The Church of St Mary and St Alkelda is a Church of England parish church in Middleham, Richmondshire, North Yorkshire. The church is a grade I listed building,[1] and it dates from the 13th century.[2]
| Church of St Mary and St Alkelda, Middleham | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| Location | Church Street, Middleham, Leyburn, North Yorkshire, DL8 4PQ |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Previous denomination | Roman Catholic Church |
| History | |
| Status | Active |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Parish church |
| Years built | 13th century |
| Specifications | |
| Capacity | 200 |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Diocese of Leeds |
| Archdeaconry | Archdeaconry of Richmond and Craven |
| Parish | Middleham with Coverdale and East Witton and Thornton Steward |
| Clergy | |
| Rector | The Revd Jeffery Payne |
| Assistant priest(s) | The Revd Elizabeth Moody |
History
editThe church was made a collegiate church in 1477 by Richard, Duke of Gloucester (later Richard III). Richard III's young son and heir, Edward of Middleham, Prince of Wales, may possibly have been buried in the church after his death nearby in Middleham Castle in 1484. The collegiate body of the church consisted of a dean, six chaplains, four clerks and six choristers.[1] The church was a Royal Peculiar until 1856, at which point the Dean was replaced by a Rector.[3]
On 15 February 1967, the church was designated a Grade I listed building.[1]
Present day
editToday, the church is part of the benefice of "Middleham w Coverdale and E Witton and Thornton St" in the Archdeaconry of Richmond and Craven of the Diocese of Leeds.[4]
The parish stands in the Conservative Evangelical tradition of the Church of England.[4] The benefice has not passed resolutions rejecting the ordination of women.[5]
Notable clergy
edit- Harry Topham, clergyman and cricketer, served as rector from 1903 to 1925
References
edit- ^ a b c Historic England. "Church of St Mary and St Alkelda (1318544)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
- ^ "The Church of St. Mary and St. Alkelda". Jervaulx Churches. Archived from the original on 5 April 2017. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
- ^ Page, William, ed. (1974). "Collegiate churches: Other churches (except Beverley and York)". A History of the County of York: Volume 3. London. pp. 359–375. Retrieved 16 June 2021 – via British History Online.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ a b "Middleham: St Mary & St Alkelda, Middleham, Leyburn". A Church Near You. Archbishops' Council. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
- ^ "Middleham with Coverdale, East Witton and Thornton Steward: PARISH PROFILE" (PDF). Jervaulx Churches. p. 33. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 August 2016. Retrieved 4 April 2017.