20 
Domesday Book. Roger of Poictou, mentioned as the owner 
of the manor of Giggleswick 800 years since, was third son of 
Roger de Montgomery, Earl of Shrewsbury, his mother being 
the notorious Mabel, heiress of Alencon. Roger obtained 
fifty-two manors in Yorkshire, chiefly in Craven. He was 
builder of Clitheroe Castle and of the Lungess Tower of 
Lancaster Castle. He died probably about 1123. The next 
mention of Giggleswick is in a charter of Matilda, Countess of 
Warwick, the daughter of William de Percy, by which she gives 
and grants to Henry de Pudsay, his heirs and assigns, her town 
of Settle and the rents of Giggleswick, with the advowson of the 
church, for a payment of 15 marks anda palfrey. The date of 
this grant is supposed to have been about 1160 or 1170, and 
proves that there was a church at Giggleswick before this date, 
but as to the actual date of its foundation we can find no record. 
It was probably very soon after the Conquest. The next charter 
of Giggleswick Church is from William de Perey. In 1230, 
Walter Gray, Archbishop of York, conceded the Church to the 
Prior and Chapter of Durham to be freely handed over for ever 
to the use of the monks of Finchale, after the death of 
Walter de Vestiario, the then Rector of the Church. .A Bull of 
Pope Gregory IX., dated 1232, is very interesting. It has 
reference to the Church of Giggleswick with its appurtenances, 
some differences having evidently arisen which necessitated some 
word from the Pontiff. 
The Parish Church is dedicated to §. Alkelda, a Yorkshire 
saint buried at Middleham, and was founded early in the 12th 
century. The present edifice was rebuilt in the reign of 
Henry VII. or Henry VIII., and now consists of nave of four 
bays with clerestory, chancel with east window of six lights, 
north and south aisles to both nave and chancel, square west 
tower and south porch. The Registers of the Church commence 
in 1558 and go on to 1627; there is then an interval to the end 
of September, 1653, for which period the Registers are lost. 
The fine old pulpit, a.p. 1680, the ‘‘ Pore Box” 1684, Royal coat 
of arms 1716, the brass candelabra 1718, and R. Frankland’s 
monument 1698, together with the three old chalices (one 
bearing the date 1585), are all worthy of attention. But the 
principal objects of attraction are the effigies of Sir Richard 
Tempest (A.D. 1488) and his two wives—-the latter habited in 
the garb of the guild of Corpus Christi of York, and therefore of 
unique interest. These effigies were discovered in a fragmentary 
state during the Restoration otf the Church, which has been 
recently carried out at a cost of about £4,000. Note also the 
sepulchral slabs and the ancient stone coffin, and the monument 
to Dr. George Birkbeck. The Market Cross, just outside the 
lychgate, is in an excellent state of preservation, considering 
