Adel St John the Baptist Church, Leeds, Dec '09

[boxfrenzy]

Let's get this clear before we go any further readers. I know this is a church - infact the oldest one in Leeds. It isn't a abandoned one. It's in the Heritage section. There are a lot of folk from Leeds on here, so I thought it was quite interesting. If you have been linked to this report from elsewhere, incredulous that such a poor report could ever be posted, then stay calm. I am Boxfrenzy, Lord of all things mediocre, average and faintly disappointing. What further proof? Just ask my ex wife.
Let's open the batting with an exterior shot, taken in the churchyard.


The graveyard has over eight thousand people interred here, from 1150 until the present day. The earliest one that can be seen (at least by me) was dated 1694.


Inside the chancel is the Norman archway. 37 heads are carved and look down on the congregation. Behind me is the font, which replaced an outside one. As it a dedicated church to John the Baptist, it (like all) have two steps leading down, to represent the stepping down into the River Jordan.



These carvings were done between 1150 and 1160. They have not been redone since, and remain very sharp.



Small arched windows. Originally there was a balcony up here, which was removed as congregation sizes decreased as land use was changed over a century ago. There is also a lepers window, so lepers could hear the mass from outside. I failed to take a decent snap of it.


It's fairly tricky to make out through the extreme digital noise, but this is a passageway through into the vestry.



This 3-light Armorial east window dated 1681 was painted by Henry Giles of York. As well as the coat of arms of Charles II (every church needed to have this), the coats of arms of the Arthington family, the Arms of Rector Bearey and the Arms of Thomas Kirke.


A painting of the church done a very long time ago. I'm afraid poor photographic technique is responsible for the blur, rather than the artist. It looks like they are having a picnic on a tombstone. At least it is nice weather for it. I am unable to identify whether the man in the three cornered hat is eating a Pepperami. It's a bit of an animal. (I don't know which bit)


Here is a picture I took of Adel Church during some restoration in 1879. Lucky I kept the old memory card eh?


This 19th century door is a copy of a much older door. The elaborate 800 year old carving around the edge of the door has been protected from weather and meteor damage by a porch roof.


How great is this? A man's head protrudes from the mouth of a lion and the moveable decorated ring passes through the lion's mouth. This closing ring or door knocker is similar to the sanctuary ring at All Saints', Pavement. York. Alas someone stole the original medieval one a few years ago so this is a replica.


Adel St John the Baptist Church is the oldest in the Leeds parish, dating from c.1150. It was built on the site of a Saxon place of worship. It is possible that it was originally a Roman site, with a Roman Camp being discovered some 400 yards away. Here is a Norman stone coffin. For many reasons - primarily weight and temperature- I didn't bother getting in.

[Kevsy21]

some nice pics,interesting report

[Rochester]

I do like lawnswood for the great monuments, your first shots shows Ethol, waiting for her husband to come home in the porch, apparently they were devoted to each other but when she died he remarried within the year.

[richard]

Nice one