St CUTHBERT, ACKWORTH

ALL SAINTS

ACKWORTH is a large village about two miles south of Pontefract in the West Riding of Yorkshire. It is generally supposed to have derived its name from the Anglo-Saxon Ake or Aken - oak and Uurt - worth, which means a hamlet or village. The spelling of the village seems to have been crystallised to Ackworth by 1800, although the original spelling of the name was Acworth and there is no 'K' in the name in Domesday Book - the spelling there is Aceuurde. An Anglo-Saxon authority has stated that the name Ackworth could mean Acca's worth i.e., Acca's enclosure - Acca being an Anglo-Saxon surname.

The district of Pontefract was included in the mission of Paulinus (A.D. 626 -633) the Northumbrian apostle in the time of King Edwin. Ackworth was one of the resting places of the body of S Cuthbert, monk and sixth bishop of Lindisfarne who died in 688 when the monks of Lindisfarne carried it from place to place to escape the Dan es. The old Saxon Church took its name from that Saint.

The parish was part of the Diocese of Lincoln in the Province of Canterbury for 500 years or more. In the reign of Henry VIII (but not before 1540) it was transferred to York and in 1888 to the new See of Wakefield.

With its successive owners, the district takes a notable place in English history. At the time of the Norman conquest, it came into the hands of the Norman family of de Lacy. It was Henry de Lacy, Earl of Lincoln, who made the presentation of the living of S Cuthbert in 1302. From then on the village became part of the Honor of Pontefract and until Stuart times was part of the possessions of the Kings of England as Dukes of Lancaster. Presentations were made by the Crown until 1693 when the right of appointment was transferred to the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

In 1852 the Church was restored after a fire had damaged the Nave and Chancel. During the rebuilding the remains of a Norman Chapel were discovered.

The important feature of the Church is the Tower. This is the oldest and only portion which remains in its entirety after the restoration in 1853. It is solid and well-built and dates from the l4th century. It contains a peal of bells each bearing an inscription. The height of the Tower is 68 feet

Over the Porch entrance is a niche containing an effigy of S Cuthbert the patron Saint - holding in his right hand a Crozier. It is the custom at Harvest and at Christmas to hang a sheaf of corn on the Crozier so that the birds may find extra food at these seasons. This custom has had its counterpart in past ages over the whole of Northern Europe

On entering the Church the visitor will see the next object of interest: which is a stone Font. It is octagonal in shape and bears the following inscription in Latin which when translated reads - "Thomas Bradley D.D. Rector. H A. and T C, Churchwardens. This font, thrown down in the war of the Fanatics, was set up again in the year 1863." Thomas Bradley was a chaplain to Charles I. Expelled by the Parliamentary Committee in 1646 but restored to the living of Ackworth at the return of the Stuarts, he commemorated his return by restoring the Font and by building two Almshouses near to the Brown Cow Hotel. Behind the Font is a window representing Christ being baptized and blessing little children. Next to the window can be seen on the West wall an oak Plaque - the work of a carver named Dutton, a pupil of Thompson (The Mouse Man) - which was presented to the Church in 1953. This records the names of the Rectors since 1242, and has at the four corners of its frame the arms of the Province of York with its crossed keys, the arms of the See of Wakefield and of the Duchy Of Lancaster as the owners of the advowson and lastly the badge of the Yorkists in the War of the Roses 1455 - 1485.

Under the Tower there is a restored. Norman Font which was found in a garden where it had been used as a bird bath The font now rests on part of a pillar from a former Church.

