Heritage Tour is series of articles by Allan Boddy and Margaret Parkin, and occasional others, that appear monthly in the church magazine. These explore many aspects of the history and heritage of the church building and its artefacts.

“We Will Remember Them”

By Margaret Parkin

In a previous section we wrote about the World War 1 memorial situated in the south entrance of our church. A brief reminder – the memorial was made in the town of Carrara, Tuscany, using the local marble said to be among the finest in the world. It was designed by Oswald Holmes a local architect and gifted by the Town Council of the day. It dates to 1920 and honours the sacrifice of 185 local men, nominated by their families for inclusion in the list. Another 95 names are included in the records held in the Otley Museum archives.

Bill Mulholland, a local historian, wanted to pay tribute to the men of Otley after he visited the grave of his uncle on the Somme. It took Bill four years to complete his work and the results make poignant reading. You can see them in the NADFAS records kept here in church – just ask.

There has been one outstanding mystery – a complete lack of information about George Hector Vause. This has tested the minds of lots of folk from Lieutenant Colonels to family members. Just Google his name and you will see what I mean.

During the recent Heritage Weekend, a visitor asked what we could tell him about George, his great uncle. All we could tell him was of the searches made by Bill with no results to speak of. However, using what he could tell us, Lynne Barber began further research. Further conversation with George’s great nephew would seem to confirm that G. H. Vause became G. H. Ramsey, taking the married name of his sister, Maud Alice, believing that his own name of Vause sounded too Germanic. Sadly, he was killed in the battle of Dorian, Greece in April 1917, aged 26.

H. Vause is also listed on the War Memorial at Rawcliffe, the place of his birth. George Hector Vause/Ramsey’s details will be added to the NADFAS records and be available to researchers.

Moving on, what has this collection of rough stones, found in our churchyard and currently stored on the mezzanine above the Parish Room, got to do with the Town War Memorial?

They are fragments of Anglo-Saxon preaching crosses dating to the 8th, 9th and 10th centuries and pre-date the erection of any church buildings as we see them. They are witness to the early Christian community in Otley – established by missionaries sent from York, Beverley and Ripon. The stone crosses were erected to indicate a place where villagers could continue to meet the missionaries until such times as church buildings were created.

Our fragments were found lying around the churchyard, possibly victims of damage done during the Reformation. Some of them were used as “fillers-in” in the outside walls of the south and north aisles when built during the early fifteenth century; the Dragon cross piece was found in the chancel arch during the 1850’s internal renovations.

At a Vestry meeting, forerunner of our Parish Church Council meetings, held on 3rd April 1918, it was agreed that a memorial should be erected in the churchyard to commemorate those men of Otley who died during World War One. On 14th December 1919, plans were submitted for a cross for the churchyard and a wall tablet for inside the church. The cross is a reproduction from a design by Professor William Gershom Collingwood and is based on an eighth century cross which stood in the churchyard at that time. Fragments of that cross are among those preserved here today.

The cross itself was carved by William’s daughter Barbara Collingwood at the family home in Coniston, Cumbria. How they transported it to Otley we are not told! It was placed in the churchyard in front of the East window.

The memorial was unveiled by the then vicar of Otley, the Reverend G.T. Shettle and dedicated by the Bishop of Bradford, the Right Reverend Arthur Perowne at a service of dedication held on Saturday 20th November 1920.

Following the end of the Second World War in 1945 proposals for a Garden of Remembrance were formulated and an appeal to fund it was launched. Plans were approved in 1946.

 

What’s gone wrong?

Allan Boddy looks at some intriguing errors on three of the memorials. Have a look yourself.

Written on tablets of stone is an expression derived from the story of Moses and the Ten Commandments. It suggests that an idea or rule is firm and fixed and cannot be changed. Similarly, when we see things carved on stone tablets we tend to assume that they are accurate.

Unfortunately, as you explore the ‘tablets of stone’ or memorials in Otley Parish Church you will find that in a number of cases there are some surprising inaccuracies.

Thomas Fawkes, married but ‘single’

As you might expect, our church has many memorials to the Fawkes family of Farnley Hall. One of the earliest is a memorial to Thomas Fawkes who was born in 1563. The Latin epitaph on his memorial translates:

‘Thomas Fawkes of Farnley Esquire lived a single, upright and liberal life for 63 years. He died in 1626. Consider, understand, take thought for the past, the present and the future.’

These are nice sentiments to have as your epitaph but there are two problems with it – one explicable and one not.

