History of St Oswald and
St Oswald's Church, Sowerby

The Story of our Patron Saint

Oswald, son of the Northumbrian King Ethelfrith, fled to Scotland in 616 when Edwin seized his father's kingdom. He became a Christian on the island of Iona.

When Edwin died in 633, Oswald and his family returned to Northumbria. Osric and Eanfrid, his brothers, were soon killed by the tyrant King Cadwalla who ruled Northumbria. Determined to regain his kingdom and rid it of the tyrant, Oswald assembled an army at Hevenfelt, near Hexham, where he erected a wooden cross, gathered his army around it, and prayed for victory. Despite being heavily outnumbered Oswald won the day and regained his kingdom.

His next task was to convert his subjects to Christianity. To do this he sent for a Bishop from Iona, who turned out to be very severe and had no success. He was replaced by Bishop Aidan and, although Oswald had to translate his sermons, he had great success and was given the island of Lindisfarne and an episcopal seat near Bamburgh.

Unfortunately, Oswald did not reign for long. After only eight years, he was killed in battle at Maserfield by the pagan King Penda of Mercia; he was only 38 years old. Oswald's body was dismembered and his head was buried at Lindisfarne. Under the threat of invasion in 875, the monks removed Oswald's head and Cuthbert's body. They were carried by the monks to many locations and eventually buried together at Durham. Soon after his death, Oswald was made a saint and his fame spread throughout Europe. Sixty-two churches were dedicated to him in England and some in Europe.

The year 1992 was the 1350th anniversary of St Oswald's death and celebrations of his life and work were held. These were centred around St Oswald's churches in Durham and Oswestry, the latter thought to be the place where he died. On 12th July 1992, there was a pilgrimage to Hevenfelt, the site of St Oswald's victory over Cadwalla.

The Parish Church of St Oswald, Sowerby

The earliest church at Sowerby, of which any part remains, appears to have been built about the year 1140, or earlier, and is therefore in the Norman style. Today it consists of the west Tower, Nave, South Transept, small porch attached to South Wall, Crossing with Lantern above, Chancel, Chapel (south-west corner of Chancel), North Transept, North-West Porch, detached Organ Blower Chamber and Heating Chamber.

In 1145 Roger de Mowbray, nephew of William the Conqueror, gave the care of the Chappell of Sowerby to the Prior of Newburgh, and history records show that several members of the ancient Family of Lassels, who were Lords of the Village for about 500 years, are buried in their own Chappell of St Oswald of Sowerby.

In February 1600, Elizabeth I made a Grant of the Manor of Sowerby and reserved to her heir and successors in free socage, as of her Manor of East Greenwich in the County of Kent, the entire Advowson donation and free disposition and right of Patronage of the Vicarial Parish Church of Sowerby. The Grant was acquired, in the same year, by Sir Thomas Lasscells of Walbron in the County of York.

The South Doorway and Tower

Of the earlier church the South wall of the Nave alone remains, together with the fine South doorway, possibly of 11th century date, which contains Norman ornament showing local regional characteristics.

The oak door is medieval with co-eval ironwork, and bears the date 1680 made up of iron studs.



The Tower, which contains the remains of the Norman Church, was built in the 15th century with a rare feature - a hagioscope (squint) through which the altar is seen.





The handsome Font, in the eclectic 19th century Norman style, and resting on five pillars under the Tower, was presented in 1841 by Sir Robert and Lady Frankland Russell of Thirkleby Park, whose family owned much land in the area, including that on which our Parochial Hall now stands. Near the South door and also inside the Tower are some grooves or scorings which may have been made in sharpening weapons or tools.

The Nave

Most of the stone work in the South Wall of the Nave is of medieval date. The Church contains a number of extremely beautiful stained glass windows, and in the South Wall is a window with figures of St Oswald and that other great northern saint, St Aidan.

In 1902, the North Wall was taken down and made into an Arcade and a spacious North Aisle built. The 19th century Norman door in the West Wall was originally beneath the Tower arch.

The Chancel Crossing

In 1842, the Church was restored and enlarged in 19th century Norman style. In 1883, further restoration and repair included the erection of an open Lantern of woodwork surmounted by a slated spire above the Chancel Crossing.




In the 1980s, re-ordering of this part of the Church took place and included a free-standing altar allowing more intimate congregational worship.

This altar can be removed for the many concert performances that take place in St Oswald's Church, taking advantage of the open space and excellent acoustics.

The Transepts

The South Transept has two noteworthy windows, both representing the healing of the sick: one (left) in memory of Sara Lambert who built the Lambert Memorial Hospital in memory of her husband; and the other (right) showing St Luke, the patron saint of medicine, in memory of Hugh Dryden Buchanan - "A beloved Physician".

This area of the church also contains an ancient massive chest probably dating from the 14th or 15th century.

The North Transept contains the organ, the original of which was by Albert Keates of Sheffield. It was re-conditioned in 1960. The window here commemorates the well-known Cayley family.

The North Aisle also contains three lights portraying St Cuthbert, St Wilfred and St Hilda, all of whom with St Oswald and St Aidan, were leading figures of early Christianity in the north. Cuthbert became a monk at Melrose Abbey and later a Bishop at Lindisfarne; Wilfred was one of the Bishops who sought to oust the older Celtic tradition from the English Church; Hilda founded the double monastery at Whitby and hosted the famous Synod that met there in the middle of the 7th century.

The Memorial Chapel

This Chapel is kept aside for private prayer and houses the aumbry containing the reserved sacrament and oil for anointing the sick. The window is based on Holbein's "Light of the World".

The Sanctuary

The Altar Table is of fine antique oak, the painted and gilt Reredos above being donated in 1883 by Miss Rob of Catton in memory of her mother.

The East Window was presented in 1841 by Sir Robert and Lady Frankland Russell of Thirkleby Park. It is composed of two tall narrow lights, both containing the Red Rose of the Plantagenets of the House of Lancaster, and at the top of the left-hand light is the Shield of Edward III signifying the connection of the Frankland Russell family to the Nevilles descending from the Blood Royal.

Records

The list of incumbents since 1569 is on a painted board in the vestry. Church records also reach back to 1569, the majority of which are kept in the County Archives at Northallerton.

The Sowerby War Memorial (on the village green outside St Oswald's church) and two Memorial Plaques inside the church list the men of Sowerby who made the made the ultimate sacrifice.

This website (www.stoswaldsowerby.org.uk) was launched in 2002 and includes annual reports of St Oswald's church since 2004. A limited archive of previous versions of this website is available on the Wayback Machine.

www.stoswaldsowerby.org.uk