St Luke's Church, Farnworth
Encyclopedia
St Luke's Church, Farnworth, Widnes, is a parish church
in Farnworth, which was once a separate village but which is now part of the town of Widnes
, Cheshire
, England). The church dates back to the 12th century and it contains a number of items of historical interest, in particular hatchment
s and memorial
s. It has been designated by English Heritage
as a Grade II* listed building, and is an active Anglican
parish church
in the diocese of Liverpool
, the archdeaconry of Warrington and the deanery of Widnes.
in what used to be the county of Lancashire
. It has now been subsumed into the town of Widnes
in the borough of Halton
, in the ceremonial county of Cheshire
. Around 1180 a chapel was built in the village which was dedicated to St Wilfrid. At that time the village was known as St Wilfrids-on-the-Hill. It was a chapel of ease
to the mother church at Prescot
. Included within its boundaries were the townships of Bold
, Appleton, Cronton
, Cuerdley, Ditton
and Penketh
. Originally Farnworth was within the Mercian diocese
of Lichfield
but following the dissolution of the monasteries
in 1541 the abbey at Chester
was converted into a cathedral and Farnworth became part of the diocese of Chester
. In 1859 the church was re-dedicated to St Luke and in 1880 it became a parish in the diocese of Liverpool
.
Over the years the church has had a number of benefactors, one of the earliest being Yorfrid the first (and in its own right the only) Baron
of Widnes (the barony passed to the Barons of Halton when his daughter married William FitzNigel, the 3rd Baron of Halton). Since then, over the centuries, the main benefactors have been the Bold family of the nearby township of Bold
.
There have been many changes to the church, internally and externally, over the centuries. The first extension was about 1280–1300 when the north aisle
was added. Between 1360 and 1380 the south aisle was added and around this time the tower was also built. The Bold Chantry
(or Chapel) was added in 1406 and in 1431 the east end was extended. In 1500 the Cuerdley chapel was added to the south of the church. This was provided by Bishop William Smyth
to allow his tenants in the village of Cuerdley to attend mass without coming into contact with the people of Farnworth at a time when plague
was prevalent in the area. At a restoration
in 1855 the nave
, the north aisle and the Bold Chapel were rebuilt, the east end of the chancel was restored and the north side of the church and the vestry were repaired. A new roof was added to the nave. Galleries were built and the organ was moved into the gallery on the west wall. This restoration was carried out by William Culshaw. Farnworth became a separate parish in 1859. The last major internal restoration took place in 1894–95 when the galleries were removed and the plaster was stripped from the walls. Two new vestries were erected on the north side of the chancel and a new organ was installed. This restoration was carried out by Paley, Austin & Paley.
with a slate
roof. Its plan consists of a west tower, a five-bay nave with a clerestory
, north and south aisles, a south transept
, north and south porches, and a chancel
which is narrower and less lofty than the nave. The north aisle is almost fully occupied by the Bold chapel. To the north of the chancel are two vestries. The tower has corner buttress
es, a curvilinear west window and smaller louvred windows on all faces at the bell-stage. A clock face is on the south side. The clerestory windows are pitched dormer
s. The tower, chancel and transept are crenellated and the chancel has crocket
ted finial
s.
is made from local sandstone
. It has been dated to around 1280. It was placed on a circular plinth
during the 1894–95 restoration
. The altar
is made from wood taken from the rood screen
which was taken down at the Reformation
. The screen under the tower arch dates from the 17th century. A pew behind the pulpit is dated 1607. In the church are seven hatchments on the walls of the nave relating to the Bold family, dating from 1762 to 1840. The lectern and pulpit date from the 1894–95 restoration. The stained glass in the north aisle dated 1876 was made by Morris & Co.
and depicts the scene of the fiery furnace
in the book of Daniel
. The glass in the east window is by Burlison and Grylls
, dated 1891, and that in the west window and in the east window in the transept are by Shrigley and Hunt
. In the chancel are memorials to John and Edward Atherton who died respectively in 1826 and 1820 showing a sarcophagus
in relief
which is by T. Franceys and Spence of Liverpool. On the south wall is a pink marble tablet to the memory of the scientist Ferdinand Hurter who died in 1898.
