Description; This is probably the oldest building in West Yorkshire, dating from the late 7th or early 8th Century. Remaining from this period are the nave and west porch, converted into a tower late in the saxon period, to below the belfry, which is Norman. The change of stonework for these three periods can clearly be seen in the tower.
The south door of the tower is an Anglo-Saxon feature, though much restored in Victorian times.
Above the arch inserted into the west wall of the nave is a saxon window to an upper story of the tower. The arch is Norman, and cuts through the line of the floor of this room.
There are several blocked Saxon windows on the nave walls. This one is a dorway into an upper room of the south Porticus. The porticus itself was converted into the present south porch. The north wall of the nave was pierced by gothic arches to produce the north aisle.
Evidence of reused Roman material is provided by this stone in the west wall. It is a carving of a butcher's cleaver and is part of a Roman altar.
Sources; West Yorkshire Archaeology Service leaflet. Available in PDF format athttp://www.arch.wyjs.org.uk/AdvSrv/Infoas.htm
All Photographs by the author.
