Whorlton, a hamlet steeped in history, once thrived as a Saxon settlement. Recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as “Wirueltune,” the village has since been abandoned, leaving behind only the ruins of its church and nearby castle as silent witnesses to a bygone era.
Tucked away on the edge of Castle Bank Road, Whorlton Church, also known as the Church of the Holy Cross, stands as a testament to the village’s rich history. Surrounded by a grove of yew trees, the Grade 1 listed church is a blend of Norman and medieval architecture. Originally called the Church of the Holy Rood before the Reformation, its history traces back to a Saxon church that once stood on the site, though no physical remnants of this early structure remain.
The current church structure dates primarily from the 11th century, coinciding with the construction of nearby Whorlton Castle by Robert de Meynell. Over time, the church saw significant modifications, including the addition of a south aisle and the rebuilding of the chancel in the 13th century. Among the church’s treasures is a 14th-century wooden effigy of the Second Lord Nicholas de Meynell, carved from bog oak, which lies in the chancel. A tower was added in the 15th century, serving both as a defensive structure and an entrance porch, with an early 16th-century bell still hanging within.
By 1875, the church had deteriorated to such an extent that a new church was constructed nearby, and Old Whorlton Church was left to decay. The nave was dismantled in 1975, leaving only the Norman arches and the chancel intact. Despite its dilapidated state, the church remains consecrated and occasionally serves as a mortuary chapel. The surrounding graveyard, with its weathered stones, slopes down towards Whorlton Castle, where the more recent burials are found.
Beyond the church, the surrounding fields hold the faint traces of Whorlton village. The exact reasons for the village’s abandonment are unclear; some speculate that it was due to an outbreak of the bubonic plague, while others suggest that the villagers were drawn to the growing mining industry in nearby Swainby. While the medieval village is Whorlton’s most famous legacy, the discovery of a Roman coin hoard in 1810 suggests that the area was inhabited long before the Saxons arrived.
Know Before You Go Visitors to Old Whorlton Church will find the chancel typically locked, but they can still peer through the bars on the door to glimpse the remnants of this once-vibrant village.