The Old Church

Stalling Busk 17th century church – pre 1900

The very first church at Stalling Busk dates back to the early 1600s and was built on common land.
During the civil war the church fell into ruin.
Stalling Busk inhabitants bought the land and rebuilt the church in around 1722. The first curate was Anthony Clapham whose stipend was twentyseven pounds and five shillings per annum.

Later photograph. The church is now limewashed

Inside the old church

Stalling Busk church – photo taken in 1975

August 2005

From a Millenium Plaque outside the ruin
This ruin is all that remains of the original Parish Church at Stalling Busk. It dates from around 1722, although some of the structure incorporates stonework from an earlier church on the site dating from 1602 – 1603.

The interior of the church is divided by two arcades which run north-south rather than follow the usual plan of east-west alignment. These arcades probably date from the early nineteenth century.

The church was still in use in the early twentieth century, but it was in a poor state of repair. When the new church of St. Mathews was built in the village of Stalling Busk in 1908-09, the Old Church fell into disuse and was soon stripped of its roof and furnishings.
Some consolidation work was carried out in 1981, when the alter was also rebuilt in its present position against the north wall rather than in its original position in the east aisle.
Further restoration was then undertaken in 2000.

In its early years this building was a chapel of ease. Stalling Busk became a perpetual curacy in the 1750s and a fully independent ecclesiastical parish in the 1860s.
The parish covers the whole of Raydaleside, and about 750 people from this area lie buried in the churchyard.

Saint Matthews the new parish church was built in 1909.