The Mysterious Head in the Tower

High above the doorway inside the tower of St Andrew’s is one of the church’s strangest carvings: a roughly worked stone head, staring down with uneven eyes and a broad curved line across the lower part of the face.

It is easy to miss. Yet this small and rather unsettling face may be one of the oldest pieces of sculpture associated with the church.

A face out of place

The head does not seem to belong naturally to the masonry around it.

John Billingsley, who studied the carving in detail, noted that its style is unlike anything else in St Andrew’s. He also observed that it sits within comparatively modern stonework above the tower doorway and is not positioned centrally.

The surrounding masonry was altered when the tower window was installed in 1870, so one possibility is that the head was found during those works and then reset in its present position.

Another possibility is that it was discovered during restoration work in 1901, when other much older carved stones were also recovered from the church.

Either way, the head almost certainly has a history older than the wall in which we see it today.

Could it be pre-Norman?

Billingsley suggested that the carving might be very early, perhaps even pre-Norman.

His interest was partly prompted by the unusual treatment of the face. One eye appears to sit lower than the other, and when viewed from below it can look almost as though one eye is missing. An_early_carved_head_and_Anglo_…

That led to one of the more intriguing interpretations of the carving.

Could it represent Odin, the one-eyed god of Norse mythology?

The idea is not quite as unlikely as it may first sound. St Andrew’s contains fragments of Anglo-Danish stone crosses, probably dating from around the mid-10th century, and carvings of this period sometimes combine Christian and Scandinavian imagery.

Billingsley explored the possibility that some of the Kildwick cross fragments themselves contain echoes of Norse mythology.

But he was careful not to claim too much. He concluded that the identification of the tower head with Odin must remain uncertain, because there is no clear link between the head and the Anglo-Danish carvings.

A Romanesque corbel?

A more recent assessment by the Corpus of Romanesque Sculpture in Britain and Ireland points in a different direction.

Rather than seeing the head as Anglo-Danish, the CRSBI, (The Corpus of Romanesque Sculpture in Britain & Ireland), suggests that it is more likely to be Romanesque, probably dating from around the mid-12th century.

If that is right, the head may originally have been a corbel, a projecting stone used to support part of a building such as a roof beam, arch or other architectural feature.

Romanesque churches often included carved heads and grotesque faces. Some were frightening, some comic, and some simply strange. Their exact meanings are often impossible to recover.

The Kildwick head may therefore be less a surviving image from the Viking world and more a fragment from an early stone phase of St Andrew’s.

Why does it matter?

Even a 12th-century date would make the head an important survival.

St Andrew’s has been altered and rebuilt many times. Earlier stonework was reused, covered over or incorporated into later rebuilding, and some of the oldest pieces of the church have survived almost by accident.

The Anglo-Danish cross fragments show that Christian worship was established here well before the Norman Conquest.

The mysterious head may belong to another stage in that long story, perhaps connected with the Norman or early Romanesque church that stood here before the later medieval building developed around it.

Can we find out more?

For now, several questions remain unanswered.

Where was the head originally placed?

Was it carved for St Andrew’s, or brought here from somewhere else?

Is it Romanesque, or could it really be older?

And what was the medieval mason trying to show us?

Further close examination, particularly of the stone itself and the tooling on its surface, may one day tell us more.

Until then, the face remains where it has watched from the tower for well over a century: a small, mysterious survivor from an earlier St Andrew’s, and another reminder that the history of this church is still being uncovered.

20/10/2026

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.
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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.

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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.

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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.

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A word from Mike

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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