Old St Stephen, Fylingdales

This intriguing period-piece of 1821-22, stands prominently on its hillside above Robin Hood’s Bay, looking out to sea and on a site where people have worshipped for many centuries. Externally it looks severe and windswept; internally it is a rare and unaltered example of a church furnished for the preaching of the Word a real ‘preaching box’ which has escaped re-ordering with galleries to the north and west, box pews below and a superb three-decker pulpit half way along the south side. The sea is a recurring theme throughout and there are memorials to the shipwrecked in church and churchyard, a list of rescues by the lifeboat and a model of SS Pretoria. Rare survivals are the ‘maiden’s garlands’, which were carried in the funeral procession of a maiden.