First, we would say that Thomas died in February 1627 and not 1626 as recorded on his memorial. The difference came about because in 1752 the date for the start of a new year was changed. Up to 1752 the new year started on March 25th – Lady Day – but after that the start of the new year was moved to January 1st. Historians tend to refer to dates January to March in the years before 1752 as belonging to the following year. So, the execution of Charles I took place on 30th January 1648 but historians date it 1649. Thomas Fawkes died in February 1626 but we would date it February 1627. Simple really!

The second inaccuracy is much harder to explain. The Latin word which has been translated as ‘single’ is ‘caelibem’ and it can’t mean anything other than single or celibate and yet we know that Thomas Fawkes was married. He was married on 6th October 1588 in All Saints Church, Otley and this marriage is recorded in the registers of Otley Parish Church. We also know that he had a child, Richard, born and baptised in 1591 though we do not know when he died. It is hard to understand how a man who had married and had a son would have ‘single’ carved on his memorial.  Any ideas?

Whose is the tomb chest?

Another memorial which presents us with problems is the tomb chest in the sanctuary which dates from the first quarter of the seventeenth century.  There is no doubt that it belongs to the Dyneley family who bought the Bramhope estate in the middle of the sixteenth century and it was natural that Dyneleys would want to be buried and memorialised in Otley Parish Church, as Bramhope was part of the parish of Otley at that time.

The first problem, however, is that there is no inscription or other record which tells us which Dyneley is celebrated in this large and presumably costly monument. There are the letters ‘jd’ carved into the top of the chest which suggest it might be a memorial to John Dyneley who died in 1620 but there is no certainty. So much for the immortality conferred by a stone memorial in Otley Parish Church and it is not the only tomb of an unknown gentleman in our Church. On the opposite wall to the Dyneley tomb is a memorial to a member of the Vavasour family who lived at Weston Hall but again, we have no idea which one.

Anonymity is not the only problem with the Dyneley tomb; there is also an error. In the centre of the tomb there is a coat of arms which has three stars or mullets at the top. In the Dyneley coat of arms the middle star or mullet is pierced. In the coat of arms on the tomb the middle mullet isn’t pierced and is, therefore, the coat of arms of the Townley family from the other side of the Pennines. If that was not bad enough, when Sam Smiths came to do the sign for the Dyneley Arms pub they copied the coat of arms on this tomb, so in fact the sign for the Dyneley Arms bears the Townley arms!

Another error – can you spot it?

 

Now here’s the chance for you to see if you can spot an error. On the south wall of the nave there is a memorial to Thomas Fourness, his wife Rebekah Fourness, the Reverend Henry Wilson and his wife Ann. Henry Wilson was born in 1723, attended St John’s College Cambridge and was Vicar of Otley from 1761 until his death in 1781.

What is wrong with the information on the memorial?

 

Thomas Fawkes, married but ‘single’

As you might expect, our church has many memorials to the Fawkes family of Farnley Hall. One of the earliest is a memorial to Thomas Fawkes who was born in 1563. The Latin epitaph on his memorial translates:

‘Thomas Fawkes of Farnley Esquire lived a single, upright and liberal life for 63 years. He died in 1626. Consider, understand, take thought for the past, the present and the future.’

Find The Pelican…!

Margaret Parkin looks at a few of the symbols and artefacts that the Heritage Tour might otherwise not cover

 

How did the Norman Arch over the North Door get there?

The Chancel is the oldest part of the church – built c.11th – 12th century and was longer than it is now, extending as far as the first pillars along the nave. That is where the arch began its life over the door at the west end of the Chancel.

As the church was developed the door was moved into new positions and the arch went with it. First, to somewhere along the north side of the nave c.1240 – then, in 1520 to where it is now. The current wooden doors were installed during a renovation in 1867.

The Easter Sepulchre and a hidden door

The ornate monument in the Chancel is dedicated to Walter Fawkes 1769 – 1825 of Farnley Hall. He was a local MP, a strong advocate of the reform of Parliament and of the abolition of slavery. He was also the  founder of the Otley Agricultural Show. He had two wives, both called Maria.

The highly decorated style of the canopy above the tomb chest has been described as ‘being in the style of an Easter Sepulchre’. In amongst all the decorations you might like to see if you can find eight faces. How many are male and how any are female?

We do not believe that the monument was originally designed to fit the space it sits in but don’t know where it was made for, nor do we know the sculptor.

In order to accommodate it, a doorway behind was removed, along with several steps down. This was the vicar’s quick get-away across the churchyard to his vicarage.