In the Bold chapel the communion table dates from the early 17th century. A sham book case in the chapel was formerly a concealed door dating from around 1810 which was originally in the library of Bold Hall. The monuments in the chapel are considered to be "one of the best collections in the county". The oldest is a crude effigy
of a knight, probably Richard Bold, dating from around 1602. The others include memorials to another Richard Bold, who died in 1635, and his wife; to Richard Bold who died in 1704, which consists of a cartouche
with cherubs
; to Peter Bold who died in 1762 by B. Bromfield of Liverpool; and to Anna Maria Bold, who died in 1813, by G. Bullock. The memorial to Peter Patten Bold, dated 1822 and signed by Francis Chantry is in white marble
and depicts a woman kneeling over a pedestal. The memorial to Mary, Princess Sapieha (1795–1824) who died from tuberculosis
only 2 years after her marriage, was made in Rome by Pietro Tenerani. Behind the altar is a white effigy to the memory of Alice Houghton, dated 1852. The organ was built by Peter Concaher and in 1986 it was restored by Reeves. The ring
is of six bells which were cast in 1956 by John Taylor and Company.
was formerly in the garden of Bold Hall and was given to the church when the New Hall was demolished in 1899, and a column some 9 feet (3 m) in height which is part of an old churchyard cross. In the southeast corner of the churchyard is a former bridewell
dating from 1827 and constructed from sandstone with a slate roof. It is a Grade II listed building.
was terrorising the people and the animals of the area. The village blacksmith
was persuaded to fight it. This he did and after a long struggle he was victorious and killed it. He was acclaimed as a hero by the people and given the name of "The Bold". This is said to be the origin of the family name of Bold and the griffin appears on all the family's heraldic decorations
.
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
in Farnworth, which was once a separate village but which is now part of the town of Widnes
Widnes
Widnes is an industrial town within the borough of Halton, in Cheshire, England, with an urban area population of 57,663 in 2004. It is located on the northern bank of the River Mersey where the estuary narrows to form the Runcorn Gap. Directly to the south across the Mersey is the town of Runcorn...
, Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
, England). The church dates back to the 12th century and it contains a number of items of historical interest, in particular hatchment
Hatchment
A hatchment is a funeral demonstration of the lifetime "achievement" of the arms and any other honours displayed on a black lozenge-shaped frame which used to be suspended against the wall of a deceased person's house...
s and memorial
Memorial
A memorial is an object which serves as a focus for memory of something, usually a person or an event. Popular forms of memorials include landmark objects or art objects such as sculptures, statues or fountains, and even entire parks....
s. It has been designated by English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
as a Grade II* listed building, and is an active Anglican
Anglicanism
Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
parish church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
in the diocese of Liverpool
Anglican Diocese of Liverpool
The Diocese of Liverpool is a Church of England diocese based in Liverpool, covering Merseyside north of the River Mersey along with West Lancashire, Wigan in Greater Manchester, Warrington and Widnes in Cheshire...
, the archdeaconry of Warrington and the deanery of Widnes.
History
Farnworth is an ancient village some 2 miles (3 km) north of the River MerseyRiver Mersey
The River Mersey is a river in North West England. It is around long, stretching from Stockport, Greater Manchester, and ending at Liverpool Bay, Merseyside. For centuries, it formed part of the ancient county divide between Lancashire and Cheshire....
in what used to be the county of Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
. It has now been subsumed into the town of Widnes
Widnes
Widnes is an industrial town within the borough of Halton, in Cheshire, England, with an urban area population of 57,663 in 2004. It is located on the northern bank of the River Mersey where the estuary narrows to form the Runcorn Gap. Directly to the south across the Mersey is the town of Runcorn...
in the borough of Halton
Halton (borough)
Halton is a local government district in North West England, with borough status and administered by a unitary authority. It was created in 1974 as a district of Cheshire, and became a unitary authority area on 1 April 1998. It consists of the towns of Widnes and Runcorn and the civil parishes of...
, in the ceremonial county of Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
. Around 1180 a chapel was built in the village which was dedicated to St Wilfrid. At that time the village was known as St Wilfrids-on-the-Hill. It was a chapel of ease
Chapel of ease
A chapel of ease is a church building other than the parish church, built within the bounds of a parish for the attendance of those who cannot reach the parish church conveniently....
to the mother church at Prescot
Prescot
Prescot is a town and civil parish, within the Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley in Merseyside, England. It is 8 miles to the east of Liverpool city centre and lies within the historic boundaries of Lancashire. At the 2001 Census, the population was 11,184 .Prescot marks the beginning of the...
. Included within its boundaries were the townships of Bold
Bold, Merseyside
Bold is a civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of St Helens in Merseyside, England. Bold itself is situated to the south east of St Helens, near to the boundaries with Halton and Warrington in Cheshire. The parish extends southwards beyond the M62 motorway and includes the hamlet of Bold Heath...
, Appleton, Cronton
Cronton
Cronton is a village and civil parish within Borough of Knowsley, in England. The village is surrounded by green belt land. Over the county border in Cheshire, Widnes town centre is to the south-southeast.-History:...
