silkstone
ne
denby
rworth th urlstone
odworth barnsley highnd
boroughsilkstone denby
sley west-bretton crane-
the
gargoyles
cawthorne
oylandswaine
silkstone reflects on
oland stainborough denby
the church heritage
thurlstone dodworth
nsley
high-hoyland
e cumberworth west- A gargoyle is a projecting waterspout, usually
crane-moor hoylandswaine
incorporating a lead pipe. The word ‘gargoyle’ derives
oland stainborough denbyfrom the Old French ‘gargouille’, meaning throat.
thurlstone
silkstone
y high-hoyland cawthorne
Gargoyles appear to have been first
rth west-bretton craneintroduced around 1200. In the days before
oylandswaine stainborough
pipe drainage, spouts were used to throw
d
rainwater clear of church walls.
mberworth
tone dodworth barnsley
Some gargoyles were carved as the throats
of monstrous beings, grotesque faces,
land
stainborough
silkstone
cawthorne
nborough barnsley
beasts or figures. In ancient churches they
took on the symbolic function of protecting
west-bretton crane-moor
the church from evil and the Devil.
denby
oland stainborough
denby
From these
beginnings any projection from
thurlstone dodworth
walls of the church gave local and travelling
thurgoland
carvershighthe chance to show off their skills.
cawthorne stainborough
The gargoyles on Silkstone church
erworth west-bretton
range from ancient grotesque figures
oor hoylandswaine
and animals, a Friar, a pilgrim and
oland stainborough denby
angels; to the recent caricatures of
silkstone
a rose grower, French Mayor and a
y high-hoyland cawthorne
churchwarden.
rth west-bretton craneoylandswaine stainborough
This corner tower
and
gargoyle was removed
ough denby cumberworth
andswaine
nsley
thurlstone
cawthorne
stone thurlstone
h
barnsley high-hoyland
rough west-bretton craneoylandswaine
oland stainborough denby
thurlstone dodworth
rnsley
high-hoyland
horne stainborough
project supported by:
SILKSTONE
ALL SAINTS
& ST JAMES THE GREATER
PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL
during the 1934
restoration of the church.
The remains stand on a
19th century pulpit base.
Why not have a walk
around the outside
of the church, and
draw your favourite
gargoyle?