Apley

A charming church in well-kept grounds. See Link for a view of the east end.

See Link for a view of the west end of this diminutive church. Buried by the cement render band is believed to be a cut bench mark, detailed at Link.

See Link. Evidence for former settlement exists both as earthworks and as surface pottery scatters. A main hollow way running east to west is flanked along its north side by rectangular closes. A different pattern of large rectangular ditched closes to the south side resembles earthworks identified as monastic granges, demesne manors or farms within villages elsewhere in the area. These closes are all full of ridge and furrow (except at their northern end which may overlie earlier occupation). The Tithe map of 1849 shows that in addition to the surviving north to south farm track, a further way ran up the east side of the churchyard... The medieval settlement of Apley was a hamlet established by the late 11th century. After the foundation of Stainfield Priory in the mid 12th century the settlement was granted to the nunnery and managed as a monastic manor or grange. Documentary references to a priest at Apley occur from the early 13th century onwards. The population of the settlement, which remained low throughout the medieval period, declined after the Dissolution when 'Apley Grange' was granted, with the rest of the Stainfield Priory estate, to Sir Robert Tyrwhitt, who enclosed large areas of land for sheep pasture. The medieval church at Apley remained standing until the beginning of the 18th century; the present St Andrew's chapel, which stands on an adjacent site and is not included in the scheduling, was constructed in 1871. The remains of the medieval settlement of Apley and the surviving parts of its open fields are visible as earthworks with associated buried remains and lie in two separate areas of protection.

The medieval settlement of Apley was a hamlet established by the late 11th century. After the foundation of Stainfield Priory in the mid 12th century the settlement was granted to the nunnery and managed as a monastic manor or grange. Documentary references to a priest at Apley occur from the early 13th century onwards. The population of the settlement, which remained low throughout the medieval period, declined after the Dissolution when 'Apley Grange' was granted, with the rest of the Stainfield Priory estate, to Sir Robert Tyrwhitt, who enclosed large areas of land for sheep pasture. The medieval church at Apley remained standing until the beginning of the 18th century; the present St Andrew's chapel, which stands on an adjacent site and is not included in the scheduling, was constructed in 1871. The remains of the medieval settlement of Apley and the surviving parts of its open fields are visible as earthworks with associated buried remains and lie in two separate areas of protection. See Link

Barely a church, more a cemetery chapel. You could probably fit the entire population of Apley inside though !

Old bridge over Sambre Beck on the Viking Way, looking North