History in Structure

Church of St Cuthbert

A Grade II Listed Building in Ormesby, Redcar and Cleveland

Ormesby Church from the South

Uploader's Comments

The church of ST. CUTHBERT was almost entirely rebuilt in 1875, and the structure has therefore little or no antiquarian interest. A number of old stones, however, and other fragments of the ancient building are incorporated within the walls or are preserved inside the church. Three of these are of pre-Conquest date, one a small fragment with flat strap ornament, outside the east wall of the organ chamber, and another with plait and cheveron pattern in the south wall of the nave, perhaps portions of grave slabs. The other is part of a hog-back with tegulated ornament.

The old church is described by Graves, about 1808, as consisting of chancel, nave and strong square tower, the chancel and tower being more modern than the nave, with a circular chancel arch and a south doorway with zigzag moulding partly built up. From this it would appear that the nave was substantially of 12th-century date, and among the fragments now preserved in the church are a Norman impost stone and capital carved with spiral pattern, and the bowl of a large circular font, without ornament, but apparently belonging to the same period. In 1650 the chancel was stated to be in 'great decay,' and in 1810 the church was renewed and partly rebuilt. In the later rebuilding in 1875 a large portion of the chancel walls was retained, but the masonry is not apparently of very ancient date and may belong to a comparatively modern period. The church, which is faced entirely with ashlar, consists of chancel 24 ft. 6 in. by 14 ft. 6 in. with south organ chamber, nave 48 ft. 9 in. by 19 ft. 8 in. with north aisle 9 ft. 6 in. wide, north porch, south-west vestry and west tower 9 ft. 6 in. square, surmounted by a spire, all these measurements being internal. The tower and spire were only completed in 1907, the cost being defrayed from a bequest by Elizabeth Caroline Brown. The north porch is in memory of John Hymers, D.D., who died in 1887.

Uploaded by Antony Cairns on 16 July 2011

Photo ID: 17560
Building ID: 101139628
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