St Mary
Marton in the Forest, Yorkshire
St Mary's is a beautiful countryside church with a very special and peaceful ambience and an interesting history, dating back to two local monastic houses: Marton Abbey and Moxby Priory.
The church of St Helen & the Holy Cross lies at the extreme eastern end of Sheriff Hutton village. Next to the churchyard are the earthworks associated with the Norman motte and bailey castle. The ruins of the later, 14th-century castle tower over the village and serve as a reminder of its strategic importance in times past.
This delightful historic building was built around 1100 and later enlarged by the powerful Neville family in the 15th century. The church was used by the Council of the North. The highlight of St Helen's is the tomb of Edward of Middleham, Prince of Wales, the son of Richard III, who died in 1484. It is the only tomb to a member of the royal family in an English parish church.
