A Brief History of Crayke : The Church of St Cuthbert in Crayke

After his death on Farne Island in March 687, his monks took Bishop Cuthbert’s body back to Lindesfarne where it probably was embalmed, since it was reported to exist in an undecayed state even as late as Henry VIII’s reign [16].  It was this uncorrupt state of Cuthbert’s long-dead body that convinced the monks of his saintliness, though during his lifetime many miracles of healing also had been attributed to him.  When the Danes repeatedly invaded Lindesfarne, between 793 and 875, the monks finally fled the island, taking with them the body of Cuthbert with their Gospels and relics of some other Northumbrian saints.  Simeon [6] wrote that ‘wherever the body of the saint rested during the seven years of his wanderings (c. 876-883) … a church or chapel was built and dedicated to him.’  It seems possible then, that the foundation of a church at Crayke could be dated to the time of the events related above, when the party of Cuthbert’s monks were said (again by Simeon) to have rested at Crayke in 883, though this conclusion must be at least as speculative as the events themselves.

Archaeological support for the possible existence of a monastery or church on the Crayke hill in pre-Norman times, i.e. pre-1066, is scarce and comes only from the finding of the arm of a sandstone Saxon cross bearing decorative detail characteristic of the first half of the 9th century [3].  The lack of weathering of this stone suggested that the cross was broken soon after it was made – perhaps by Viking invaders?   An earlier (7th century, the lifetime of Cuthbert) small Saxon pendant in the form of an openwork Maltese cross set in a bronze ring of c. 1¾ in. diameter was found in the same location, perhaps suggesting a stable Christian settlement in Crayke at that time.  A number of ironwork Viking relics, including a sword from the 8th century, also were found at this same site, as was a well-characterised pottery kiln with lots of shards from the 14th-16th centuries.

Much of the present church building dates from around 1490 [17] and the parish registers exist from 1558 [18].  The north aisle was added in 1863 and the original roof timbers replaced.  Two stone figures from the late 16th century and placed close to the south wall near the reading desk are believed to be effigies of Sir John Gibson and his wife Margaret Woodhall who died around 1584 [18].  The pulpit and sounding board are dated 1637 and the pews and font cover are from the 17th century. The font may be as old as the church itself but the stained glass was not installed until 1848 when most of the external gargoyles and stone finials were renewed and the chancel was reseated in oak. Two of the three bells are inscribed with the dates 1669 and 1759.