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MANFIELD CHURCH

Manfield Church is first recorded in the Domesday Survey of 1086.

Whether any part of this original building remains is subject to debate by

the experts. It is probable that the church referred to in 1086 was on

the site of the present church in which the earliest fabrics are

apparently mid-twelfth century. In this century, the church consisted of

an aisles nave and chancel. In the mid-thirteenth century, it was

enlarged by the addition of the north and south aisles and again about

1330 with a new north arcade, new chancel and arch, and the extension of

the nave by one bay. The tower was built in the sixteenth century. An

entry from recorded historical information of 1823 gives the church as

being dedicated to St. Michael but research from Langdale's Yorkshire

Dictionary (1822) and Baine's Directory of the County of York (1823)

states All-Saints. However, we are able to conclude that the style of the

present edifice is Early English and probably dates from Saxon times.

In 1855, extensive restoration work was carried out when a "Priest's

door", a piece of Norman work, was preserved on account of its antiquity.

Further information from 1890, refers to the tower as massive and

containing three bells, each of which bearing the date 1664. The clock

was presented by Mrs Wilson of Sea Croft Hall in 1841, and the east

window, representing the four Evangelists, by Miss Sarah Wilson. There

are also two stained glass windows in the south aisle to the memory to the

memory of Richard Bassett Wilson, of Cliffe Hall, and Anne, his widow.

The latter, representing the Raising of Jairus's Daughter, is a beautiful

piece of work by Meyer, of London and Munich.

There are other stained glass memorials, and also several tablets to the

Witham family, lords of the manor, who were seated at Cliffe Hall from the

middle of the 16th to the early part of the present century (1890), when

the estate was sold to the late John Wilson, Esq., grandfather of the then

Colonel J.G. Wilson. The roof of the nave is open, with four clerestory

windows on each side. The pulpit and font, both of white stone, were the

work of Mr Priestman, of Darlington, and a handsome, carved oaken screen

and reredos, erected, in 1876, by Colonel Wilson were executed by Henry

Harwood, of Manfield.

The lectern, also of oak, was the gift of Miss Yeoman. In the churchyard

are several old tombstones, supposed to belong to the 13th and 14th

centuries.

The living was formerly a rectory (The Grange). In 1335, it was

appropriated to Easby Abbey, by Robert de Wodehouse, Archdeacon of

Richmond. It is valued in the King's Books at £61s. 3d., and is now worth

£370 (1891), with six acres of glebe and residence.

At the Reformation, the patronage came to the Crown, but is now vested in

the bishop of Ripon. The late vicar, the Rev. O.B. Yeoman, who died on

the 4th of the present month (April, 1889), held the benefice 29 years,

and his predecessor, the Rev. J. Swire to whom there is a memorial window

in the north aisle, 37 years.

If interested in further research, more information may be obtained from,