NUNBURNHOLME 43 



sequestered valley of Nunburnholme, through which 

 this little beck makes its ceaseless way, though 

 by no means claiming to be called romantic, is 

 certainly one of the most charming bits of country 

 in the Riding. 



The church, though small, is an interesting build- 

 ing, dating from the time of the Norman Conquest ; 

 its rich and perfect western Norman arch and small 

 north window of unique pattern giving unmistak- 

 able proof of its high antiquity. Features such as 

 these tell us that its walls, or portions of them, have 

 withstood the storms of eight hundred winters. 

 Inside the sacred fabric, where the "rude forefathers 

 of the hamlet " have worshipped for so many gene- 

 rations, are to be seen other interesting relics of 

 the past, among which may be named an Easter 

 sepulchre, a curious low-side window on the south- 

 west of the chancel, above which is a graceful Early 

 English lancet one, the other windows of the chancel 

 being of subsequent date, though probably not later 

 than 1330 ; while on the north side of the nave are 

 the tracings of an Early Norman doorway. The 

 chancel is nearly as large as the nave, though the 

 whole building will not accommodate much more 

 than a hundred people. Such was the church to 

 which my father was inducted in the spring of 1854, 

 and beside whose wall his body was laid to rest in 

 1893. The churchyard God's-acre, as he liked to 

 call it is an ideal one in its peaceful seclusion and 

 pretty surroundings. 



Fifty paces from the south door of the church, 



