St Martin's, Yapham

Yapham church was dedicated to St Nicholas until the mid-19th century. In a kind of diary written by the then Vicar, John Moor, which was found in Pocklington church chest, he writes for 27th November 1703:

“A great storm…..at Yappam ye old oak was uprooted near St Nicholas Caple….Mr Wilberfosse was killed at Meltonby by there fall of a tree there” By the time of the Census for Religious Worship in March 1851 it was dedicated to St. Martin. It must have been some time before the change in dedication was accepted locally because in 1892 Bulmer’s Directory still refers to it as dedicated to St. Nicholas. Like Fangfoss Church, it changed its dedication. Both churches were always subordinate to another church but it is not clear why both of them should have selected St. Martin as their dedication.

In the Census for Religious worship in 1851, Yapham St. Martin had a total of 100 sittings. On 30th March there was a Sunday school in the morning with 20 attending. In the afternoon there was a service attended by 32 with a further 24 at afternoon Sunday school.

The church itself is probably of 12th century origin though the present building has its origin in the 13th century. It is built largely of rubble with some ashlar blocks. Later alterations were in brick. It is a Grade II* listed building. It was apparently partially rebuilt in 1777-9 and restored in 1904 at the expense of Mr William Dixon Petch, a gentleman farmer of Smylett Hall.

In Gazetteers of 1835 and 1868 there was one bell in the bellcote. By 1875 there were two bells. An article in “Church Bells” a publication of the CCBR for July 17th 1875 notes that the tone of the two bells are “scarcely a quarter of a note apart… either of the two bells would have been better than the two together”. In 1552 during the reign of Edward VI there was a survey of church goods with a view to removing bells and silver for the exchequer. It is likely that one of the original bells was removed then.