Continuing, the visitor can see at the West End of the North aisle a two-light window depicting the Angels' visit to the Shepherds, and the Presentation of Christ in the Temple. Next to the window is a tombstone -- the oldest in the Church - which was placed in its present position in 1852. It is in a state of excellent preservation and is the most interesting relic of its kind in the Church. In the centre is a floriated cross flanked by the arms of Hopton and Savile - important families in the district, the whole being surrounded by a Latin inscription which when translated, reads: "Pray for the souls of Roger Hopton, soldier and his wife Anne who died AD 1506"

In the centre of the North Aisle is an oak Memorial of the World War 1939-45 and on each side a double-light window. The first represents Mercy and Charity; the second the manifestation to the Shepherds and to the Magi; the third The flight into Egypt, and the Herodian massacre. In what is now the Vestry and organ chamber can be seen two two-light windows. In the first are representations of Christ bearing His Cross, and the legendary incident in the life of S Veronica. The other window depicts Monica's visit to SS. Augustine, and Paulinus baptizing in the Swale. It is hoped to restore the Chapel of S. Mary, founded by Isabella of Castleford in the 14th century; at present it is the Vestry. In the Vestry can be seen a monument of two stone slabs commemorating the life and death of Dr. Bradley and his wife, 1673

The East window is a fine specimen of stained glass of the mid 19th century. Five figures are depicted - three ecclesiastical and two royal saints. Ss. Cuthbert, Augustine of Canterbury and Paulinus were bishops; Edmund and Oswald were Kings S Edmund is holding the instrument of his martyrdom. S. Augustine is holding a banner on which is a picture of the Crucifixion. The centre figure is S. Cuthbert with the head of S. Oswald in his hand. Above is S. Cuthbert's Cross. In the cinquefoi1 on the North side is depicted the young S. Cuthbert looking after his sheep by the river Leder. On the other side is S. Cuthbert administering the Holy Communion to the dying Boisil, monk of Melrose. In the next light is S. Paulinus, and in the fifth the figure of S. Oswald, King and Martyr crowned and holding in one hand the sceptre and in the other a Cross. The other windows in the Chancel are first S. Hilda, founder of Whitby Abbey; second.
S. Ebba, daughter of King Ethelfrid of Northumbria, sister of S Oswald and Abbess of Coldingham in Scotland; and third, S. Alban, British martyr.

In the East End of the South aisle there is a three-light window representing the Crucifixion, the Resurrection, and the Ascension of Christ. In the South Aisle are two double-light windows. One contains pictures of Christ in Gethsemane and on the road to Calvary. The other depicts Christ being crowned with thorns and scourged.

Since 1946 a number of gifts have been presented to the Church, indcluding Wardens' Staves, a Processional Cross, a Pulpit Crucifix, a new Altar with Cross and Candlesticks, Communion Rail and Prayer Desk for the proposed new Chapel; a new High Altar, the oak Plaque previously mentioned and a new Staff for the Rector bearing the arms of the Duchy of Lancaster and made by Thompsons of Kilburn. The two Altars were made by Dutton, and it is interesting to note that both Dutton and Thompson have a carving of a "1izard" and a "mouse" respectively on their work.

There are some valuable records of the parish in the Registers, which begin in 1558. On the first page of parchment is this entry:-
"Thomas Hartyndon, Rector. Presented to this living by Queen Mary, April 1554".
Also,
"Richard Pickeringe and Ffrances Ledsoure - married June 25 l645 - in which year there dyed of the Plague in Ackworth 153 persons".

The Church Plate consists of a pair of silver Flagons made in 1718; a silver Paten dated 1693, made In London; a silver Paten dated 1660 - a1so made in London; a silver Chalice dated 1584, and a silver Paten dated l829, both made in London; and a silver Chalice and Paten dated 1681, made in York - this Chalice and Paten was stolen from the safe in the rectory in 1961 and has not been recovered.

This concludes the brief account of S Cuthbert's Church, but a word must be written about the Chapel of Ease, All Saints' Church - which is situated on the Wakefield to Doncaster main road at Ackworth Moor Top

In 1888 it was felt by many responsible parishioners that some provision for worship should be made for the large and increasing population at Moor Top and Brackenhill. A building committee was duly formed and a suitable piece of land was purchased and presented by two sisters, the Misses Julia and Sybilla Wheler - who lived at Cleveland Lodge. On June 5th, 1888, Canon Falloon, the Rector, laid the foundation stone.

The Church, built chiefly of Ackworth stone - was dedicated on July 2nd 1889 by the Archdeacon of Sheffield, the Ven. Blakeney, and has since that day been serving this part of Ackworth.