Kirkbymoorside is a busy small market town with a range of shops and pubs. A wooden church was first built here in the 8thC on the site of a pagan temple, but was destroyed by the Vikings. The present church was built about 1250, although the chancel was rebuilt in the 19thC. The porch was added about 1400 and has a priests room above, reached by stairs inside the south door.
There is a big square tower at the west end with battlements and corner pinnacles. The clerestory nave and south porch are battlemented with flat roofs. The chancel and large chapel to the north have tall pointed roofs.
Inside it is a big church. A wooden staircase leads up into the bell tower. The octagonal font has shields and diamond shapes on the bowl and round the base.
Stone arcades separate nave and side aisles and are a mixture of round and octagonal pillars with pointed arches. The arcade continues on the north side to the end of the chancel.
Walls are plaster and there is a wood ceiling. Pews are 19thC.
The carved rood screen extends across chancel and side aisles. This has carved base panels with very delicate tracery above. The roof is painted blue. The altar rail has open carved panels. There is a wood panelled reredos under the east window.
Between chancel and side chapels is a carved parclose screen. The south chapel contains the organ. The north chapel has an altar with a heavy wood reredos with heavily carved dark panels with biblical scenes.
Look for the window in the side aisle in memory of Edward Mourant Birch d 1874, who was responsible for initiating the restoration of the church. There is a lovely image of Kirkbmoorside church in the bottom corner.
This is a big church. It is impressive inside although there is nothing really special to attract visitors. If in Kirbymoorside, it is worth going in for a quick look. It is open 9-5, but later on a Wednesday morning as there is a service at 10am. There is no parking by the church. We parked in the main street but were not sure whether we had to pay. A note in the post office said buy your parking tickets here. We stuck our blue badge in the windscreen and trusted to luck. There is a large pay and display car park off the main street.
