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I Location

II General Description

A basically 12thc. church with nave, chancel, N and S aisles, S chapel and N vestry, NW tower but a double bell-cote over the W gable. Restored 1869-70 by Sir G. G. Scott. His post-restoration plan is hung in the church near the S door. A view of the church seen from the S, c.1850, is hung near the blocked N door (no details of artist or source). Romanesque sculpture is found on the S entrance to the porch; the chancel corbel table (most of which is enclosed by later aisles); the chancel arch; capitals of the N and S arcades.

Some plain features survive from the 12thc. in the W wall. Beneath the modern bell-cote is a chamfered oculus edged by four irregular large stones (compare Askham Bryan E wall for oculus with windows below) and a tall round-headed window, also chamfered. A small window with arcuated lintel survives at the W end of the S aisle, positioned 1.97 m above the base of the wall. This was reconstructed 1869/70. At the W end of the N aisle, among some reset stones is a broken arcuated lintel, possibly the remains of a window corresponding to that at the W end of the S aisle. Some facings have been replaced.

III Exterior Features

1. Doorways

(i) S porch, nave

Depressed arch, of three orders, no label. There have been some replacements in voussoirs and columns, and probably W bases.

First order

Plain chamfered arch and jambs in one. At the foot of the chamfer on the W side only, a triangular chamfer-stop.

Second order

Wide bulbous base with ledge, torus with groove at outermost circumference (compare Healaugh chancel doorway). E base and plinth in yellow stone. Detached columns renewed (1.3 m in diam, 1.34 m high). Scallop capitals above necking.

L (W) capital: two-and-a-half scallops on S face of W capital, and three scallops on the E face, with hollowed wedges between the scallops. On each shield two close concentric circles are inscribed, with a further series overlapping to produce a pair of small mandorals in each shield.

R (E) capital: triple-scallop. Decorated as L capital. the S face of the R capital is worn. The cone on the angle is isolated by the wedges on either side of it, and appears pendent.

The impost is integral with capital and necking throughout: hollow chamfer, plain upright. The groove near the base on E side seems to be due to the bedding. W impost has a section cut out at the corner. A later insert has been lost here.

In the arch: plain and chamfered voussoirs. The first three on the L are restored.

Third order

Bases, columns and neckings as second order.

L (W) capital: waterleaf.

R (E) capital: waterleaf.

The volutes are simple, round and flat, and may be compared to some in the N arcade at Healaugh (West Riding, Yorkshire). The leaves are thick. The medial decoration on the slit halfway to the ring is also a round flat disc (worn on W capital). This is similar to a decoration in the same position on the W respond at Healaugh. Impost as second order, including the gap on the corner at the W side.

Arch as second order, with restoration throughout. Flush with the face of the porch.

The porch has rubble side walls, and limestone facings. The nave wall behind the porch roof is also of rubble, not ashlar-faced as adjacent wall. .

Dimensions

(ii) Nave S doorway

Round headed, of one order. Plain and continuous with chamfer.

Dimensions

3. Exterior Decoration

c. Corbel tables, corbels

(i) Corbels

Corbels survive on the N and S walls of the original chancel. Most of the corbel table is now enclosed, partially on the N side by the vestry, and entirely on the S by the chapel.

(i) Chancel, S wall (all now inside)

There are mass dials (approximately below corbels 5 and 6). This suggests there was a chancel/priest's doorway at some time. Some corbels will have been lost by the making of two large openings in the chancel wall. Nos. 2 and 3 are difficult to see as the modern organ is so close to them. Described from W to E (L to R):

S1: mask with foliate ears, possibly recent.

S2: double heads, one horned like cow, one mask-like with cat's ears.

S3: male head with something on, or coming out of, the L side of his mouth.

S4: an animal with catlike face, hooves and a tail with three-fold tuft over its back and its mouth open.

S5: mermaid holding her hair (as at Bishop Wilton, East Riding).

S6: as S7, with 'C' shaped ears, good detail of hair.

S7: male head with stranded beard.

(ii) Chancel, N wall

There may be a gap in the sequence where the vestry wall joins the chancel wall. Corbels 1 to 5 are outside, the remainder are in the vestry. Described from E to W (L to R):

N1: man carrying a pig over his shoulder. This is also on a voussoir at Wighill.

N2: two figures, one hitting the other over the head, who appears to shout? Interesting lined pattern on skirt of L figure.

N3: two male heads.

N4 and N5: modern male or female heads, possibly crowned.

N6 and N7: unidentifiable.

N8: triple scallop with nested v-shaped wedges between the cones.

N9: male head with hands in mouth.

N10: bearded male.

N11: horned beast mask with teeth.

