While many people have heard of the Knights Templar, most may not know of another similiar order – the Knights Hospitallers. This fighting religious order was also associated with running hospitals for pilgrims in the ‘Holy Land’ during the middle ages. In Lancashire, they came to own the small church at Stydd, together with its medieval hospital and surrounding estate.
The church of St Saviour, Stydd, was built during Norman times. Medieval records refer to “the hospital of St Saviour, under the Long Ridge and the Master and brethren also serving God”. By 1265 the buildings and  surrounding estate land was acquired by the Knights Hospitallers of the Order of St John of Jerusalem.
https://lancashirepast.com/2014/07/05/the-knights-hospitallers-stydd-church-near-ribchester/

St Saviour’s Church_Stydd ©HelenBushe

To get to this church, you drive (or walk) through the beautiful village of Ribchester and turn up Stydd Lane. At the end of the lane, the tarmac stops at a gate. Going through the gate it’s a short walk on a path through a field up to St Saviour’s.

Let’s walk up the path to the chapel door:

Stydd_Doorway ©HelenBushe
Stydd_Front_Door ©HelenBushe
Stydd_Door with Flowers©HelenBUshe

We can push open this heavy old door, enter the chapel and look back outside:

Stydd_Open Door ©HelenBushe

Once inside this tiny space, we see a walled-up doorway diagonally opposite us

Stydd_Chapel_Interior ©HelenBushe

The Norman doorway on the North wall has been blocked off, providing an alcove which is a focus for prayer There’s a votive-candle stand with some old wood behind it:

Stydd_Corner ©HelenBushe

Oh my goodness! What a find for a door-lover!

It’s the original door, dating back almost a thousand years:

Stydd_Original_Door ©HelenBushe

After changing the lens on my camera to take some macro shots of this amazing door, in my excitement I dropped said camera on stone floor. One of the dials broke off. Camera has now been sent off for repair. (Luckily I do have another one!).

What a memorable day!

If you like doors and would like to see more from bloggers around the world, take a trip over to Norm’s Thursday Doors.

Thank you for letting me show you the doors of Stydd Chapel.

And thank you for visiting PHOTOPHILE


18 Comments

lisaonthebeach · 11 September 2019 at 04:18

Beautiful! <3

undiscoverdimagesamongstus2 - Photos by Gordon · 31 August 2019 at 22:08

Wow, what a great old door find! Thanks for sharing!

Norm 2.0 · 30 August 2019 at 23:16

Stunning shots! And bravo for finding this one. It is certainly one of the oldest doors we’ve had on Thursday Doors to date.
Now here’s hoping that camera repair doesn’t hit the wallet too hard 🙂

    HMB · 31 August 2019 at 20:06

    Thanks Norm. At least memory card survived intact so I got the pictures.

TCast · 30 August 2019 at 11:58

I prefer older doors. It has more character.

    HMB · 30 August 2019 at 17:14

    Yes, I agree. Old doors have it all.

sustainabilitea · 29 August 2019 at 22:41

Wowsa, what a find! I love everything about it…except for the dropped camera.

janet

    HMB · 29 August 2019 at 22:44

    Thanks Janet. Comments much appreciated. It was such an unexpected find. So exciting .

bushboy · 29 August 2019 at 22:00

What a fabulous place Helen . Great shots. bad luck about the camera.

    HMB · 29 August 2019 at 22:03

    Thank you . It’s amazing. Almost worth dropping a camera for!

      bushboy · 29 August 2019 at 22:07

      No way. The heart in the mouth as a camera falls and the thought of expense……..

        HMB · 29 August 2019 at 22:15

        I took it into camera shop for repair this afternoon. When I walked away from shop I felt same as I did when I left my Teddy Bear at the Dolls Hospital to be mended when I was 4

          bushboy · 29 August 2019 at 22:18

          Another fine memory 🙂

          HMB · 29 August 2019 at 22:19

          Yes, only that time I didn’t foot the bill

          bushboy · 29 August 2019 at 22:19

          😀 😀

Manja Mexi Mexcessive · 29 August 2019 at 21:59

Oooo, I’d drop my camera for this door too! 😮 The entire building is exceptional! And that vase gets all my love.

    HMB · 29 August 2019 at 22:01

    Thanks Manja. It’s a fabulous place, only a half hour drive away too. So return visits def in order.

An Old Bible in a 1000-year-old Church. - PHOTOPHILE · 10 September 2019 at 21:27

[…] You can see more of it here: Stydd Chapel: An Old Door and its even Older Predecessor […]

I'm always pleased to read comments.....

%d bloggers like this: