Photo Post - Old Edlington, South Yorkshire

A Romanesque gem

This week’s post for paid subscribers covers a unique church in South Yorkshire, which was roofless and derelict by the 1970s. It was rescued and became the first ever church vested in the Churches Conservation Trust, of which I am a member. It’s not routinely open, so we had to call and wait for the keyholder to arrive for access. In the meantime, we had ample opportunity to look at the outside.

You approach it through a thicket of yew trees. As soon as you spot it, you know it is 12th century - look at the small Norman window at the bottom here, the carvings on the corbel table on the right. The upper tower is a bit later, especially the pinnacles which are 14th or 15th century.

The corbel table is peculiarly Norman, with carved heads, mostly unique, at regular intervals around the outside. They would have been a little below the original roof line - this wall has been raised since.