N12: simple, oval-shaped head in cavetto.

N13: mask with horns, bulging eyes, mouth open.

N14: beakhead with animal in its beak whose tail and legs are seen.

N15: double corbel, two men's heads, moustaches, beards in strands.

IV Interior Features

1. Arches

a. Apse/Chancel arches

(i) Chancel arch

The arch is less than a semi-circle, that is, slightly segmental, but not depressed or collapsed.

First order, shared

Plain chamfered base and jambs. Imposts, plain, chamfered, possibly renewed throughout. In the arch: on the face to E and W, centrifugal lateral chevron. In the soffit: a heavy roll.

Second order, W side only

Jambs and imposts as first order. Plain, chamfered in the arch. Finishes flush with wall.

2. Arcades

c. Nave

Round-headed, of three bays (and re-tooled). There is slight variation among the bases, and in the heights of the pillars of N compared to S arcade, and within the S arcade itself. However, there is enough similarity to suppose the arcades are of one date.

(i) N arcade

Bases (on pier 2, for example): square, chamfered plinth, 0.75m on each side (h. of plinths vary). Wide, round bulbous base with wedge moulding within the hollow; torus with a groove on side and top.

Capitals: with necking, circular, becoming slightly octagonal just below halfway to the octagonal impost, and widening outwards in a very hollow profile. No sculpture.

Impost: octagonal, small chamfer over the capitals, vertical face with a groove near the bottom.

First order arch, shared with aisle: plain, chamfered, with flat soffit.

Second order (same in both nave and aisle): plain, chamfered, with narrow soffit.Piers 1 and 2 have a triangular stop-chamfer to the nave but not the aisle.

E and W responds: pillars are semi-circular. Capitals and arches as before; no stop-chamfers.

Dimensions

(ii) S arcade

Similar to N arcade but there is simple sculpture on the capitals; all chamfers on the second order end in triangular stop-chamfers, and although the impost is octagonal it is like N arcade capitals. The overhang is not so marked.

E respond: on each of the three full faces of the octagonal capital is a 'lily' (see VIII Comments/Opinions) reaching the height of the capital but not spreading far sideways. It has a lenticular upright leaf at the top and on each side a downward-curling simple side-view leaf. These leaflets are gathered at mid-height by a two- or three-strand band. Below this, one wedge-shaped form is divided into three by two vertical grooves.

Pier 1: The capital has similar carving on each of the eight faces; at the top is a hemispherical dome. The upper segment of this (from 10 to 12 o'clock, something like the division on a tennis ball) is slightly raised. Below the hemisphere is a flat strip extending straight down to the ring. It has tool marks or light (intentional) grooves across it. The forms are reminiscent of ornaments at St John's, Chester.

Pier 2: Originally on each of the eight faces, but hacked off the W face now: one short billet moulding centrally. A strap-like tongue rises from the ring, and, narrowing slightly as it goes, appears to run behind the billet and lap over the top of it. The strap ends about two-thirds of the way over the billet.

W respond: as E respond, decorated with similar lilies.

Dimensions

V Furnishings

1. Fonts

(i)

Now at the back of the nave.This 'formerly stood in the Tockwith or south aisle' (Dixon, 22). It is plain, circular, cup-shaped and set on later pillar and plinth. Diagonal tooling inside and out, with remnants of yellow ochre outside.

Dimensions

VII History

In 1086, Osbern de Arches had an estate of 9 carucates; it was only worth a quarter of the value T.R.E. There is no mention of a church.

VIII Comments/Opinions

Regarding the lily in S arcade, E and W responds, Patrik Reutersward (1985) considers this symbol distinct from the Tree of Life, since it appears with that in some cases (e.g. Christian Visigothic sarcophagus; 12thc. fonts in Jutland). According to Reutersward, 'Both the tree and the lily served widely as paradisal devices' and both the tree and the lily may 'approach a Christological significance' but 'whereas the tree has a definite Christological connotation (Rev. 22.14), there does not seem to be any scriptural evidence for the lily as a symbol of Christ' (Reuterswärd 1986, essay 5, 148). However, in an earlier essay, Reutersward illustrates a Coptic stele of about the 8thc. from Edful which has 'ankh-signs, the hieroglyph for life' radiating from a large cross. These signs are very similar to the lily at Bilton, having a lens-shaped loop, curling side shapes and the tall outline already described (Reuterswärd 1986, essay 2, 108, fig. 15). During the Romanesque period, Reutersward notes that the emblem eventually developed 'a clearly lily-like shape. Later on the lily was frequently also given a Mariological significance' (Reuterswärd 1986, essay 5,148). The present author proposes that the lily is another form of tree in this period - a three-fold motif of leaves.

IX Bibliography