Dedication : All Saints       Simon Jenkins: Excluded                                                         Principal Features : Fine Anglo-Saxon tower; Important Saxon carvings

Hovingham, like Barton-le-Street Church, is part of the Street group of churches. Just as Barton-le-Street was completely rebuilt by the Victorians but retained much of its Norman carving, so Hovingham was rebuilt in 1860 but retained its Saxon tower and some other important Saxon carvings. Both churches, by dint of their substantial rebuilding, are little regarded within the books on church architecture, but both warrant some attention by those less worried about “top 100s” or “best 1000s”! So I’ll try to redress the balance a bit!

There is little externally to betray Hovingham’s comparatively recent rebuilding. It looks like a fairly typical “muddled” church with parts from most of the Gothic period. The Saxon provenance of the tower is, however, immediately apparent.

It is believed that the tower dates from the last 25 years before the Conquest. It is clear that some of the tower’s masonry was reused from an even earlier church. Interestingly, the Church Guide refers to the nearby church of Kirkdale St Gregory’s which has a sundial (see footnote) proclaiming that the Saxon landowner, Orm, had rebuilt that church; and it is known that he did so between 1055 and 1065. This is seen as evidence that Orm probably also commissioned Hovingham’s rebuilding in the same period.

There are three known fragments from the early church: an c8 “Anglian” cross over the west door; the c9 “Annunciation Stone” in the Lady Chapel; and a c10 “Wheel” cross on the south side of the tower. Within

The Saxon tower from the south.

Saxon window, tower south side.

The Saxon west doorway. This would have been the only entrance to the Saxon church. Note the lack of a keystone, which is typical of saxon architecture.

This cross is located above the west door. It is believed to be a remnant of the even earlier Saxon church that was probably destroyed by Viking raiders.

On the south side is this typical Saxon biforum opening. It has the usual crudely assembled arches and rather skinny column to support it - see Kirk Hammerton, St John the Baptist Church where the column is similarly under-nourished, but where the arches are carved from single stone blocks rather than assembed from smaller voussoirs as seen here at Hovingham. Above the boforum is the stunning “Wheel Cross”

The Wheel Cross is a true treasure. It is c10 and we can see that it has what we would now regard as a more “normal” cross shape with longer transverse arms, unlike the Anglian Cross (see above) that has arms of equal length. The “wheel” design behind the arms shows Scandinavian influence. Celtic-style designs are still discernible - just - on the surface of the cross itself.

Right: The east face of the tower with its Saxon arch and courses of herringbone masonry.

The interior view towards the west end shows the extraordinary contrast between the new whitewashed Gothic style arcades and the original west face of the Saxon tower, with its herringbone masonry courses, patchwork of dressed stones and sturdy tower arch.

The view to the east end which despite the total rebuilding is pretty well indistinguishable from an original Gothic church. The east window is rather small and in a Decorated style. Note the Viking cross held in its wrought-iron frame within the chancel.

Close ups of the Annunciation panels. Despite the ravages of time, these two are still reasonably clear. the detail of the wing and halo of the Archangel is evidence of how detailed and finely-carved this frieze would once have been.

A fragment of an ancient coffin lid.