, Cuerdley, Ditton
Ditton, Cheshire
Ditton is a residential area of Widnes, in the borough of Halton, England. It borders Halebank to the south and west, Hough Green to the north and north west and an area just outside of Widnes town centre to the east...
and Penketh
Penketh
Penketh is a civil parish in the Borough of Warrington in Cheshire, England. It is about west of Warrington town centre. It has a population of 8,699.The emblem/badge of Penketh is three kingfishers.-History:...
. Originally Farnworth was within the Mercian diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
of Lichfield
Lichfield
Lichfield is a cathedral city, civil parish and district in Staffordshire, England. One of eight civil parishes with city status in England, Lichfield is situated roughly north of Birmingham...
but following the dissolution of the monasteries
Dissolution of the Monasteries
The Dissolution of the Monasteries, sometimes referred to as the Suppression of the Monasteries, was the set of administrative and legal processes between 1536 and 1541 by which Henry VIII disbanded monasteries, priories, convents and friaries in England, Wales and Ireland; appropriated their...
in 1541 the abbey at Chester
Chester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
was converted into a cathedral and Farnworth became part of the diocese of Chester
Diocese of Chester
The Diocese of Chester is a Church of England diocese in the Province of York based in Chester, covering the county of Cheshire in its pre-1974 boundaries...
. In 1859 the church was re-dedicated to St Luke and in 1880 it became a parish in the diocese of Liverpool
Anglican Diocese of Liverpool
The Diocese of Liverpool is a Church of England diocese based in Liverpool, covering Merseyside north of the River Mersey along with West Lancashire, Wigan in Greater Manchester, Warrington and Widnes in Cheshire...
.
Over the years the church has had a number of benefactors, one of the earliest being Yorfrid the first (and in its own right the only) Baron
Baron
Baron is a title of nobility. The word baron comes from Old French baron, itself from Old High German and Latin baro meaning " man, warrior"; it merged with cognate Old English beorn meaning "nobleman"...
of Widnes (the barony passed to the Barons of Halton when his daughter married William FitzNigel, the 3rd Baron of Halton). Since then, over the centuries, the main benefactors have been the Bold family of the nearby township of Bold
Bold, Merseyside
Bold is a civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of St Helens in Merseyside, England. Bold itself is situated to the south east of St Helens, near to the boundaries with Halton and Warrington in Cheshire. The parish extends southwards beyond the M62 motorway and includes the hamlet of Bold Heath...
.
There have been many changes to the church, internally and externally, over the centuries. The first extension was about 1280–1300 when the north aisle
Aisle
An aisle is, in general, a space for walking with rows of seats on both sides or with rows of seats on one side and a wall on the other...
was added. Between 1360 and 1380 the south aisle was added and around this time the tower was also built. The Bold Chantry
Chantry
Chantry is the English term for a fund established to pay for a priest to celebrate sung Masses for a specified purpose, generally for the soul of the deceased donor. Chantries were endowed with lands given by donors, the income from which maintained the chantry priest...
(or Chapel) was added in 1406 and in 1431 the east end was extended. In 1500 the Cuerdley chapel was added to the south of the church. This was provided by Bishop William Smyth
William Smyth
William Smyth was Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield from 1493 to 1496 and then Bishop of Lincoln until his death. He held political offices, the most important being Lord President of the Council of Wales and the Marches. He became very wealthy and was a benefactor of a number of institutions...
to allow his tenants in the village of Cuerdley to attend mass without coming into contact with the people of Farnworth at a time when plague
Bubonic plague
Plague is a deadly infectious disease that is caused by the enterobacteria Yersinia pestis, named after the French-Swiss bacteriologist Alexandre Yersin. Primarily carried by rodents and spread to humans via fleas, the disease is notorious throughout history, due to the unrivaled scale of death...
was prevalent in the area. At a restoration
Victorian restoration
Victorian restoration is the term commonly used to refer to the widespread and extensive refurbishment and rebuilding of Church of England churches and cathedrals that took place in England and Wales during the 19th-century reign of Queen Victoria...
in 1855 the nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
, the north aisle and the Bold Chapel were rebuilt, the east end of the chancel was restored and the north side of the church and the vestry were repaired. A new roof was added to the nave. Galleries were built and the organ was moved into the gallery on the west wall. This restoration was carried out by William Culshaw. Farnworth became a separate parish in 1859. The last major internal restoration took place in 1894–95 when the galleries were removed and the plaster was stripped from the walls. Two new vestries were erected on the north side of the chancel and a new organ was installed. This restoration was carried out by Paley, Austin & Paley.
