rather unique piscina.
Lots of lovely glass, much of it by Kempe. Angels, dragons and musicians.
Finally, the old Georgian font. It needs a potted plant!
What about your lepers peep window on the outside of the church
No idea! It’s four years since I visited