Beeston is a parish about 3 km from the centre of Leeds. The church was rebuilt in the 19thc. (chancel, 1877, nave 1885-86 by C. H. Thornton). Kirk says: 'The oldest surviving feature is the inner arch of the outer doorway of the vestry. This arch consists of ... worked stones which were removed from the walls of the old chapel at its demolition in 1885'. These 12 stones are fragments, probably from more than one arch, and of c.1130. (Kirk, 1936; Ryder 1993, p. 33).

In 1086 the Domesday Book described Beeston as ‘waste’, i.e. land that was not paying geld or had been wasted during the conquest. It was held by Ilbert de Lacy but no church was recorded. In 1294 a woman anchorite was enclosed (Reg. Romeyn, card index at Borthwick Institute).

Knaresborough has a length of string course with a saltire pattern, one diagonal lying over the other, that is similar to the stones at Beeston. The same pattern is also used at Campsall on an arch of voussoirs, and there the overall effect is more like a interwoven chevron pattern than saltire crosses. (fieldworker)