John Wesley – and a horse called Robert

Our pulpit was made of oak in 1740 but looked very different from what you see today. It had three levels – the lowest level was for the clerk who led the congregation responses, the middle was used for the Bible readings and the preacher spoke from the top. The bottom level of our pulpit was lost when it was moved from the north transept in 1851. The middle has been removed since then. So what we now see would have been the top deck of the original pulpit. John Wesley preached here in 1780 so we assume that he would have been speaking from the top deck.

There is a story that on one of his visits to Otley his horse, Robert, got sick, died and was buried in our churchyard following a full funeral service! Its grave stone is reputedly the Toblerone shaped one to the left of the North door. However, Wesley’s diary simply states that his horse got sick and died, with no mention of either a funeral service or burial in the churchyard. Mind you, we don’t know who is buried there!

12 Choir Stalls + 2 Clergy Stalls = 26 Ends

If only they could talk, what tales they could tell. It seems to be traditional that choirboys should carve their initials where they sat. A few years ago, a lady occupied one of the choir stalls during the Christingle service and to her surprise saw her son’s initials. He owned up and was duly ‘reprimanded’. He was by then in his mid-forties! The stalls match the screen and were donated by Peter Garnett in memory of his mother. Made in 1893 the intricate carving on the pew ends is well worth a look. We are told that each one is different from all the others. What artistry.!

Two OAPs set in stone

If you listen carefully when it is “birthday time” during our morning service, you will know that we have some delightful OAPs amongst our congregation who are as old as or older than the Queen. Well, none of them can beat the two old folks discovered following the creation of the new mezzanine. They are carved one each side of the stone arch above the steps to the tower. They were created in 1240. If my maths is correct that makes them seven hundred and seventy-seven years old! What stories they could tell if they could talk. Perhaps they were put there by stonemasons with a sense of humour!

Have you visited the new upstairs loos yet?

Prior to the recent re-ordering, if you wanted to see two of our stained-glass windows it was necessary to stand on a pew in the south aisle and peer into the darkness above the south porch. Now if you climb the new stairs you can see both of these. One is on the landing and the other is situated in the ‘Ladies’ and, yes gentlemen, you are allowed to go in and have a look. The window on the landing depicts the first of Christ’s miracles at the wedding of Cana. It was created in 1878 and given by John Hartley of Ashfield House in memory of his wife Frances. The other window shows Dorcas and Elizabeth; this was also given by the Hartley family in 1879 in memory of Anne, wife of Thomas, and their children William and Anne who both died in infancy.

“On t’pancrack” – aka the dole cupboard

‘On t’ pancrack’ is supposedly a bit of Yorkshire slang from its mining areas. It is applied to men who have been out of work and are receiving “the dole” or social security benefit payments, enabling them to provide essentials such as food for their families.

The dole cupboard is described as an ecclesiastical cupboard to contain bread for the poor of the parish. The custom certainly dates back to the late 14th century. Our church has its own dole cupboard – kept in the vicar’s vestry, and dating to the early 18th century. In 1724 the Barker Charity left money for the distribution of bread to the poor widows of the parish. There was a condition attached whereby the widows had to attend services and sit through the sermons which often went on for an hour or more. Distribution ceased in 1823 due to a lack of widows at the services!

Do you know where the pelican is? A clue – look in an easterly direction

The Pelican is an amazing bird which hides a store of good things to eat in its crop for feeding to its young. In the Middle Ages people saw that the pelican dipped its head before feeding its young. They thought it was pecking its chest to feed the chicks on the nutrients in its own blood stream. It was in fact bringing food out of its crop for its youngsters. The Pelican became a Christian symbol of giving everything you have for others.

Where is our Pelican? It can be seen, along with four chicks, in the East Window. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are shown with Jesus in the middle. You will see the pelican at Jesus’ feet – his symbol and a sign of his self-sacrifice.

And finally – the aumbry and the piscina

To be found in the sanctuary. The piscina, to the right of the East Window as you look at it, is an original part of the Norman chancel and was the place where the communion vessels were washed. The aumbry, also in the sanctuary to the left of the East window as you look at it, is a cupboard in which consecrated bread and wine are preserved to be taken to parishioners who were not able to attend service. The stone recess is also part of the original Norman building dating to 11-12th century. Its wooden door was made from the back of a 17th century pew.

Why are they so low down?  Because the sanctuary floor, covered with Carrara marble slabs, was originally lower than it is now. Another story?!

