Ilkley - All Saints

The remains of a Roman fort occupy a site near the town centre. A church existed already in 627 AD.

The Domesday Book records Ilkley as being in the possession of William de Percy. The land was acquired by the Middelton family of Myddelton Lodge, from about a century after the time of William the Conqueror.

The church is built on the site of the Roman fort, two Roman altars have been discovered built into the tower. Three 8th-century Anglo-Saxon stone crosses, now incomplete, used to be in the churchyard but are now inside. The earliest part of the church is the 13th century south doorway. The nave of the church dates back to the 14th century while the tower is of 15th century construction. The church was extended and restored in the 19th century.

These three Anglo-Saxon crosses, which stood in the churchyard of All Saints' Church, were moved inwards to prevent erosion.

The smallest cross (left) probably dates from the 8th century and the other two from the first half of the 9th century. The head of the large cross dates from the same period, but did not belong to it. It was found in the River Wharfe in 1884.


A detail of the large cross.