Exterior
The church is built in red sandstoneSandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
with a slate
Slate
Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. The result is a foliated rock in which the foliation may not correspond to the original sedimentary layering...
roof. Its plan consists of a west tower, a five-bay nave with a clerestory
Clerestory
Clerestory is an architectural term that historically denoted an upper level of a Roman basilica or of the nave of a Romanesque or Gothic church, the walls of which rise above the rooflines of the lower aisles and are pierced with windows. In modern usage, clerestory refers to any high windows...
, north and south aisles, a south transept
Transept
For the periodical go to The Transept.A transept is a transverse section, of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In Christian churches, a transept is an area set crosswise to the nave in a cruciform building in Romanesque and Gothic Christian church architecture...
, north and south porches, and a chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
which is narrower and less lofty than the nave. The north aisle is almost fully occupied by the Bold chapel. To the north of the chancel are two vestries. The tower has corner buttress
Buttress
A buttress is an architectural structure built against or projecting from a wall which serves to support or reinforce the wall...
es, a curvilinear west window and smaller louvred windows on all faces at the bell-stage. A clock face is on the south side. The clerestory windows are pitched dormer
Dormer
A dormer is a structural element of a building that protrudes from the plane of a sloping roof surface. Dormers are used, either in original construction or as later additions, to create usable space in the roof of a building by adding headroom and usually also by enabling addition of windows.Often...
s. The tower, chancel and transept are crenellated and the chancel has crocket
Crocket
A crocket is a hook-shaped decorative element common in Gothic architecture. It is in the form of a stylised carving of curled leaves, buds or flowers which is used at regular intervals to decorate the sloping edges of spires, finials, pinnacles, and wimpergs....
ted finial
Finial
The finial is an architectural device, typically carved in stone and employed decoratively to emphasize the apex of a gable or any of various distinctive ornaments at the top, end, or corner of a building or structure. Smaller finials can be used as a decorative ornament on the ends of curtain rods...
s.
Interior
The octagonal fontBaptismal font
A baptismal font is an article of church furniture or a fixture used for the baptism of children and adults.-Aspersion and affusion fonts:...
is made from local sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
. It has been dated to around 1280. It was placed on a circular plinth
Plinth
In architecture, a plinth is the base or platform upon which a column, pedestal, statue, monument or structure rests. Gottfried Semper's The Four Elements of Architecture posited that the plinth, the hearth, the roof, and the wall make up all of architectural theory. The plinth usually rests...
during the 1894–95 restoration
Victorian restoration
Victorian restoration is the term commonly used to refer to the widespread and extensive refurbishment and rebuilding of Church of England churches and cathedrals that took place in England and Wales during the 19th-century reign of Queen Victoria...
. The altar
Altar
An altar is any structure upon which offerings such as sacrifices are made for religious purposes. Altars are usually found at shrines, and they can be located in temples, churches and other places of worship...
is made from wood taken from the rood screen
Rood screen
The rood screen is a common feature in late medieval church architecture. It is typically an ornate partition between the chancel and nave, of more or less open tracery constructed of wood, stone, or wrought iron...
which was taken down at the Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
. The screen under the tower arch dates from the 17th century. A pew behind the pulpit is dated 1607. In the church are seven hatchments on the walls of the nave relating to the Bold family, dating from 1762 to 1840. The lectern and pulpit date from the 1894–95 restoration. The stained glass in the north aisle dated 1876 was made by Morris & Co.
Morris & Co.
Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Co. and its successor Morris & Co. were furnishings and decorative arts manufacturers and retailers founded by the Pre-Raphaelite artist and designer William Morris...
and depicts the scene of the fiery furnace
Fiery furnace
Fiery furnace may refer to:* The fiery furnace in which Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were thrown into in Daniel 3* Fiery Furnace , a region of Utah's Arches National Park* The Fiery Furnaces, a rock band...
in the book of Daniel
Book of Daniel
The Book of Daniel is a book in the Hebrew Bible. The book tells of how Daniel, and his Judean companions, were inducted into Babylon during Jewish exile, and how their positions elevated in the court of Nebuchadnezzar. The court tales span events that occur during the reigns of Nebuchadnezzar,...
. The glass in the east window is by Burlison and Grylls
Burlison and Grylls
Burlison and Grylls is the name of an English company who produced stained glass windows from 1868 onwards.The company of Burlison and Grylls was founded in 1868 at the instigation of the architects George Frederick Bodley and Thomas Garner. Both John Burlison and Thomas Grylls had trained in the...
