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Welcome to the Homepage of the Friends of St Oswald's

The hamlet of Kirk Sandall which is mentioned in the Doomsday Book of 1086 consisted of a 'big house', a farm and a cluster of cottages around the church.

The church was dedicated to St Oswald, the Anglo-Saxon king of Northumbria. Legend has it that his body rested in the church in AD 642, after his death in battle.

Most of the church was built in the Norman period (11th - 12th century) and it was only altered a little until additions were made in the Tudor period (16th century).

The village was quite poor and so the church was not enlarged or altered.

In 1919 the Pilkington Glass Company acquired land in Kirk Sandall and built a glass factory. To house its workers the Pilkington family built the garden village of Kirk Sandall and including many amenities such as the bowling and cricket clubs.

By the 1960s the old village of Kirk Sandall had virtually disappeared and the church was isolated from the new village. A new church and church hall were built and St Oswald's church was redundant. In 1980 it was taken over by The Redundant Churches Fund, which is now known as The Churches Conservation Trust. It cares for and maintains the church so that this priceless gem can be preserved for future generations to enjoy.

It is the aim of the Friends of St Oswald's to open the church for public use at weekends in spring and summer. Why not join the friends to help us to do this and more.

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