St Saviour's Church, Stydd

There is evidence of a community at Stydd from the 12th century and there has been a place of worship on the site since no later than the 13th century, possibly since 1190. The church is the only one surviving of a group of buildings acquired by the Knights Hospitallers in the late 13th century. During the First World War, archaeological excavations were undertaken of the area by staff and pupils of nearby Stonyhurst College. Although evidence of buildings surrounding the church was found, identification of their use and date were inconclusive.

The interior of the church measures 46 ft by 20 ft. It has a flagged floor and plastered and whitewashed walls. There is a piscina at the east end of the south wall, with a trefoil head, but no bowl. There is no architectural division between the nave and the sanctuary, although the floor of the latter is slightly raised. There is an oak panelled screen between the two that dates from the 17th or 18th century. The oak pulpit stands against the south wall; it is octagonal with square panels and sits on a stone base. It has a set of stone steps. The octagonal sandstone font is Late Perpendicular in style and has well-preserved carvings of shields. There are stone monuments to Sir Adam and…