Lotherton Hall Chapel

The south elevation of Lotherton Hall Chapel

After I had been shown St. Mary’s chapel in Lead, during my day trip to Barwick-in-Elmet, I assumed that I would now start to make my way back home but, much to my surprise, my hostess Norma then proceeded to take me to Lotherton Hall – a country house dating back to the C18, which is now owned by the Leeds Museums and Galleries service. 

A view from the nave to the chancel

Having never heard of this place before, I was particularly interested in the small dolomitic limestone chapel, comprising just a nave and chancel that dates back to the C12, but which was extensively remodelled in the C18 and restored in 1917. 

A view west along the nave

As with St. Mary’s chapel, I didn’t have the time to take a good look at the building and only took a few quick photographs of the interior and one of the south elevation of the exterior; however, a guide produced by the West Yorkshire Archaeology Service, which I have since discovered, describes various phase of construction that can be seen in the masonry and I therefore look forward for an opportunity to visit again. 

A general view of the west end

Stepping down into the chapel through the south door, the level of the floor has been lowered, but part of the original floor can still be seen at the west end of the nave, which was shortened and rebuilt during the C18. 

The stoup

On this raised platform, there is an unusual stone stoup, comprising a large elaborately carved bowl that is placed on a tall stem, which has acanthus leaves, geometric patterns and a base that is decorated with tortoises. 

Tortoises on the base of the stoup

The splayed window reveals, especially in the south elevation, exhibit the extreme thickness of the walls and, although some have been replaced with square headed windows, the slit window in the nave is original and the widened east window is in a similar style. 

A slit window in the south wall

Moving from the nave to the chancel, the original archway that links them has been modified, with the original Norman round arch being replaced by a flat lintel and the south jamb being altered to allow for the widening of the opening. 

The archway between the nave and  chancel

Looking closely at the east wall of the chancel, plaster to the window reveal is painted to mimic joints in the stonework and, to the right hand side of the top of the window, shields and flowers can still be seen on the fragment of plaster that remains. 

The east wall of the chancel

Having finished in the chapel, we then had a very quick look inside Lotherton Hall, where I just took a photo of a magnificent pietra dura table made with a variety of Italian marbles, and then returned to Aberford, where I would catch my bus back to Leeds.

A table inlaid with Italian marbles