All Saints' Church, Cawood, was built near the site of the ford over the River Ouse - although the church is close to the river, it is the highest point in the village.  The stone for the church was brought from Huddlestone Quarry, floated along Bishopdyke.  The earliest parts of the present building date back to 1150 AD.  The splendid clock was installed in 1843.

Inside Cawood church there is a monument to Archbishop Mountain. George Mountain was a native of the area who eventually became Bishop of London. When the Archbishop of York died, the King spoke to Bishop Mountain and asked about a successor, Bishop Mountain apparently said: "hads't thou faith as a grain of mustard seed, thou would say to this mountain (laying his hand on his breast), be removed to that See".

He was accordingly appointed Archbishop of York in June 1628 but died shortly after his enthronement. In his will he left money for the poor of Cawood and for poor children to be placed as apprentices.

The church registers go back to 1591 although there is a gap between 1642 and 1649 due to the Civil War; they are at the Borthwick Institute in York for safe keeping. The church's Tenor bell is pre-reformation, tradition has it that it was brought from the Castle chapel when that was destroyed in 1646, and is the bell remaining after the 1569 Rising of the North. The church altar was found hidden in the floor, probably to prevent its destruction by Cromwell's troops, and was lifted from the vestry floor and restored in 1930.

Cawood Church seen from Church End

The church also exhibits the entries from the Craft Fair competition - photos on "Events" page.

Home