Could a 1,000-year-old carving reveal a link to St Andrew?

Our continuing research into the history of St Andrew’s Kildwick has uncovered an intriguing question about one of the oldest objects in the church.

During the major restoration of St Andrew’s in 1901, fragments of several ancient stone crosses were discovered built into the later fabric of the church. Modern archaeological scholarship dates these carvings to the tenth century, making them evidence of a Christian community at Kildwick more than a century before the church was recorded in Domesday Book in 1086.

One of the fragments, known to archaeologists as Kildwick 1, is particularly interesting.

The carving includes a haloed figure and has been interpreted by Professor Elizabeth Coatsworth as probably depicting Christ and the Miracle of the Five Loaves and Two Fishes.

That immediately raises an intriguing possibility.

In John's account of the miracle, it is St Andrew who notices the boy carrying the food:

“One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him, ‘There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish.’”
John 6:8–9

And, of course, our church is dedicated to St Andrew.

We know that this dedication is ancient. By the first half of the twelfth century, surviving documents already refer explicitly to the church of St Andrew at Kildwick. What we do not know is how much older the dedication might be.

Could the choice of the Feeding of the Five Thousand on a tenth-century monument therefore have some connection with St Andrew? If so, it might provide a tantalising hint that Andrew was associated with the Christian community at Kildwick long before the earliest surviving document which names him.

What do the experts think?

We have asked specialists in early medieval sculpture whether the connection with St Andrew might be significant.

Dr Aleksandra McClain, Senior Lecturer in Medieval Archaeology at the University of York, has urged caution. She points to another depiction of the Loaves and Fishes on an eighth or ninth-century cross at Dewsbury, a church dedicated to All Saints. This suggests that the scene need not have been connected specifically with St Andrew.

Instead, the Kildwick carving may tell us something different, and potentially more important, about the Christian community which commissioned it.

Explicitly biblical scenes became less common on carved monuments during the tenth century. Earlier sculpture was often commissioned by clergy at major minster churches, while much tenth-century sculpture was commissioned by secular patrons for emerging local or proprietary churches.

The person who commissioned Kildwick 1 therefore appears to have made a deliberate choice to include a biblical scene. We may never know exactly why, but it gives us another tantalising glimpse of the people responsible for Kildwick's Christian monuments more than a thousand years ago.

So perhaps the significance of Kildwick 1 lies somewhere different from where we first looked. It may not provide evidence for an early dedication to St Andrew, but it could tell us something about the status, patronage and character of the Christian community at tenth-century Kildwick.

So this is not a new answer to the history of St Andrew’s. It is a new question.

But sometimes questions are where historical discoveries begin.

As we continue investigating the remarkable early history of the Lang Kirk of Craven, we hope that the stones, documents and archives may yet tell us more about the Christian community which worshipped at Kildwick more than a thousand years ago.

15/09/2026

Hello and welcome to our church. If you are a new visitor, we have a page for you to get to know us and learn more about planning a visit.
Click here to see more.

Visitors click here.

Planning your Visit

A Warm Welcome

If you're new to church, new to the area, returning after some time away, or simply wondering whether church might be for you, you are very welcome at Kildwick, Cononley & Bradley.

You don't need to know what to do, what to say or even what you believe. Just come as you are. Our churches are places where people can worship, ask questions, find friendship and explore faith together.

We are one parish with three churches: St Andrew's Kildwick, St John's Cononley and The Bradley Church. Each is a little different, but wherever you join us, we hope you will find a warm welcome.

Find our Sunday services

What are we about?

At the heart of our life together is Jesus Christ and his call to love God and love our neighbour.

For many years we have expressed our mission in four simple words:

Sharing, Caring, Growing in Christ

In Christ

Everything begins with God's love for us in Jesus Christ. We don't come to church because we have everything sorted out. We come to worship, to pray, to learn and to discover more of what it means to follow Jesus.

Growing

Faith is a journey. None of us has all the answers, and there is always more to discover. Through worship, prayer, the Bible and one another, we seek to grow in faith and in our understanding of God.

Caring

Following Jesus means caring for one another and for the communities around us. We seek to put God's love into practice through friendship, compassion, service and care for our neighbours.

Sharing

The good news of Jesus is something to be shared. We want to share God's hope, love and peace through what we say, but also through how we live and how we serve others.

1373761
This is reflected in our vision for the parish:

Living out our faith, rooted in service; embracing everybody equally.

We want these to be more than words. They describe the kind of Christian community we are seeking to become.

What happens if I come on Sunday?

You don't need to book or let us know that you're coming. Just turn up.

Our services vary across our three churches. Some are traditional celebrations of Holy Communion, while others are more informal. You can find the time and location of this week's services on our Sunday Services page.

When you arrive, there will usually be someone to welcome you and give you anything you need for the service. You are welcome to sit wherever you like.

Don't worry if you aren't familiar with the service or don't know when to stand or sit. Just follow along as much or as little as you feel comfortable with. Nobody will mind if you get something 'wrong'.

See our Sunday services

Do I need to be a Christian?

No.

You might have been a Christian for many years, be returning to church after a long time away, have lots of questions, or simply be curious.

You don't have to have faith sorted out before coming to church. Exploring, questioning and sometimes doubting are all part of the journey.

Whatever your background, faith or spiritual beliefs, you are welcome.

What should I wear?

Whatever you normally wear!

There is no dress code. Some people dress smartly, others come in jeans and trainers. Come in whatever makes you comfortable.

What about children?

Children and families are very welcome at our churches.

We know that children make noise, move around and don't always behave like adults, and that's absolutely fine. Please don't worry about having to keep them perfectly quiet.

We also have activities especially for children and families throughout the year.

Find out about Children & Families

Will I be expected to give money?

No.

There may be an opportunity to give during or after a service, but visitors should never feel under any pressure to contribute. Please simply be our guest.

Can I receive Communion?

If you normally receive Holy Communion in your own church, you are welcome to receive with us.

If you would prefer not to receive Communion, you are still very welcome to come forward for a blessing, or simply remain in your seat. There is no pressure either way.

Accessibility

Accessibility varies between our three historic church buildings. You can find specific access information on each church's page, or please contact us if we can help you plan your visit.

Getting involved

Coming to a Sunday service is only one way to be part of our parish.

Throughout the week there are opportunities to meet people, pray, learn, sing, serve our communities and simply spend time together. Have a look at our What's On pages to see what might interest you.

You can also sign up for our weekly email newsletter to find out what's happening across Kildwick, Cononley & Bradley.

See What's On
Get our Weekly Newsletter

Still have questions?

Please get in touch. It doesn't matter whether your question is about a service, accessibility, children, faith, or simply which of our churches might be right for you.

We would be very happy to help.

Contact Us

A word from Mike

Mike-solo-300x222

I'm Mike Green, the Vicar of Kildwick, Cononley & Bradley.

Finding your way into a church for the first time can sometimes feel daunting, particularly if you're not sure what to expect. I hope you'll discover that you don't need to know the right words, understand everything we do, or have all the answers before you come.

Whoever you are, and wherever you are on your journey of faith, there is a place for you here.

I hope we'll have the opportunity to welcome you in person soon.

Best wishes,
Revd Mike