Kildwick Parish Church

Kildwick Parish Church - Kildwick in Craven

The village and manor of Kildwick were amongst the first donations to the priory of Embsay by Cecilia de Romille the foundress.

In that house it continued until the Dissolution of the monasteries when it was granted by Henry VIII to Robert Wilkinson and Thomas Drake of the parish of Halifax. In the 2nd year of Edward VI is a licence to Drake to alienate the manor of Kildwick to John Garforth, of Farnhill, by whom or his son, anno 1 Elizabeth, it was sold to Henry Currer Esq. from whom it has lineally descended to the present owner.

The Lang Kirk of Kildwick in Craven

The present church of St Andrews in Kildwick is mentioned in the Domesday Book, it was given by Cecilia de Romille and appropriated by Archbishop Thurston in 1272.

In the register of Archbishop Melton in 1318-19, the taxation of this church is shown, as having been wasted and destroyed by the Scots is reduced to eighteen marks.

The fabric of the church seems to have been almost entirely renewed in the reign of Henry VIII. The choir is extended to such an unusual length it has acquired the name of the Lang Kirk in Craven.

In the windows of the north aisle are several shields of various dates. The window in the Currer Chapel contains the following shields from the top left to bottom right:

Heraldic Window (The Currer Chapel)

1) France and England Quarterly, impaling the full quarterings of Spain.
For Mary Queen of England and Philip of Spain her husband. - This shield is old.

2) France and England Quarterly, impaling Seymour.
For Henry VIII and Jane Seymour.

3) As the first but modern.

4) Or, a lion rampant gu. impaling or, three bars gu.
For Walter de Meschines and Cecilia de Romille his wife, founder of the priory at Embsay.

5) Gu. a cross flory veir.
For Bolton Priory.

6) Currer qu / Richardson.

John Currer and Richardson of Kildwick

For John Currer, Lord of Kildwick.

7) Currer impaling az. a satire between four escalopes or.

Henry Currer of Kilwick and Ann Wade his wife

For Henry Currer of Kildwick and Ann Wade.

8) Currer quartering a fess gu. between three branches of laurel vert. Roundell.

Danson Richards Currer installed the window in 1808

For Danson Richardson Currer who installed the windows in 1808.

9) Quarterly of six.

Quarterly of Six

i) Currer ii) Harrison of Flaxby iii) Howath of Thurcroft
iv) Fothergill v) Richardson vi) Pollard of North Bierley

The Parish Registers are well preserved and the following inscription can be found within the pages of Volume One, 1575 - 1622 Baptisms.

A True and Perfect Register or Calander

Of the names of all those which have been Baptised, Married or Buried
in our Paryshe of Kyldewycke in Craven since the begining of the Eighteenth
year of the most happiest reigne of our most gracious soveraigne Ladie
Elizabeth, by the grace of God, of Engaland, France and Ireland. Queen
defender of the faith. New written according to commandment given in the
fortieth year of her graces reign and diligent, tryed and examined to agree with
the old copie by the Mynister and Churchwardens therebeing.
At that tyme in the year of our Lord 1598.

Decimo tercio die Nobembris Supradicti baptizatus fuit.
William Overende
filius Henry Overende et Alicia broris cuis.

The other volumes relate to entries between the following dates.

Vol 2 - 1625 - 1653, Vol 3 - 1654 - 1677,
Vol 4 - 1678 - 1698, Vol 5 - 1699 - 1719,
Vol 6 - 1720 - 1743

The original registers were new bound in 1772, the old binders being quite decayed.

There is also a day book where day to day occurances were recorded such as the mending of the Lyche Gates and the Church Bells. The cost of these repairs and who carried them out are also recorded, which in some instances was a member of the Overend family.

Translation of the Latin words used above into English reads as follows-

Latin	English
Decimo tercio	13th
Die	On the Day
Novembris	November
Supradicti	Above Names
Baptizatus	Baptised
Fuit	He, She, It was.
Filius	Son
et	and
Cuis	Whos, Which, What.