St Agatha's Church, Easby, Coast to Coast
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Church of St Agatha, Easby, Richmond, Coast to Coast
Church of St Agatha, Easby, Coast to Coast
The Church of St Agatha in Easby, which abuts the land upon which Easby Abbey is located, is a Grade I Listed Building. It is located only yards from the east riverbank of the Swale, one mile away from Richmond. The gateway to the church has a separate Grade II Listing. The Church dates to the 12th Century, and was restored by Sir G G Scott in 1869. The infamous 8th century Easby Celtic Cross, once within St Agatha's church, has now been moved to the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. In the Nave is a plaster cast of the Cross. The original Cross is one of the best kept Anglo Saxon sculptures in England. St Agatha's Church has, in its chancel, a collection of mid 13th century frescoes, which were re-discovered during the 1869 restoration work. These, too, have been restored.
St Agatha's Church Easby
The Church is thought to be older than the adjoining Easby Abbey, which was built in 1152. It is also known as Easby church. The graveyard encircles the church and is quite extensive for such a small hamlet. The local area in which the church and abbey are located is kinown as the Otter Hills Beck Valley.
Easby Cross
Since the 8th century the land upon which the church is built was a site of worship. Originally located on the pre-St Agatha's Church site in Easby, in the 8th century, the Easby Cross has now been replaced with a plaster of paris replica. There are 4 surviving fragments to the Cross, each laid on top of the other.
The image below is of the original at the V & A Museum in London. The Cross is an Anglo-Saxon sandstone standing cross.
The Easby Cross played a crucial part in the establishment of Christianity to Britain. Early Christian missionaries, while proselyting, carried with them "rood staffs", i.e. long wooden stakes having a cross at their head. Rood staffs were set up in village centres, where the villagers would congregate to hear the missionaries. These villagers were the first people to attend a church meeting in Britain, notwithstanding there was no building to meet in.
The rood staffs were changed later on for stone "rood crosses" and eventually churches were built in situ where the rood staffs had been arranged. The Easby Cross is one such stone rood cross, which was positioned in a wall of Easby church during its construction. Since its re-discovery it has been transferred to the Victoria & Albert Museum, leaving a plaster copy in the church.
Easby Cross
The figures in the relief are of the Saviour's apostles. The Saviour is depicted at the top (not shown). The sides of the Cross are emblazoned with Celtic interwoven motifs.
South Porch
The south porch of St Agatha's faces onto the entrance gate from the road. Above the porch is a priest's chamber or parvise. Around the arch of the porch entrance are three heraldic shields, those of the Asko, Conyers and Scrope families.
St Agatha Church Font
The 12th century elaborately carved Norman stone baptismal font is housed in the Church's nave. It is found at the west side of the Nave. The elaborate carvings consist of blind arcading, i.e. a series of arches that have no openings.
The Nave with Chancel at rear
The nave houses the replica of Easby Cross, but it is far better studied by visiting the original at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. It is in the Chancel that the many 13th century wall frescos are to be found, some of the finest in England. They literally festoon the walls.
Adam and Eve Fresco
The Adam and Eve fresco in the chancel portrays the Garden of Eden and the creation of Eve from Adam's rib. Satan is present as a serpent, tempting Adam and Eve who are cast out of the Garden.
The Entombment
The St Agatha frescos date to the 13th century and the paint was applied dry to the walls in the Italian secco style.
St Agatha's Bell Cote
A view of the Church from the rear provides a view of the bell cote at the west of the building, which houses two bells. In the background, to the right, is part of Easby Abbey.
St Agatha's Churchyard
St Agatha has an extensive churchyard, and there are copious numbers of different grave stone designs. The Scrope family were buried in the Easby churchyard in the 14th century, and fragments of their tombs have been discovered. Descriptions of their tombs are encrusted in old records and seem to consist of a few grand tombs and many other grave slabs.
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