Lost Church Buildings of Otley

by Margaret Parkin

IT IS BELIEVED that King Edwin of Northumbria erected a church here in Otley AD628. Made of wood, both the church and the town were burned by the Danes very shortly after this.

The pastoral work of the early church was conducted from the Minsters of Beverley, York and Ripon. When a village accepted Christianity, a stone cross was erected indicating the most convenient place for villagers to meet with missionaries and to hear the gospel until such times as churches were built.

Our Saxon cross fragments at Otley Parish Church began life as complete crosses. During the development of the church, the fragments were found lying around the churchyard or having been used as fillings in the walls. NOTE: The Saxon Cross fragments are currently in storage while we work on a dedicated heritage area to display them. Please contact the church office to arrange access to view them.

The chancel is the oldest part of this building, dating back to the Norman era and originally reaching along the nave to the first set of pillars. The Domesday Book of 1066 describes Otley as ‘having 11 villagers, 19 small holders, 5 freemen,1 priest and 1 church’.

Fast forward to 1890, when the Rev. John Trower came to Otley as vicar. He was accompanied by two lay workers. One was Mr Tom Smith, a Stipendiary Scripture Reader and the other was Mr A Cowan, a Church Army Captain. In addition to their traditional parish work they arranged mission services in the town; some held in a barn in Westgate, loaned by Mr Fred Payne, a printer engineer. Fred Payne was part of the Dawson, Payne and Elliotgroup which developed the world famous Wharfedale printing machine. Services were also held in Newmarket Street in a room above Mr John Brown’s butcher’s shop.

In 1892, a project to provide better Sunday School accommodation was launched. A site was procured from Messrs Garnett, situated in the Cross Green wood yard of Frank Gill, where a school was built. It was known as the Wharfe Street School. It cost £1,300 then – equivalent to £152,100 in today’s prices.

It had a three-fold purpose – to serve as a day school known as the National Infants’ School; as a Sunday School for Boys; and, as a Mission room. Today, it has been converted into private apartments.

The basement of Wharfe Street School is set out here as the Sunday School. The words on the rear wall read, “Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest”.

By 1901 the congregation had increased to such numbers that the Church Council decided to erect a new church building on a site they purchased near to the cemetery gates on Pool Road. It was named St Peter’s Mission church.

Similar in style to the Victorian “tin tabernacles” – the roof was made of corrugated iron, painted a dark red colour, and the sides were of horizontal boarding and painted grey. At the west end was a wooden bell turret and under it was the entrance through a small porch. The clergy and choir had their own separate vestries. It cost £638 15s 10d which was raised by donations and a sale of work. Today, it would cost £78,874 to build.

The church was opened for worship on Advent Sunday in 1902 when Charles Jowett and George Newsom were appointed as sidesmen, and on the 10th of January 1903, a service of Dedication was held and celebrated by the Bishop of Bradford.

John Jackson was a choir boy and remembers that the choir did not receive any pay but that twice a year they each were given a shilling pocket money. On one occasion, he and his brother were the only two to turn up for a service because of there being a flu epidemic. They nobly managed to sing their way through all 72 verses of a Psalm and were each given 3 old pennies by the choirmaster, Mr Wilson, to “buy yourselves some sweets tomorrow”.

Tom Smith, the Reader who first came to Otley in 1890, was a dedicated and well regarded man. He walked many miles each week, in all weathers, visiting people in their homes, and not being given any pay for these extra duties. Once a fortnight he conducted a service in the workhouse and another each month in a cottage in Clifton.

The services had an evangelical tone to them. The Church Army regularly conducted missions, and Lantern Slide shows were very popular. The words of the hymns were projected onto a screen – so there is nothing new under the sun! Two brasses in the south aisle commemorated Tom Smith and Charles Jowett. A chalice, paten and goblet were given into the care of the parish church and are still used during our communion services.

St Peter’s closed in 1942 and four houses were built on the site which is now called St Peter’s Close. Look out for it the next time you go that way.

Other “lost” church buildings include the Burras Lane Church Hall – Musgrave Hall, and WEFC. What’s WEFC?  This, and Musgrave Hall, are stories for a later magazine – so keep reading!

Vicarage Gardens, on Burras Lane, houses what was a former vicarage with a large garden. Now, our current vicarage is there, alongside some bungalows and a row of town houses. The town houses were created from the Burras Lane Church Sunday School which was built in 1881 by Samuel Nettleton – father of James, a well-known Otley saddler and leather worker.

The foundation stone was laid on Monday 26th December 1881, and two hymns were sung: “All people that on earth do dwell” and “Holy Father may thy blessing rest on this our work today”.

