Church of St Andrew, Grinton

Church of St Andrew, Grinton
St Andrew's Church
St Andrew's Church, Grinton
Church of St Andrew, Grinton
Location within North Yorkshire
54°22′53″N 1°55′49″W / 54.3813°N 1.9304°W / 54.3813; -1.9304
OS grid referenceSE046984
LocationGrinton, North Yorkshire DL11 6HH
CountryEngland
DenominationChurch of England
WebsiteOfficial website
History
StatusActive
Architecture
Architectural typeNorman
Perpendicular
Decorated
Administration
DioceseLeeds
ArchdeaconryRichmond and Craven
DeaneryRichmond
BeneficeSwaledale with Arkengarthdale
ParishSwaledale with Arkengarthdale (460421)
Clergy
Vicar(s)Caroline Joan Hewlett
Listed Building – Grade I
Designated7 December 1966
Reference no.1301991

The Church of St Andrew, Grinton, is the parish church for the village of Grinton in North Yorkshire, England. The grade I listed structure has also been called The Cathedral of the Dales, and as the only parish church in Upper Swaledale, it was at the end of the Swaledale Corpse Way, where those who had died in the upper valley, were brought for burial. Grinton never developed past village status, but its noted crossing point of the River Swale afforded it more importance than other settlements.

The church was built in the 12th century and has many alterations to its original Norman architecture. As the church was the only parish church in the area, for 400 years St Andrew's presided over the largest parish by area in Yorkshire. The church is notable for having a chained bible, a Jacobean pulpit with sounding board, and a hagioscope in the south wall. The church is also noted for being the most northerly of the "Pennine Perpendicular churches".