A Tour of St John's

St John's, stands at the top of the village street in Appletreewick, opposite the High Hall. The building was originally two cottages, in one of which William Craven was reputed to have been born in 1548.

The steps lead up to a single entrance to the building. Although the cottages were built at a much earlier date, there is the date 1635 over the entrance door. This refers to some structural work which was carried out at that time.

The two cottages were combined and converted for ecclesiastical use under the Rectorship and design of Canon W. J. Stavert (who was Rector of Burnsall). The cottages were given to him by the Craven family to whom he was at one time Chaplain. Three hundred pounds was collected locally for the alterations, and the Chapel was dedicated and opened on 3rd May 1898 by the Right Rev. W. Boyd Carpenter, Lord Bishop of Ripon (at that time, Appletreewick was in the Diocese of Ripon). A picture of the Bishop can be found on the organ.

The simple furnishings inside St John's make it a very attractive and peaceful Chapel. The oak pews were made by Thompson of Kilburn in 1946, and his trademark mouse can be found in many places. The wood was grown in Duncombe Woods, Helmsley.

The pews were all given in memory or thanks offerings, and were dedicated in 1947. There is a dedication on the end of each pew:

• Samuel Pattinson, Margaret Pattinson,
• Mary Pattinson - wife of Arthur Pattinson
• Irvine Newbould
• John, Jane Newbould and their son John
• Ralph L. Seager - from his parents
• Sabina Weatherhead
• Lt.Colonel John Hight Blundell, D.S.O, O.B.E, R.E - killed in action at Wadi Akrit, 5th April 1943, Born 18th October 1901
• M.H.B. - Mabel Blundell Heynemann, as a thanks offering for age and health
• T.D.O.A. -Dudley Anderton, for escape as a prisoner of the Japanese
• Richard and Agnes Ann Nowell
• Judith Alice Sedgewick

The oak altar rails and pulpit, along with the reredos and curtains (now replaced), and a Wedgwood and Staffordshire ware christening bowl, were installed in memory of Ernest Heynemann. The oak used for the reredos was formerly some old beams from Gledstone Old Hall, which was fashioned by Messrs. Clarke of Burnsall

The panelling around the Sanctuary was given by Dorothy Blundell Blackburn in memory of her mother, Mabel Heinemann.

The oak lectern, sanctuary chair, prayer book, Bible and reading desk were all given by members of the family of Alfred Herbert Blundell. He lived at Mock Beggar Hall ( for a time known as Monks Hall) and owned land in the village. He died on 23rd November 1944. These gifts were dedicated by the Bishop of Bradford in 1946.