St Mary Magdalene is a parish church in the Church of England in Campsall in South Yorkshire. It is Grade I listed. There is a service every Sunday at 11:00.
History The present church, dedicated to St Mary Magdalene, was established towards the end of the eleventh centuryRyder, P. F., 'Saxon Churches in South Yorkshire', South Yorkshire County Council, County Archaeology Monograph No 2, 1982. and contains features of almost every style of architecture since that time.Heritage Inspired website Originally the Norman church was planned to be cruciform but it was changed to feature the western tower and included a chancel, transepts and a nave to which aisles were later added. The church was supported for many years by its principal benefactors, the Yarbrough family of Campsmount.later the Cooke-Yarbrough family, Doncaster MBC Archives Department, Cooke-Yarbrough Records, ref. DZ/MZ/62Rotherham History website Several of the monuments in the chancel are dedicated to the Yarbrough family including an 1803 memorial commemorating Thomas Yarbrough by renowned sculptor, John Flaxman. In 1879, when the Rev. Edwin Castle was vicar, eight bells (three new and five re-cast) were installed along with a new clock. The vicarage had been restored the previous year.
Robin Hood It is locally reputed that legendary outlaw Robin Hood was married to Maid Marian at this church. Based upon a Child Ballad,Child, F. J. (ed.), 'The English and Scottish Popular Ballads', pub. Henry Stevens, London, 1882–1898. the theory is founded on the premise that St Mary Magdalene is the only possible church in the area to fit the description,A Gest of Robyn Hode, verse 440 (Fytte) reads : "I made a chapel in Barnsdale, That seemly is to see, It is of Mary Magdalene, And there to would I be." Campsall church has the only dedication to St Mary Magdalene in the area of "Barnsdale" (now known as Wentbridge) but no firm evidence exists for this supposition.Houlder, E., "Hunting out the remains of Robin Hood", British Archaeology, Issue no 48, October 1999 (ISSN 1357-4442) In 2013, when the National Churches Trust were compiling a list of the nation's favourite places of worship, the local MP Ed Miliband nominated St Mary Magdalene because of its association with the Robin Hood legend.
See also Grade I listed buildings in South Yorkshire Listed buildings in Norton and Askern
References
External links
Campsall St Mary Magdalene A Church Near You