Church of St Matthew, Stalling Busk

Description

Church of St Matthew, Stalling Busk MYD36048 (c) YDNPA, 2023

In 1906 when the Rev Frederick Squibb moved to the parish of Askrigg, the tiny village of Stalling Busk came along with it. The Rev Squibb was immediately determined to have a new church built in the village. The original early 17th century church was in a bad state of repair and so Squibb set about raising the money and acquiring the land in the centre of the village that he needed.

For the architect he chose a young man called T Gerard Davidson who had only just set up his practice in London. Stalling Busk Church must have been one of his first big projects and it has all the signs of being a building with a statement to make. Davidson followed the so-called ‘English Free Style’ which was a development from the Arts and Crafts movement. This new style still valued craftsmanship and tradition but was prepared to embrace new construction technology where appropriate.

The new church was built in just six months at a cost of £815 and was consecrated on 20th October 1909. The result was an outstanding and unusual building, which must have been the talking point of the whole dale. It may be significant that the Rev Squibb chose a Leeds based firm of architects to design his new vicarage in Askrigg in 1913.

Source:

Hatcher, Jane (1990) Richmondshire Architecture. Richmond: C J Hatcher

Partrick, Chris (2003) ‘St Matthew’s Church, Stalling Busk’ Now Then. No 12 pp32-36