Various residents in a quiet village of Yorkshire Dales have a 15th -century church that has labeled a 'horror' that can be seen for Mijl.
Askrigg is best known as the typical national idyll from Darrowby in the original series of all creatures great and small.
But it now has a surprising new look at the clock tower in grade 1 stated St Oswald's Church got a limewash -rider to prevent water from leaking through its old brickwork.
The village profession, Rev Dave Clark, was accused yesterday of 'wearing false witness' in his attempts to remove the concerns of the locals who feared that the tower would look like 'a lighthouse in the Dales'.
Last summer he told the Church Times that the tower 'would be a soft honey color, in accordance with the newly cleansed brickwork of the building'.
The work was done last year, but the tower has since been packed in scaffolding and plastic sheet metal through the winter.
Now, under clear spring sun, it has been unveiled to horrible panting of many parishioners who agree that it is in fact a pristine shade white.
It has been described by the local population on social media as 'a horror', 'a horrible thorn in the eye' and also compared to a mosque instead of an ancient Anglican church that goes back to the late Middle Ages.
Before and after the representation of the church tower in Askrigg
Businesswoman Emma Brooke, 63, started last year with a 'Stop the Rendering' -Petition that received 438 signatures
The village profession, Rev Dave Clark, was accused yesterday of 'wearing false witness' in his attempts to remove the concerns of the locals who feared that the tower would look like 'a lighthouse in the Dales'
The work was done last year, but the tower has since been packed in scaffolding and plastic sheet metal through the winter
Businesswoman Emma Brooke, 63, started a 'Stop the rendering' petition last year that received 438 signatures, not all from Askrigg, who has a population of around 500.
Mrs. Brooke stood at the wrought iron gates and said: 'It is a shame that this is once allowed to happen and I am afraid that the pastor should bear much responsibility.
“The last words to get out of his mouth during a public meeting about the display of the tower was:” It will not be white. '
'Well, I'm sorry, but it's white. It is not at all in accordance with the beautiful landscape of the national park and it is a bit of the thorn in the eye of which we all feared it would be.
'It is amazing that this could happen, especially in an area where you would expect that planning regulations are stricter than normal.
'From the hills around the village it surrounds me miles and looks so out of place, especially when the rest of the church is left in its original state.
'No one in the village did not agree that the work had to be done to prevent the bell tower from being damaged, everyone wanted to make it.
'But when Limewash rendering was discussed, it seemed the worst possible option and several others were discussed.
The tower has been described by the local population on social media as 'a horror'
Phillip Halton, 73, born and raised in Askrigg, said: “There were many traders in and around the village who offered all kinds of other solutions than these, which was the worst at great distance.”
“We were told that there would be a consultation meeting that would take place last May.
'But when we arrived there, we discovered that it was anything but. The decision was made and we were greeted with a Fait Volli. The decision was made and there was nothing we could do. '
She waved with a hand to the tower, added: 'And this is the result. Now it is packing and the scaffolding down, we can see it well and all our original fears are attached. '
Another villager that lives near the church said: 'This whole process makes me in mind of the ninth commandment, Exodus 20:16 – You won't wear a false witness.
“I'm afraid this happened here. We were told that we would be consulted and we were not, we were told that the render would be the color of honey and it just isn't.
“The pastor and the diocese have some explanation to do because they have changed the character of a beautiful village.”
Phillip Halton, 73, born and raised in Askrigg, said: 'There were many traders in and around the village who offered all kinds of other solutions than these, which was the worst at great distance.
“It has deformed the church, changed the face of the village and it is very terrible.
The local population has also called the tower 'a horrible thorn in the eye' and also compared to a mosque instead of an ancient Anglican church that goes back to the late Middle Ages
Another villager that lives near the church said: “This whole process keeps me in mind of the ninth commandment, Exodus 20:16 – You shall not wear a false witness”
'To say that people are disappointed about the pastor and the diocese is an understatement, it is hard to understand what was done here.
“It is a grade one -stock -granted building in a national park, nobody will ever convince me that this was suitable for doing it.”
At the arms of the king in the heart of the picturesque village, barmaid Rachel Tysoe shakes her head unbelieving.
She said: 'It's worse than predicting people. I live in Thornton Rust, the two miles outside is Askrigg and I can see it from my house. You could never see the church before, but now it doesn't miss. '
Rev Dave, as he is known to his herd, is relieved of the anti -aircraft weather.
He said: “It is disappointing to hear:” Hearing “Dave Clark is a liar” is disappointing and it is actually disturbing. Some things that are written about me online have been very personal and that is difficult.
'However, I have broad shoulders and I accept that people feel strong about this issue and that as a pastor I am the center of attention.
'We don't reduce someone's suffering about this, but I feel that there would have been a bigger suffering if the tower had fallen down or when the clocks come loose and fell through the floor.
Mr Halton added: 'To say that people are disappointed about the pastor and the diocese is an understatement, it is hard to understand what was done here'
Rev Dave, as he is known to his herd, is relieved about the anti -aircraft weather and says: “Hear and read” Dave Clark is a liar “is disappointing and it is actually disturbing. Some things that are written online about me have been very personal and that is difficult '
'I am sorry if people felt that they had been left out of the loop, but someone had to make a decision and it was certainly not taken isolated.
'This has been a process that has been going on for 10 years and had taken over the advice and guidance of experts from all over the world.
'We spoke with Freemasons, Professors, Researchers and have had the invaluable help from the Damp Towers project, the longest -running architectural conservation project in history.
'It has been running since 1989 to find solutions to problems with towers such as ours ruined by water – and we get a lot of it in the Yorkshire Dales.
'We have done everything we can to make the color as sympathetic as possible for the environment. The render was mixed with Askrigg Stone, specifically chosen to strengthen the color.
'With my hand on my heart I can say that it is not white and if you look closely at it, you can see that. Given the time it will endure and fade.
'We have worked closely with the North Yorkshire National Park, which is very careful with what makes it possible here and they have played a strong supporting role in this.
'The parish council in Askrigg has been consulted everywhere and signed about the color of the render.
'It is important to note that the church has been shown for 600 years. It is only the last 150 years that it has seen without, the render was removed by the Victorians in the 1850s.
“It's certainly a talk point. As you drive through the Dale, it is a case of 'ta-daaa', there is the tower. But that is what it should always do, it says, “Look, here is the house of God.”