, dated 1891, and that in the west window and in the east window in the transept are by Shrigley and Hunt
Shrigley and Hunt
Shrigley and Hunt was the name of an English firm which produced stained glass windows and art tiles.The business began in the 1750s when Shrigley's was a painting, carving and gilding firm in Lancaster, Lancashire....
. In the chancel are memorials to John and Edward Atherton who died respectively in 1826 and 1820 showing a sarcophagus
Sarcophagus
A sarcophagus is a funeral receptacle for a corpse, most commonly carved or cut from stone. The word "sarcophagus" comes from the Greek σαρξ sarx meaning "flesh", and φαγειν phagein meaning "to eat", hence sarkophagus means "flesh-eating"; from the phrase lithos sarkophagos...
in relief
Relief
Relief is a sculptural technique. The term relief is from the Latin verb levo, to raise. To create a sculpture in relief is thus to give the impression that the sculpted material has been raised above the background plane...
which is by T. Franceys and Spence of Liverpool. On the south wall is a pink marble tablet to the memory of the scientist Ferdinand Hurter who died in 1898.
In the Bold chapel the communion table dates from the early 17th century. A sham book case in the chapel was formerly a concealed door dating from around 1810 which was originally in the library of Bold Hall. The monuments in the chapel are considered to be "one of the best collections in the county". The oldest is a crude effigy
Effigy
An effigy is a representation of a person, especially in the form of sculpture or some other three-dimensional form.The term is usually associated with full-length figures of a deceased person depicted in stone or wood on church monuments. These most often lie supine with hands together in prayer,...
of a knight, probably Richard Bold, dating from around 1602. The others include memorials to another Richard Bold, who died in 1635, and his wife; to Richard Bold who died in 1704, which consists of a cartouche
Cartouche (design)
A cartouche is an oval or oblong design with a slightly convex surface, typically edged with ornamental scrollwork. It is used to hold a painted or low relief design....
with cherubs
Putto
A putto is a figure of an infant often depicted as a young male. Putti are defined as chubby, winged or wingless, male child figure in nude. Putti are distinct from cherubim, but some English-speakers confuse them with each other, except that in the plural, "the Cherubim" refers to the biblical...
; to Peter Bold who died in 1762 by B. Bromfield of Liverpool; and to Anna Maria Bold, who died in 1813, by G. Bullock. The memorial to Peter Patten Bold, dated 1822 and signed by Francis Chantry is in white marble
Marble
Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite.Geologists use the term "marble" to refer to metamorphosed limestone; however stonemasons use the term more broadly to encompass unmetamorphosed limestone.Marble is commonly used for...
and depicts a woman kneeling over a pedestal. The memorial to Mary, Princess Sapieha (1795–1824) who died from tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
only 2 years after her marriage, was made in Rome by Pietro Tenerani. Behind the altar is a white effigy to the memory of Alice Houghton, dated 1852. The organ was built by Peter Concaher and in 1986 it was restored by Reeves. The ring
Ring of bells
"Ring of bells" is a term most often applied to a set of bells hung in the English style, typically for change ringing...
is of six bells which were cast in 1956 by John Taylor and Company.
External features
In the churchyard is a sundialSundial
A sundial is a device that measures time by the position of the Sun. In common designs such as the horizontal sundial, the sun casts a shadow from its style onto a surface marked with lines indicating the hours of the day. The style is the time-telling edge of the gnomon, often a thin rod or a...
was formerly in the garden of Bold Hall and was given to the church when the New Hall was demolished in 1899, and a column some 9 feet (3 m) in height which is part of an old churchyard cross. In the southeast corner of the churchyard is a former bridewell
Village lock-up
Village lock-ups are historic buildings that were used for the temporary detention of people in rural parts of England and Wales. They were often used for the confinement of drunks who were usually released the next day or to hold people being brought before the local magistrate. A typical village...
dating from 1827 and constructed from sandstone with a slate roof. It is a Grade II listed building.
The legend of the griffin
This tells the story of how a griffinGriffin
The griffin, griffon, or gryphon is a legendary creature with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle...
was terrorising the people and the animals of the area. The village blacksmith
Blacksmith
A blacksmith is a person who creates objects from wrought iron or steel by forging the metal; that is, by using tools to hammer, bend, and cut...
was persuaded to fight it. This he did and after a long struggle he was victorious and killed it. He was acclaimed as a hero by the people and given the name of "The Bold". This is said to be the origin of the family name of Bold and the griffin appears on all the family's heraldic decorations
Heraldry
Heraldry is the profession, study, or art of creating, granting, and blazoning arms and ruling on questions of rank or protocol, as exercised by an officer of arms. Heraldry comes from Anglo-Norman herald, from the Germanic compound harja-waldaz, "army commander"...
.