St Oswald's Church, Horton-in-Ribblesdale

Submitted by Alan Marsden on Thu, 18/09/2025 - 00:00

The Church of St Oswald sits in the very busy little village of Horton-in-Ribblesdale in North Yorkshire. The busyness is not on account of a gigantic population or the presence of infamous migrant hotels, but walkers. A convenient base for the Pen-y-ghent mountain and the Ribblehead viaduct and railway, the village swarms with fresh-faced young men and women, as well as older walkers with tanned, leathery skin sporting ski-style walking sticks. Parking is a nightmare, though enterprising farmers have been known to turn an honest penny by opening the odd field. Most who come to Horton are looking up to the mountain and then, on their return, to The Crown or The Golden Lion wherefrom refreshments may be obtained.

Some may wander into the ancient parish church which was built by the Normans, and features a typically rounded doorway with zigzag patterns and matching font. Not as old as the hills, but this old place is another ancient witness to God’s existence, mercy and gospel invitation. Psalm 121:1-3 famously asks, and declares:

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.

My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.

The beauty of creation and the awesome hills and mountains point us to the reality of God and the magnificence of His creative genius. Yet to find Him and know Him, one must seek Him in His word. The Church is not His word, though she may guard and vouchsafe it. Should any of those hordes of hikers return from their foray into God’s own country and then enter this venerable church and find His word inside, they shall surely find the great God whose handiwork they have been enjoying.