This adventure is to show some of our local churches.

 This is St. Mary's Church in Kirkgate, Thirsk.

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St. Mary's Church, Thirsk.

Thirsk Hall in Kirkgate, Thirsk, which has been in the Bell family since the 18th century.

The Black Swan pub on Front Street, Norby, Thirsk.

St. Michael's Church in Coxwold.

Coxwold is situated 7 miles south east of Thirsk. In the past it has won various best kept villiage awards and is definately 
worth a visit.

St Michael's Church in Coxwold was one of the first churches in Yorkshire and is probably built on the site of a pagen temple. It was first mentioned in a letter from Pope Paul 1, dated 757AD.

St. Michael's Church, Coxwold.

You can clearly see The Royal Coat of Arms of George 2nd over the chancel arch, flanked by the armorial bearings of the

 Earls of Fauconberg.

 Beautiful Stained Glass Windows

The lecturn, carved by Josef Heu, an Austrian sculpter who found refuge in Coxwold in 1941 after fleeing the Nazis

This is Laurence Sterne's gravestone, which was relocated along with his remains from London in 1969. He  previously lived at Shandy Hall in Coxwold, an Anglo-Irish novelist and anglican clergyman who wrote the book  and published in 1759 

The life and opinions of Tristam Shandy. His Great Grandfather Richard Sterne had also been the Archbishop of York.

Shandy Hall

A marble monument to Henry, Viscount Fauconberg (died 1647) and his grandson Thomas.

The Tomb of Sir William Belasyse and his wife Margaret. 

Carvings of their 5 children are placed around it.

Painted in gold, red and black. The Tomb was carved by Thomas Brown, a Yorkshire sculptor, in 1603 using magnesian limestone from the Vavasour estate near Tadcaster.

Kilburn Church can be found 6 miles south east of Thirsk, around 10 min drive.

Kilburn Church is a Norman building apparently built in 1120-1130. It is one of the oldest buildings in the district - older than Rievaulx, Byland Abbey's and Newburgh Priory

The inside of Kilburn Church. 

The Bell Tower and the Font of Kilburn Church.

There are 3 bells situated in the tower, and one of the tow original founded by S.Smith at York in 1684 lies silent on the floor of the North Aisle.

The oak lecturn made by Robert Thompson the world famous makers of the Mouseman furniture which is made next door in their workshops. 

All the Mouseman furniture has a mouse carved on it but, unusually, the lecturn has an additional carved alligator on it as well. I wonder why? I am not aware of other furniture with an alligator carved on it. Must be a story behind it.

There is much more information about these churches, and others in the locality, to follow.