The Parish Church of Methley and Mickletown is dedicated
to Saint Oswald.
This view of the Church, taken in about 1844, is the earliest
photograph we have. It is taken from the South East and shows the spire
that was erected at the end of the eighteenth century. It was soon in
need of attention as lightening damaged it. There was an advert for its
repair in the Leeds Intelligence in 1784. The spire was completely
rebuilt in 1900 and 1901 when there were extensive renovations carried
out on the entire Church. The spire was finally removed in 1937 and for
several years stone from the demolished spire was stacked in the
churchyard at the rear of the Old Post office and the side gable of
Churchside House.
The three light window of the Sanctuary
can be seen at the east end of the church and south of that the Waterton
Chapel. There was, at this time, no stained glass windows in the South
window immediately before the Waterton Chapel - they were plain
rectangular clerestory windows without tracery. Above the South door is
the effigy of St. Oswald. This was taken into the Church during the
1900/01 renovations for preservation.
The churchyard was smaller than today and a wall enclosed tombstones
near the main path. Cattle can be seen grazing in the foreground on land
that now forms part of the churchyard.
St Oswald's Church Methley. South View with clock.
Etching of St. Oswald’s Church from circa 1870. This is very similar to the previous photograph but now shows a clock in the tower. The clock shown on the 1869-1874 photograph, a ‘one eight days clock’, is stated to be in the tower in 1895.
South Side of St. Oswald's Church, early 1900s.
The churchyard is extended in the foreground. The spire is again in evidence. The effigy of St Oswald has now been removed from above the south entrance porch; all the windows contain stained glass which were installed in the mid-19th century. The Clerestory windows now have tracery stonework.
For more details refer to "Methley and Mickletown Churches" p.20, by George Kirk, printed by the Thoresby Society 1955.