Here we see some of the 130 men enjoying an early breakfast in the school room.

There are members of our current congregation who have happy memories of Sunday school classes, sales of work, social evenings, concerts and many other events.

Sadly, the building deteriorated and became too expensive to repair and in 1999 was converted into private housing as a plaque on an outside wall tells us. Canon John Clayton, a former vicar, conducted the opening ceremony.

The Fairfax Tomb

by Allan Boddy

THE TOMB of the First Lord Fairfax of Cameron and his wife Ellen dominates the south transept. The tomb is made of limestone from Hazelwood Quarry near Tadcaster which was owned at the time by a branch of another local family, the Vavasours. The tomb has been badly damaged as a result of subsidence on its south side which has led to the shearing off of the feet of the effigy of Lord Fairfax. One of the notable features of this monument is the Saracen’s head at the foot of Lady Fairfax and this is interpreted as showing that an ancestor of Lady Fairfax had been on the Crusades.

Experts date the tomb as early 17th century but given that Lady Fairfax died in 1620 and Lord Fairfax died in 1640 it is interesting to speculate when exactly this monument to both of them was created. The two effigies were each carved out of single but separate slabs of stone and then cemented together and could have been put on the tomb at different times. The inscription below the effigy of Lady Fairfax – ‘Here Leah’s fruitfulness, here Rachaels’ beauty. Here lieth Rebecca’s faith, here Sarah’s duty’ – was written as a panegyric to Lady Fairfax by Lord Fairfax’s brother Edward but he died in 1635. This may suggest that the tomb was originally created for Lady Fairfax and that Lord Fairfax was added later but, as with so much connected with the early history of the Church building, there is no certainty.

Who were Lord and Lady Fairfax and why is their tomb in Otley Parish Church?  The Fairfaxes have been described as one of the most prominent families in Yorkshire and they came to own Denton Hall in Wharfedale as a result of a rather lucrative marriage. In the early 16th century Denton Hall belonged to the Thwaites family and in 1518 Isabel Thwaites, who was heiress to the Denton estate, married Sir William Fairfax of Bolton Percy and Steeton. In 1557 their son, Thomas, duly inherited the estate and celebrated by building a magnificent Elizabethan mansion which sadly burnt down in 1734. He was succeeded by his son Thomas – our Thomas – in 1599. (Thomas was a favourite name for the Denton Fairfaxes!)

Our Thomas Fairfax was born at Bilborough in 1560 and married Ellen Aske in 1582. During his life he served as a soldier in the Low Countries; a diplomat on missions from Elizabeth I to James VI of Scotland; a Member of Parliament and a member of the Council of the North. He wrote books on horse breeding; household management and military matters which are now housed in the Brotherton Library. In 1627 he became the first Baron Fairfax of Cameron, a title in the peerage of Scotland. Wikipedia has the wry comment that the grant of the title by Charles I was ‘facilitated by a payment of £1,500.’  £1,500 in 1627 is probably equal to a quarter of a million pounds in today’s money – a lot of money to pay for a title which didn’t even get you a seat in the English House of Lords. According to the Otley Burial Register, when ‘the noble Thomas Lord Fairfax’ died in 1640 he ‘was buried with a great solemnity and company of Knights, Esquires, gents and yeomen of good rank and their attendants the first day of May in noble manner.’

On the wall above the tomb there is another memorial to Thomas Lord Fairfax and his wife on which there are Latin inscriptions describing the two of them.  It is said, rather lyrically, of Thomas ‘having ‘completed 80 years active service of tribulation in the halcyon times of England [he] obtained his discharge to the garrison of heaven.’ Ellen is equally lyrically described as ‘his devoted wife, daughter of Robert Aske Esquire, descended from the barons Clifford and Latimer, mother of twelve children who after she had lived for 57 years as a model of piety peacefully fell asleep here taken from her human to her heavenly relations on 23rd August 1620.’

But why is the tomb of Lord Fairfax and his wife from Denton Hall in the south transept of Otley Parish Church?  The answer is that the parish of Otley was much bigger in the early 17th century than it is today. The ancient ecclesiastical parish of Otley comprised the chapelries of

THE TOMB of the First Lord Fairfax of Cameron and his wife Ellen dominates the south transept. The tomb is made of limestone from Hazelwood Quarry near Tadcaster which was owned at the time by a branch of another local family, the Vavasours. The tomb has been badly damaged as a result of subsidence on its south side which has led to the shearing off of the feet of the effigy of Lord Fairfax. One of the notable features of this monument is the Saracen’s head at the foot of Lady Fairfax and this is interpreted as showing that an ancestor of Lady Fairfax had been on the Crusades.

