Hampsthwaite Parish Church dates from a very
early period. Early Christian gravestones found on the site are incorporated
into the building itself. The church is a vicarage and is dedicated
to St. Thomas á Becket of Canterbury. The earliest available
parish records date from 1603 and the list of vicars for the church
goes back to 1175.
Records include those from the ancient chapel at Thornthwaite, though
it is not possible to seperate them from other entries until later,
when they were entered under Chapel.