Crumbling Chapel Now at Ease

 A crumbling 12th century building in North Yorkshire is set to be repaired after English Heritage pledged £45,000 for vital repairs.

The ruinous St Leonard's Church, Sand Hutton, near York, is currently off limits to the public due to falling stonework and was placed on English Heritage's Buildings at Risk Register in 2007.

Now eroded masonry is to be consolidated and mortar joints renewed as a fresh chapter is opened in the history of the little known Grade II building and scheduled monument. 

St Leonard's nestles in a churchyard alongside St Mary's Church, built in the 1840s to replace the medieval chapel. Some of the ancient stone was re-used and other masonry plundered over the centuries, but sections of walling still remain, along with the remnants of a Norman doorway, 15th century window and a vaulted undercroft.

Maddy Jago, English Heritage Regional Director for Planning and Development, said: "Our Heritage at Risk survey revealed that half of North Yorkshire's scheduled monuments are vulnerable to damage and decay, including St Leonard's. The ruins date back over 900 years and stand as an evocative reminder of the past.  But they can still be a real focus for the community and a landmark for Sand Hutton."

It is planned to reopen the ruins to the public once the work is completed and links have been forged with Sand Hutton Church of England Primary School who are keen to use St Leonard's for fieldtrips. Children may also be asked to design a motif to be carved on a block of new masonry marking the earthquake which struck the area earlier this year (27 February), dislodging stonework on the ruins.

Graham Baker, Church Warden, said: "We don't have a lot of information on St Leonard's origins. The Doomsday Book refers to Hottune (Sand Hutton), but fails to mention a church on the site.  What is known is that St Leonard's was built as a Chapel of Ease - a place of worship serving a small settlement and was an off-shoot of a larger parish church.  According to records services were held every third Sunday with Holy Communion celebrated three times yearly.  But by 1824 the chapel was beyond repair.  We hope the new project will provide a springboard for more historical research to be undertaken.  Overall the work will cost nearly £60,000 so we are mounting a fundraising campaign."