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THE CHURCH OF ST MARY THE VIRGIN GOLDSBOROUGH Written by Alyson Jackson |
A church has stood on this site for over 700 years, for much of this time in the patronage of the Lord of the Manor. It contains fine effigies of some members of eminent local families.
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The oldest part of the church is the Norman south door. According to Lascelles (Ref 1) and Atkinson (Ref 2), because the sculpture appears to have been shortened to fit into later moulding, it is possible that the doorway has been moved from elsewhere. Reverend Kelk (Ref 3) states, however, that the Norman doorway was probably moved from its original position in the nave to the south side of the church in the early fourteenth century. The earliest church probably consisted solely of a nave and chancel (Ref 3) of which little remains apart from a portion of the main walls in the extreme east and west ends of the interior of the nave. The Norman chancel and chancel arch were demolished in the late thirteenth century and replaced by a spacious chancel with dividing arch. The north and south windows of the chancel mostly date from the Early English period (also called Gothic - the style which superseded Norman/Romanesque) with the two westernmost on the south side of the later Decorated period ( fourteenth century style with lavish ornamentation). The unglazed lower part of one of these Decorated windows may have been a "leper window" where those not welcomed into the general congregation might still listen to the service.
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Norman stonework
in the south door of Goldsborough Church |
The stained glass of the east window of the chancel is a memorial to Louisa the wife of the third Earl of Harewood,. Various members of the Lascelles family donated glass which adorns the other chancel windows. There are two beautiful tombs in the chancel, both dating from the early fourteenth century. On the north side is that of the fourth Richard de Goldsburgh, who died in 1308. He lies with his head to the west and his feet resting against a lion couchant. Atkinson (Ref 4) tells us that the the first named rector in the list in the church, Anthony de Gold borch who held the rectory in 1290, was a contemporary of this Sir Richard de Goldsburgh.
The effigy on the tomb on the south side of the chancel is that of the fifth Richard de Goldsburgh, son of the above, who died around 1333. His shield bears the "cross patence" of the Goldsburghs, also to be seen in arms around the church interior.
The oldest slab in the floor of the church is inscribed with a dedication to Eve de Goldsburgh, daughter of Sir Walter Bek.
Further evidence of the prominence of the Goldsburgh family can be seen on the south side of the church where lies the tomb of Sir Richard Goldesburgh who married Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Henry Vavasour. He died 1504. Their thirteen children are recorded on the tomb - sons Richard, Thomas, Edwarde, John, Peter and Georghe to the south and daughters Jane, Maude, Elsabeth, Nycola, Jnett, Alys and Anne to the north.
The tower dates from about 1380 and bears heraldic shields belonging to Sir Richard de Goldsburg who died about 1386 (north), Sir Richard who died about 1425 (west) and Sir Richard who died about 1443 (south).
Floor slabs also commemorate members of the Byerley family - one to Ann, a second to Robert (eldest son of Mary and Robert), died 1729, and Philip, died 1734, and a third to the Hon. Robert who died 1714. A Byerley memorial can also be seen on the south wall of the chancel, dedicated to Robert, his wife Mary, and their children Robert, Philip, Ann and Elizabeth. Indeed, the church was repaired and re-roofed at the expense of the ladies of the manor, Ann and Elizabeth Byerley, around 1750.
The Lascelles family are well-represented also. The Rector of Goldsburgh for 45 years in the late nineteenth century, Canon Lascelles who died 24/11/1901 at the age of seventy, is commemorated in a brass plate on the south wall. The panelling on the east wall of the chancel is dedicated "to the glory of God and in loving memory of James Walter Lascelles & Emma Clara his wife this panelling is erected by their children Oct 1913". The inscription is on the north end of the panelling. In the north aisle of the church, at the east end, is the marble tomb of Daniel Lascelles, who died in London on the 26 May 1784 at the age of seventy.
A complete restoration of the church was carried out in 1859 under the direction of Sir Gilbert Scott. The morth porch was also added at this time together with the pulpit and chancel screen.
South east of the church are the remains of steps and a cross, probably ninth century. When restored in 1913 human bones and a Viking-type bronze were discovered. The red granite cross to the east of these marks the resting place of Canon Lascelles and his wife.
