Church Of St Michael And All Angels

A parish church of medieval origin, substantially developed over several centuries and restored in the 19th century. The building dates principally to the 12th century, with 13th-century additions comprising the aisles, north porch, and extension of the chancel. The north aisle was rebuilt in 1802. A major restoration was undertaken between 1842 and 1846 in memory of Robert Surtees of Mainsforth, the historian of County Durham, by his widow.

Exterior

The church is constructed in varied materials including thinly-rendered coursed squared sandstone and limestone, mixed stone rubble with brick patching at the chancel eaves, and features an ashlar plinth and dressings. The roof is of graduated Lakeland slate with stone gable copings.

The plan comprises an aisled nave with north porch and a chancel with north vestry. The gabled porch contains a shafted two-centred open arch under a head-stopped dripmould, with side windows having surrounds of similar shape and continuous roll moulding. Fragments of medieval incised grave-covers are preserved in the front gable and on stone corbels within the porch, though some are badly eroded. Within the porch are stone sidebenches, and the inner door features a chamfered surround to a two-centred arch with six fielded panels and strap hinges and a wood-cased lock. The restored south door is of similar shape with nailhead decoration to the capitals of shafts supporting the roll-moulded arch. An eroded sundial dated 1741 and inscribed 'Memento mori' is set above at approximately 20 degrees to the wall.

Paired lancets appear in the aisles, the south buttressed, beneath corbel tables. Two-light clerestory windows on the south elevation only have chamfered surrounds. The nave features clasping buttresses that predate the aisles. A short central west buttress sits below narrow blocked openings and a central lancet, with a roundel bearing the cross moline of Bishop Bek (1284–1310) positioned below a two-arched gabled bellcote.

The set-back chancel has four south windows, the westernmost round-headed and the others lancets, with the next lower in position. The north elevation contains a vestry inserted between two lancets and a low, wide blocked squint at the west end. Three stepped east lancets are present. Clasping and south central buttresses support this elevation. The roof exhibits overlapping stone gable copings and stone cross finials.

Interior

The interior is finished with painted plaster with ashlar dressings and a panelled dado. The roof structure is stone-corbelled, with the nave featuring queen posts and a braced central strut to the collar, while the chancel has a braced collar and short king post.

The four-bay arcades contain irregular pointed arches, double-chamfered, resting on round piers with keeled responds (at the west on a high section of earlier wall). The responds on the north side and the central north pier are decorated with nailhead work on their capitals, all of which are moulded. The high double-chamfered two-centred chancel arch has broach and head stops, with the inner arch springing from corbels. Beast and head stops ornament the nave arcade dripmoulds.

Early 20th-century pews have panelled backs and roll-moulded square ends, with a dado composed of re-used box-pew panels. A medieval Frosterley marble pedestal font with round bowl stands in the church, accompanied by a similar bowl with iron band and damaged rim on the floor at the north-east nave. Medieval stone pedestal font with round bowl; similar bowl, with iron band and damaged rim, on floor at north-east nave. Nineteenth-century poppy-heads are present, and a medieval stone altar slab with four incised crosses survives.

Monuments and Fittings

The north wall of the chancel displays three monuments to members of the Surtees family. An alabaster panel in Gothic style commemorates Brigadier General Sir Henry Craven Surtees (1858–1933), who continued the historical researches of Robert Surtees of Mainsforth (1779–1834). A sandstone memorial to Robert Surtees by John Bloxham, executed in Perpendicular style with a coat of arms, occupies the centre position. Below this is a memorial brass to his wife Anne, who died in 1846 and sponsored the church's restoration in 1843–1846. A hatchment above the north door commemorates Thomas Bedford, vicar (died 1683), and his wife Alice (died 1680), described as 'mother, grandmother and great grandmother to 74 children beside numerous embrios'. A 17th-century hatchment over the south door represents Ralph Hutton of Mainsforth, recording details of his family.

A small stone sheaf of corn above the vestry door probably forms part of a memorial now rendered over, possibly relating to the Cumyn family, whose arms included a sheaf of cumin.

Glass

The east window contains medallion lancets. The west lancet features St Michael and the arms of Bishop Bek, executed in 1956 by L.C. Evetts.