Ss. Peter and Paul

Introduction

The interior is very unusual for a Roman Catholic church as it is furnished with box pews.

History

The church was under the patronage of the Scrope family of Danby Hall, although it was probably mainly paid for by public subscription as Simon Thomas Scrope (1758-1838) had been made bankrupt in 1832. One of the major benefactors is believed to have been Frederick Riddell of Thornbrough Hall who owned the land. The church opened on 14th October 1835. The carved stone font, also set beneath the gallery, dates to 1875.

The church of St Peter and St Paul, with its presbytery and school room, was built in 1835-6 by the firm of Chapleo and Sons for about £2000. The church began in the seventeenth century as a domestic chapel to the Thornburgh and then the Riddell families. The present church was built in 1835, architect unknown.

Architecture and furnishings

The church is a Georgian preaching box of three bays, orientated with the altar at the south east gable end. The principal, southern elevations are of squared limestone rubble laid to courses with sandstone dressings; the rear, northern elevations are rubble stone without dressings; the roof is stone slate. The church retains a full complement of panelled box pews to both the ground floor and the small western gallery, excepting the centre of the gallery which is occupied by the organ. The exterior has a plain ashlar plinth, rusticated quoins and an eaves string course to the south east gable which is raised and coped with moulded stone, topped by a plain Latin cross.

The opposite gable end has a small bellcote with ball finial. The east window is tall, with a two-centred arch with simple Y tracery. The side windows are arched with timber sash windows divided into small panes with glazing bars, those to the arched portion imitating intersecting tracery. The panelling to the pews and the gallery front have beading imitating trefoil headed lancet windows.

The east end is highlighted with a giant surround to the east window formed by triple shafts with acanthus-leaf capitals. The ceiling is square panelled with gilt bosses in the form of Bottonée crosses. The east window has a polychrome, mainly geometric design, but incorporating figurative depictions of the Angel Gabriel and various saints. The organ, by Pexton of York, was purchased by subscription in 1843.