Rebuilt in 1844, following a fire, by J B and W Atkinson. Squared limestone on tooled plinth, with tooled dressings and slate roof. West bellcote, 5-bay nave and north vestry; apsidal chancel. West end: central offset buttress, flanked by round-headed windows in quoined surrounds with coved hoodmoulds. Buttress rises to full height and is corbelled out to become base of gabled bellcote. Bellcote has twin round-arched, roll- moulded openings beneath coved hoodmoulds, and a centre shaft with scalloped capital. Chevron-edged oculus in gable apex encloses a recessed quatrefoil. Nave: south door in slightly projecting, pent-roofed porch: double board doors beneath round, roll-moulded arch on shafts with scalloped capitals, and chamfered hoodmould. Single window to west and 3 to east like those on west end. Chamfered eaves course. On north side gabled vestry projects in east end bay. Other bays contain similar windows, the middle 2 separated by full-height offset buttress. East half-hexagonal apse, with window to each side: half-hexagonal pointed roof. North. vestry has single window. Chimney stack rises at base of nave roof, behind vestry. Coped gables with cross at west end. Interior. C12 font on pedestal with nailhead moulding around base. Wall tablet to Capt George Lee (d1794), of stone with relief carving and incised lettering picked out in black
The name ‘Cropton’ comes from Anglo-Saxon roots meaning ‘hill top settlement’The church is dedicated to St Gregory the Great. It stands to the east of Castle Hill. Formerly, it was a chapel of ease within the Parish of Middleton. In 1986 Cropton with Cawthorne became a new parish and a member of the United Benefice of Lastingham, joining Appleton-Le Moors, Rosedale and Hutton-le-Hole.There is no known record of when the original church was built.The plain circular font is probably Norman and possibly in the Saxon tradition. A chaplain, who may also have served the castle, was attached to the church in the 14th century. It is known that in the late 18th century the building was given a slate roof, after alterations which included the addition of the south facing porch.During the 1840’s the church was severely damaged by fire and rebuilt between 1844 and 1855. Some of the materials of the original church were reused; some were sold off. An apsidal sanctuary was added also, a bellcote with two small bells was provided in the west gable.St Gregory’s continues today as a traditional village church, much cherished and cared for by the community.
