The Church
The church of ST. PETER is an interesting 12th-century structure, consisting of chancel and nave under one continuous modern eaved roof covered with red pantiles, and with a bellcote containing two bells at the west end. The chancel measures internally 13 ft. 10 in. by 16 ft. and the nave 32 ft. by 19 ft. 6 in., the chancel arch being 9 ft. 10 in. in width. Probably about the end of the 18th century the church was restored, and none of its original 12thcentury windows remain, the only ancient window being a 13th-century lancet on the north side of the chancel. Three large square-headed windows, one on the south side of the chancel and the others on either side of the nave, are 18th-century insertions, probably in the position of older openings. There are north and south doorways at the western end of the nave, but the east and west walls are blank. The bellcote has been rebuilt.
The chancel offers several points of interest. The present blank east wall is not bonded into the adjoining walls, and may be later than the rest of the building. The evidence of the masonry outside, however, does not suggest a very much later period, and what the intentions of the first builders were is by no means clear. The lower parts of the north and south walls at the east end, for a distance of about 3 ft. 6 in., project 8 in. in front of the face of the wall proper to a height of 5 ft. 4 in. above the floor of the altar space, which is 5 in. above the general floor level of the nave and chancel. These projections are finished off at the top by a chamfered cornice or impost mould, which, however, along with the upper part of the projection, stops at a distance of 11 in. from the east wall, and the whole terminates westward in dwarf shafts with cushion capitals. It is possible that by this arrangement it was intended to carry a platform for the altar and so give room for a half-subterranean relic chamber below, but of such a chamber there is no trace. The chancel, too, may have been planned to extend further east, but whether with an apsidal or an ordinary rectangular end it is impossible to say. The chancel may have been remodelled in the 13th century when the north window was inserted, the original arrangement being then lost. The east wall may date from this period, the old stones being used in its reconstruction. There is a set back in the east wall inside at a height of 11 ft. above the sanctuary floor.
The chancel arch is of two orders towards the nave, but square on the east side, and is very much depressed. The outer order is square and without ornament, but the inner has a half-round moulding on the soffit, and the angle has a hollow chamfer with pellet ornament. The inner order springs at a height of 6 ft. 10 in. from half-round responds with carved capitals, and the outer from angle shafts with scalloped cushion capitals differing in detail, that on the south side having small volutes at the angles. The impost moulding is carried along the face of the wall north and south on the nave side, and has three triangular grooves immediately above the chamfer. The wall above the arch has been rebuilt.
The north and south doorways differ in size and detail. The opening on the south side is 3 ft. 6 in. wide, that on the north 2 ft. 9 in., but both doorways have semicircular arches of two orders, the outer carried on angle shafts and the inner with plain square jambs below the imposts. There are no hood moulds. The south doorway is an interesting specimen of a rough attempt at rich ornament. A series of cheverons is cut on the edge of the voussoirs (of both orders) and an upper row incised in the outward face. The angle shafts have gone, but the scalloped cushion capitals and moulded bases remain. The imposts are chamfered on both edges. The shafts of the north doorway are likewise gone, the capitals and bases alone remaining, but the imposts are chamfered only on the underside with a single groove above. The outer order has the cheveron ornament, but the inner has a continuous moulding with pellets in the hollow.
On the wall above the south doorway, a little to the east, is an ancient sundial, and close to it a sculptured stone with what appears to be the representation of an animal. There is a low chamfered plinth all round the building and three set-offs along the lower part of the west wall. The north and south walls bulge badly.
The font consists of an 18th-century scalloped circular bowl on a stone pedestal and has a wooden cover. The other fittings are all modern. A stone reredos in the Norman style was erected in 1886 in memory of Douglas Erroll Hay (1879–86).
The plate consists of a cup of 1750, made by Isaac Cookson of Newcastle, and a paten of 1885. There are also a modern plated flagon and plate and a pewter flagon.
The registers begin in 1698. The first marriage entries are in 1754.
'Parishes: Hilton', A History of the County of York North Riding: Volume 2 (1923), pp. 237-240.
The Cache
The co-ordinates should take you to the memorial to Hannah and Robert VALENTINE and their daughter Margaret.
Hannah departed this life A Dec 19B8, Aged C9 years.
Robert departed this life, D1 May 1910, Aged EF years.
Margaret, their daughter, died 17 Sep 193G, Aged 69 years.
The cache can be found at:-
N 54 29.CG(FxD), W 1 17.B(E-D)(G+F)
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