Healaugh (North Yorkshire) St John's Church

    Like a number of churches in the largely flat country of the Vale of York, St John's Healaugh occupies a local high point at one end of the village, in this case to the north. This attractive little building is almost entirely Norman, the nave, chancel and west tower probably belonging to the years 1130 - 50. The south doorway is a fine example of the local Romanesque. It has three orders of arches, the outer with zig-zag and the second with three groups of figures at the apex, and the innermost with beautifully carved beak heads. The capitals have intertwined foliage with beasts. The chancel arch is supported on short piers, their shafts decorated with lattice work, zig-zag and other motifs. The north aisle was added c. 1175 and has heavy waterleaf capitals.

Bibliography

Pevsner, N. and Radcliffe, E., 1967. The Buildings of England, Yorkshire: The West Riding (London, Penguin), 257-8