St Leonard

Getting here

Beeford had a church, where the present church stands, over a thousand years ago. The church as seen today is not quite, but very much as it has been, for the past 500 years. It stands at the top of a rise in the land and houses were built all around it. The land below was subject to flooding but once it was drained people started moving to houses situated away from the church and it is now situated in a remote position.

Various repairs and restorations have been carried out over the years of its existence and only the porch and bell tower remain almost intact since their construction in the 15th and early 16th centuries. At one period the church was in such bad repair it nearly fell down but due to a new generation of parishioners it was 'thrown' back together using any building material that was strewn around the area. 

In the chancel is the tomb of Rector Tonge, Rector from 1431 to 1471, and the brass effigy on the slab of  Eggleston Marble was recently removed, repaired and is now back in its original position.

The organ is of historical interest as it was the first to be built by Thomas C Lewis and come out of his Clapham factory in 1863. The case was designed by architect John F Bentley. Originally it was situated in York but there is no record of its move to Beeford.

Rectory Lane
Beeford
DRIFFIELD
YO25 8BA

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