Hunstanworth Church

The Reverend Daniel Capper, who inherited a family fortune in 1861, decided to use his wealth to completely rebuild the village of Hunstanworth. He commissioned Samuel Sanders Teulon, a prolific English Gothic Revival Architect, to design not just the church but also the vicarage and stable block, the village school and the cottages for the workers and created a Victorian model village.

Samuel Sanders Teulon was part of a group of highly eccentric, rebellious British architects working at the peak of the Gothic Revival known as the Rogue Gothic Architects. They were well known for heavy shapes, clashing colours and geometrical designs and their style was described as 'vulgar, barbaric and reckless' by their critics, so I knew I was in for a treat.

The exterior of the church is very grand and attention-seeking, before you even step foot inside. The pattern on the roof is known as a 'diaper roof' and refers to the diamond shapes which were Teulon's signature way of adding texture, without splashing out too much on expensive carvings. Another notable feature of the outside of the church is the bulky 80ft tower which broke the rules of traditional Gothic design, purposefully looking heavy and imposing. The chunky tower also has a weather vane in the shape of a peacock on top of it, though I think it looks more like Cornelius Rooster the Kelloggs mascot. Or that might just be me.

When you step inside there is lovely warm feel to the church, partially down to the dusky pink walls and wooden beams, making it feel very inviting. I was immediately drawn to the pulpit which is a style I have never seen before and totally unique. It is made from solid sandstone carved directly into the wall and resembles a wine-glass shape with a narrow stem flaring out into a heavy, rounded bowl, and is known as a stemmed pulpit. The shape meant the pulpit had excellent acoustics so the speaker could be easily heard, and its elevated height meant there were excellent views over the congregation and the altar.

Another fabulous feature of the interior is the organ opposite the pulpit. The organ was featured in the Great Exhibition of 1851 and purchased by Daniel Capper specifically to match the grand, high-style architecture Samuel Sanders Teulon was creating for the church. The wooden casing is intricately carved and features painted and gilded decorations which matches the 'polychrome' spirit of Teulon's style. The whole church interior is a treat for the eyes and I stayed for a good while admiring the decor.

Back outside in the church grounds are the remains of a 16th century defensive pele tower, though there is not a great amount left. When it was first built, it would have been in a similar style to pele towers such as Dryhope Tower or Smailholm Tower and would have been fortified to keep out border reivers who roamed around the region. When Teulon designed the new solid, blocky church tower in 1862, he was likely inspired by the ancient stone ruins right next to it, paying homage to the history of Hunstanworth.

This is a really fab place, with so much history and well worth a quick stop if you're in the area.