Healaugh – St. John the Baptist

The first stones of Healaugh church were put down in 649, but essentially this is a Norman church with a later tower and additions/alterations typical of most parish churches in England.

External Views

View of South Side

Corbel table detail

Norman South Doorway

Healaugh has a lovely late Norman south doorway, which is in relatively good condition despite the lack of a porch to protect it.  It has three orders with a hood moulding of chevrons.  The middle order of beak-heads are finely carved and the outer has figures which may represent the life of St. John the Baptist. The abaci and capitals are carved.   A bullet hole, supposedly made by a Roundhead on his way to the battle of Marston Moor, can be found in the door which is Perpendicular in style.

Priest’s Door

The priest’s doorway (and the corbel table of the south side) are late Norman.

Inside

Four cluster piers can be found in the arcade – the church is has no south aisle.  The chancel arch is Norman with two orders.

View from west end to alter

The columns supporting the chancel arch are richly carved.

Pillar at north side chancel arch

Pillar at south side chancel arch

Further detail

Window in north aisle

Reredos

Staircase to tower loft

Font

Piscina

Perpendicular Sedilia

East Window

Alabaster Tomb

The alabaster tomb of Thomas, Lord Wharton has been placed in the north chapel – the cover has effigies of Thomas and his two wives.

There are a pair of commemorative panes of glass in the west end window.  These recognise the founding of ‘The Hermitage in the Woods’ by Heiu the Abbess of Hartlepool in 649 and the burial of ‘Madug, Priest of the Celtic Mission’.

 

Miscellaneous images

References : 8.

—-Stephen—-