Experts date the tomb as early 17th century but given that Lady Fairfax died in 1620 and Lord Fairfax died in 1640 it is interesting to speculate when exactly this monument to both of them was created. The two effigies were each carved out of single but separate slabs of stone and then cemented together and could have been put on the tomb at different times. The inscription below the effigy of Lady Fairfax – ‘Here Leah’s fruitfulness, here Rachaels’ beauty. Here lieth Rebecca’s faith, here Sarah’s duty’ – was written as a panegyric to Lady Fairfax by Lord Fairfax’s brother Edward but he died in 1635. This may suggest that the tomb was originally created for Lady Fairfax and that Lord Fairfax was added later but, as with so much connected with the early history of the Church building, there is no certainty.

Who were Lord and Lady Fairfax and why is their tomb in Otley Parish Church?  The Fairfaxes have been described as one of the most prominent families in Yorkshire and they came to own Denton Hall in Wharfedale as a result of a rather lucrative marriage. In the early 16th century Denton Hall belonged to the Thwaites family and in 1518 Isabel Thwaites, who was heiress to the Denton estate, married Sir William Fairfax of Bolton Percy and Steeton. In 1557 their son, Thomas, duly inherited the estate and celebrated by building a magnificent Elizabethan mansion which sadly burnt down in 1734. He was succeeded by his son Thomas – our Thomas – in 1599. (Thomas was a favourite name for the Denton Fairfaxes!)

Our Thomas Fairfax was born at Bilborough in 1560 and married Ellen Aske in 1582. During his life he served as a soldier in the Low Countries; a diplomat on missions from Elizabeth I to James VI of Scotland; a Member of Parliament and a member of the Council of the North. He wrote books on horse breeding; household management and military matters which are now housed in the Brotherton Library. In 1627 he became the first Baron Fairfax of Cameron, a title in the peerage of Scotland. Wikipedia has the wry comment that the grant of the title by Charles I was ‘facilitated by a payment of £1,500.’  £1,500 in 1627 is probably equal to a quarter of a million pounds in today’s money – a lot of money to pay for a title which didn’t even get you a seat in the English House of Lords. According to the Otley Burial Register, when ‘the noble Thomas Lord Fairfax’ died in 1640 he ‘was buried with a great solemnity and company of Knights, Esquires, gents and yeomen of good rank and their attendants the first day of May in noble manner.’

On the wall above the tomb there is another memorial to Thomas Lord Fairfax and his wife on which there are Latin inscriptions describing the two of them.  It is said, rather lyrically, of Thomas ‘having ‘completed 80 years active service of tribulation in the halcyon times of England [he] obtained his discharge to the garrison of heaven.’ Ellen is equally lyrically described as ‘his devoted wife, daughter of Robert Aske Esquire, descended from the barons Clifford and Latimer, mother of twelve children who after she had lived for 57 years as a model of piety peacefully fell asleep here taken from her human to her heavenly relations on 23rd August 1620.’

But why is the tomb of Lord Fairfax and his wife from Denton Hall in the south transept of Otley Parish Church? The answer is that the parish of Otley was much bigger in the early 17th century than it is today. The ancient ecclesiastical parish of Otley comprised the chapelries of Baildon, Bramhope, Burley in Wharfedale, Denton, and Farnley, and the townships of Esholt, Hawksworth, Lindley, Menston, Newall with Clifton, Pool-in-Wharfedale, and Little Timble. This is why we find memorials and dedications from families in places like Burley in Wharfedale and Baildon and the tombs of people living in Denton in Otley Parish Church.

During the middle ages both the south and north transepts were private chapels. The chapel in the south transept was endowed by the family from Denton Hall and was known latterly as the Denton Choir. If you look around this transept you will see not only memorials to the first Lord Fairfax and his wife but also monuments commemorating the lives of his father, Thomas; his son, Charles; his niece Anne and his grandson, Charles.The Fairfax tomb is a grand monument even if the grandeur is now a little faded but is there anything in it?  A member of the congregation confided in me that during an earlier restoration of the Church there was an opportunity to catch a glimpse of the inside of the tomb. What did you see there…? Nothing!

This is why we find memorials and dedications from families in places like Burley in Wharfedale and Baildon and the tombs of people living in Denton in Otley Parish Church.

