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Saturday 22 April 2017

Hubberholme


St Michael and All Angels church in Hubberholme is quite small, quite dark inside and very old - but utterly charming. It was originally a 12th century (Norman) Forest Chapel, as the area around was a hunting forest. The tiny chapel was expanded at a later date and the rood loft (the remains of which can be seen in my picture below) was installed in 1558, possibly transferred from Coverham Abbey. It would have had a floor to support musicians and is one of only two surviving in Yorkshire. The church also has pews carved by Robert Thompson, 'the Mouseman of Kilburn' in 1934. I found one of his trademarks of a carved mouse, after carefully searching the choir stalls. Legend has it that one of the altars was used as an ale bench in The George pub (which used to be the vicarage) across the road, until it was rescued and reinstated in the church! The George, I have read, also signifies it is open by having a lit candle in the window, in the same way as the vicar would have notified his availability to parishioners. 

The tiny hamlet of Hubberholme, situated where Langstrothdale meets Upper Wharfedale, was a favourite place of the Bradford-born author, broadcaster and dramatist J B Priestley (1894-1984), who described it as "one of the smallest and most pleasant places in the world." His ashes were buried in the churchyard and the church contains a memorial plaque. 



8 comments:

  1. The open stonework is amazing to see. Beautiful church

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  2. The stonework is wonderful, Jenny!

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  3. I recall Rawdon Littlemoor Primary School had four "Houses". They were Bronte, Cook, Priestley and Verity. The famous cricketer's sister, Grace Verity was my teacher and taught me to read my very first book, "Swallows and Amazons" by Arthur Ransome.

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  4. What an interesting little church.
    Liz

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  5. The sweeps of daffodils in the graveyard help to make the scene quite nice. And I appreciate the amount of research you do to inform your blog's readers.

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  6. I love your photos Jenny! My Grandad was Vicar of this church and I spent many a happy holiday in Hubberholme as a young child! I also moved to Saltaire last month and you have a lovely (old) photograph of my house on here!

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