A
ll St Oswald’s Churches
are welcoming, this one
is St Oswald’s Castle
Bolton. On a recent visit to a
friend in Yorkshire she drove
us through the Dales and up to
Castle Bolton, where once
upon a time Mary Queen of
Scots was imprisoned. Just
opposite the entrance to the
castle a large sign greeted you,
saying: “Please come in St
Oswald’s Church, welcome”. Who could resist such an invitation?
So instead of visiting the Castle, we went into the church and found it most
inspiring.
For over 600 years this small church has served the spiritual needs of the
village of Castle Bolton, a place which is mentioned in the Domesday Book
of 1086. There was a church here before the castle was built, this church is
said to date from 1325. A sundial east of the porch is overshadowed by the
magnificent edifice of the castle, completed 1399, after the church.
You enter by the porch and just inside you find an ancient hexagonal stone
baptismal font, and to the right you enter a simple nave, while to the left the
space underneath the tower is open and entirely filled with photographs of
the present church family, which show that it is very much alive. There are
weddings and baptisms, outings and Christmas celebrations, a very wide
range of activities, so this is not just an ancient monument but a building
which bears witness to a community which has been in existence for many
hundred years. I wonder if Mary Queen of Scots was ever allowed to cross
the path and go into this lovely church, she would have seen it looking
almost the same as we did, except for the rood screen which formerly
divided the two parts of the
church.
Indentations on the right-hand
side of the door, and on the
sedilia intersections are said to
be the result of the sharpening of
spear, sword and dagger points
and tell of a less peaceful time
than our present one of church
and castle Bolton.
Brigitte Williams
StOM Page 7