During the middle ages both the south and north transepts were private chapels. The chapel in the south transept was endowed by the family from Denton Hall and was known latterly as the Denton Choir. If you look around this transept you will see not only memorials to the first Lord Fairfax and his wife but also monuments commemorating the lives of his father, Thomas; his son, Charles; his niece Anne and his grandson, Charles.The Fairfax tomb is a grand monument even if the grandeur is now a little faded but is there anything in it?  A member of the congregation confided in me that during an earlier restoration of the Church there was an opportunity to catch a glimpse of the inside of the tomb. What did you see there…? Nothing!

 Aspects of W.W.1 and Otley Parish Church

by Margaret Parkin

FROM RUSSIA ITALY WITH LOVE… in 1920

What links these pictures to Otley Parish Church?

TRAVELLING by train from Nice through to Italy, John and I got into conversation with a young American couple. 

It was a beautiful day and a wonderful scenic route with sea on one side and country on the other and the Apuan Alps in the distance. Suddenly, the question was asked “Is that snow on those hills?” Just as I said, “no, I think you are seeing quarries”, the train slowed and passed through a small station with a place name of CARRARA. The man’s wife and I grabbed our cameras – we both knew about Carrara – and that’s the link. Marble, quarried in Carrara since the Roman times, is regarded as some of the finest in the world. And it was used to create the sculptures and buildings named at the start of this article, and many more too. 

And yes, we have some Carrara marble in Otley Parish Church!

The altar in the Sanctuary was made in 1912. It cost £30 and was paid for by public subscription. The black and white marble tiles, laid at the same time, came from Carrara. 

Another piece of Carrara marble can be seen to the left of the East window on the north wall. It is a memorial to the Reverend Henry Robinson, who was vicar here from 1816-1834 and a master at the Old Grammar School in Northgate. Symbols like the Latin cross, bible and prayer book are often seen on memorials to priests.

  

And, perhaps, the most poignant of all is the WW1 memorial in the South entrance. It was created in Carrara itself and brought to Otley.

I talked with Bill Mulholland, a local historian, whose research produced not only the biographies of the 187 men named on the WW1 memorial in church, but also of 95 others not listed on our memorial. This detailed record is held by Otley Museum.

Bill’s Great Uncle, Pat Devaney, signed up in Bradford where he worked, the day after war was declared. He received the Military Medal but never spoke of his war time experiences. Bill’s visit to the Somme to learn more about Pat moved him to a degree where he says, “it just seemed important to pay tribute to the men of Otley also”. So, in his retirement in 1995 he began a piece of work which took four years to complete. Bill’s record relating to the men named on our memorial was ultimately collated and re-produced in two bound volumes, presented to the Parish Church, and completed by the NADFAS (National Association of Decorative and Fine Arts Society) Church Recorders. Their recording of the hundreds of artefacts inside our church took some two years to complete. 

Bill’s research led him to consult many resources including the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Public Records Office, Regimental Histories and Museums, Otley Museum records, archives of the Wharfedale Observer, and the Leeds Library Service. 

Following the cessation of World War One in 1918, it was decided to provide a permanent memorial to honour the sacrifices made by local men. Their families were invited to have that person’s name inscribed on what became our WW1 Memorial. Some, however, declined the invitation, but nevertheless, we have 187 names on our memorial. The memorial is dated to 1920. It was designed by Mr Oswald Holmes, an architect of Otley, and gifted by the Otley Town Council of the day. 

On the Sunday nearest to 11th November each year, the WW1 Memorial used to become a focus in our Service of Remembrance. A new wreath of poppies was placed on it with the congregation turning to face it, standing for a moment in a silent act of remembrance and thanksgiving. 

During the re-ordering of the church in 2015/2016, it was planned to move the Memorial from its place in the Children’s Corner across to the North aisle to maintain its role in our church and community life. Work was begun but abandoned when the risk of irreparable damage became obvious. So, it remains in situ and the stairs to the mezzanine floor have been created round it in the re-designed South entrance. This year, a wreath of poppies was placed on the main altar as we remembered the sacrifice made by so many.

The memorial simply lists the names of men killed during WW1 who had Otley connections. I have been re-reading Bill’s record which provides a mini-biography of each of the men named there. This includes, name, rank, regiment, age, date of death, place where buried, family history, etc., and reflects the human cost of war on a small town like Otley. 

Each name represents someone’s father, husband, or son. 

Most of the men died abroad – in Turkey, Iraq, Belgium and France. Some died here in England – from illnesses or injuries resulting from their wartime experiences. Two died during training and two died in captivity. Several families lost two sons each and one family lost 3 sons within eighteen months. Of the families who lost two sons, one family lost two of their sons on the same day and on the same battle field. They fought together and are buried together in France.

