St Mary the Virgin
Muker, Yorkshire
This small, charming church nestles in the village of Muker in Upper Swaledale and has much to interest the casual visitor.
Askrigg is an attractive small village of stone built houses in Wensleydale. The church almost seems too big for the village now. The church is a Grade I listed building. Although the church dates from the 15th century, this has been a site of Christian worship since the 12th century. The Cistercians had a small abbey close to Askrigg and used the area to graze their sheep. After the Dissolution of the Monasteries, Mary I gave the tithes to Trinity College, Cambridge and they became responsible for appointing the priest.
The church is probably the most impressive in Wensleydale with a battlemented tower, nave and chancel. It was built about 1466 in the Late English/Perpendicular style. The south aisle was rebuilt around 1770 which explains the difference in pillars between north and south arcades. It underwent a heavy restoration by the Victorians in the mid 19th century. The windows were altered and furnishings date from then.
A beautiful village church with a notable Minton tiled reredos and interesting memorials.
