St. Augustine’s church is one of the very big parish churches on the north bank of the Humberside region. Like its XXXL neighbours St. Patrich’s, Patrington and Holy Trinity, Hull (Hull Minster) it was never a monastic church whereas St. John’s, Beverley (Beverly Minster) was. The size of Hedon church is explained more by reference to the grandious expectations of its founders the Counts of Aumale (Lords of Holderness) than by any other explanation. The church was to dominate the newly created inland port in the 13th century with the canalised Hedon Haven expected to set in motion a flourishing trade in the agricultural produce of south-Holderness. Hedon didn’t develop into the commercially successful port expected, a fact partly evidenced by the nave of the church initially showing adaption to the new post-Early English architecture at its east end but this fizzling-out by the 1320s in the window tracery of its most westerly window (see above); Beverley Minster, on the other hand, evidencing all stages of gothic architectural progression through to the late 15th century. The chancel and transepts of both Beverley Minster and Hedon church are roughly contemporary and exhibit similar early Gothic features.
Hedon church does, however, display late Gothic architecture in the majestic crossing tower where two tiers of lofty windows (the upper the belfry lights) have Perpendicular tracery, these topped by an ornate pierced parapet, pinnacles and crockets. There is surviving documentary evidence that this crossing tower was built from funds raised in the 1430s. Clearly the present crossing tower must have had a predecessor with some evidence of this from the tower arches on the interior.
St. Augustine’s, Hedon is the only church in south-Holderness listed on the Heritage at Risk register (s.p.b.s), not so Holy Trinity, Patrington church or Beverley Minster.
(to be continued)