Two men were killed in an explosion on HMS Bulwark and are named on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial. A Flight Lieutenant lost his life during his first flight.

During one of our annual Heritage Weekend events, the NADFAS records were available and Bill came along each day to talk with visitors interested in learning a little more about their relatives named on the memorial. Otley Parish Church member, Eileen Armstrong, learned more of an uncle, Forbes Rhodes. He was a sergeant in the 246th West Riding Brigade, Royal Artillery. Sadly, he was badly wounded in battle and died on 27 June 1916 in Albert, Somme, aged 20. He was born on 27th November 1895. Forbes is buried in Forceville Community Cemetery, France. Before joining the army he was a stonemason and lived with his parents and siblings in Danefield Terrace, Otley. 

Two visitors to the Heritage Weekend came quite a distance seeking information about a relative. Bill was unable to verify their information and as yet, no official records have been found. So, a 100-year old mystery remains. 

Tucked away, as it now is, it is easy to overlook the memorial and to forget what it stands for: “…for your tomorrow, we gave our today”.

I wonder what you and I will be remembered for?

Fonts

by Allan Boddy

The word ‘font’ comes from the Latin word fons, meaning a spring of waterand reflects the fact that the font is the container for the water used in baptism. The font is usually positioned somewhere near to the main door of a church, as it is now at Otley Parish Church, to emphasise the idea that when you are baptised you are enteringinto the life of the church and becoming a member of the community of faith. In fact, our stone font (Illustration 1)has only rarely been used for baptisms since it was decided that baptisms would take place as part of a Sunday service and that the ceremony of baptism itself would take place at the front of the church so the congregation could take a full part

One famous person’s baptism is recorded in the Parish Register for 1718: “5th June 1718 Thomas son of John Chippendale of Otley, joyner.”

We have a diagram (illustration 2) of what the font used for Thomas Chippendale’s baptism looked like, drawn by Fred Morrell, a local historian, based on an old photograph. We also have a rather grainy photograph (illustration 3)showing this font centrally sited at the west end of the church under the gallery that was constructed there in 1757. The organ, which is clearly shown in the photograph, was moved to this gallery in 1851. During the major reordering of the church in 1867 the west end gallery was taken down and a new baptistery was constructed in 1868 at the north side of what is now the Parish Room. A memorial plaque in the Parish Room tells us that this baptistery was erected by Francis Darwin of Creskeld Hall in memory of his mother, Ann Rhodes, who hailed from Bramhope Hall, the home of the Rhodes family.

Unfortunately, the ‘Chippendale’ font is believed to have disappeared from the Church during this restoration in 1867 and its whereabouts remains a mystery.

According to the researchers from the National Association of Decorative and Fine Arts Societies (NADFAS)who made a record of church furnishings between 2009 and 2012, the present font actually dates back to the early 19th century. The font itself is made of limestone whilst the font cover is made of oak and is much more recent, dating back to the second quarter of the 20th century. The cover is dedicated to the memory of Harriet Maston, who was a teacher in the Sunday School and who died in 1933, aged 72.

Until 1990 our baptistery was sited at the west end of the church but, following the decision to sell off the church hall on the south side of Burras Lane, it was proposed to build a meeting room at the back of the church and to move the baptistery and the Saxon crosses to the south transept alongside the Fairfax tomb. The font was moved there in 1990 and that was where the baptistery was sited until the recent reordering (2015).

As mentioned above, the stone font is not now regularly used for baptisms and instead we use a small wooden font (illustration 4), but this wooden font has its own story. It was made along with several other artefacts by Edwin Dale, Ken Dale’s father (Church member), from the Victorian oak pews which became surplus to requirements when the Parish Room was built.  Recycling pews is not a recent phenomenon! It was made for use at the Weston Estate Family Church which had opened in 1967 and it came to the Parish Church when WEFC was finally closed.

WEFC was the brainchild of Patrick Ashe who was Vicar of Otley from 1956 to 1964. When the Weston Estate was built, he was concerned that the inhabitants would find it difficult to get to the Parish Church so in 1960 he, his wife Marion and his six children erected a temporary home at the far end of the estate so they could meet and get the views of the residents. In another part of the estate a large marquee was erected in which services were held for two weeks. The result of Rev. Ashe’s researches was the building of a church on the Weston Estate which opened in 1967. But the full story of WEFC is one for another time.