ÿþ<html> <head> <title><b>SMITH Family and Thirsk, Yorkshire, England</b></title> </head> <h1><center>SMITH Family and Thirsk, Yorkshire, England</center></h1> <h5><center>Commentary and Photos by Margaret Melkus Long</center></h5> <p> St. Mary s Church at Thirsk, Yorkshire, England is where our SMITH family attended church while they were living in Thirk, Yorkshire, England. One can find our SMITH family in the church records books from at least the year 1670; and some of our family were still attending church here after John Smith and family immigrated in 1818 to Dearborn County, Indiana. Jacob Smith (brother of John Smith) is buried here at this church cemetery. Jacob Smith was born 1780 and died 1833. </p> <p>  This church building was begun about the year 1430 and probably took half a century or more to reach its present form. It succeeded a Norman church, traces of which remain in a block of stone at the bottom of the South aisle and in the walls. Before that there were almost certainly a Saxon Minster, serving the surrounding countryside. It is first mentioned in history in 1145 when Robert de Mowbray gave it to the Augustinian Canons at Newburgh Priory. This present building is remarkable chiefly because it has never been altered noticeably since it as built, apart from the chancel arch, which seems to have been reshaped several times. (This information was provided in a pamphlet given to me on my visit to St. Mary s church, Thirsk, on May 12, 2009.) </p> <h3><b><center>Saint Mary's Church in Thirsk</center></b><?h3> <center><img src="ThStMarysCh.JPG"></center> <br> <h3><b><center>Other Pictures Inside and Outside Saint Mary's</center></b></h3> <br> <h4><b><center>The Church Entry From Afar</center></b></h4> <center><img src="ThChurchEntAfar.JPG"</center> <br> <h4><b><center>The Church Entry From Near</center></b></h4> <center><img src="ThChurchEntClose.JPG"></center> <br> <h4><b><center>The Church Nave</center></b></h4> <center><img src="ThChurchNave.JPG"</center> <br> <h4><b><center>The Church Ceiling</center></b></h4> <center><img src="ThChCeilingWindows.JPG"</center> <p>Note the wood ceiling an example of wood carving and some very grotesque masks at the end of the beams. The ceiling was restored in 1953.</p><br> <h4><b><center>The Church Font</center></b></h4> <center><img src="ThChurchFont.JPG"></center> <p>The above font cover (note wood above font) was carved by mediaeval carvers. This cover is 21 feet high. There are other carvings in the church from the 15th century.</p> <br> <h4><b><center>The Stain Glass Window</center></b></h4> <center><img src="ThStainGlassWindow.JPG"</center> <p> A bomb blew out this window in 1940 but it was again carefully restored.</p><br> <h4><b><center>Jacob Smith and Daughter Ann's Headstone</center></b></h4> <center><img src="ThJacSmithHdStn1.JPG"</center> <p>Above is the gravestone for Jacob Smith 1780-1833 and his daughter, Ann who died in 1806 as an infant. <b> Sacred to the memory of <a href="http://ewbank-smith.org/getperson.php?personID=I24464&tree=ewsmith">Jacob Smith</a> died 15th August 1833 aged 53 years - Also <a href="http://ewbank-smith.org/getperson.php?personID=I25281&tree=ewsmith">Ann</a> his daughter died 15 th Januray 1806 - age 7 months. </b></p><br> <h4><b><center>Scenes from the Market Place in Thirsk, May 2009</center></b></h4> <center><img src="ThirskMktArea1.JPG"></center><br> <center><img src="ThirskMktArea2.JPG"></center> <br> <br> <br> <center>Return to home page click <a href="http://ewbank-smith.org/">here.</a></center>