Church Of St Michael

NY 96 NW WARDEN LOW WARDEN

7/125 Church of St. Michael

15.4.69 I

Parish church. Saxon west tower, transepts C13, nave and south porch 1765, chancel 1889. Tower coursed sandstone with irregular large quoins, remainder coursed squared sandstone; slate roof. Cruciform with west tower and south porch.

Tall tower has small round-headed windows differing in detail, stepped-in C18 belfry stage with single broad pointed opening in each face, low pyramidal cap. Nave has C19 windows in C13 style. Transepts have tall chamfered plinth, clasping buttresses at angles, stepped buttresses to sides and beneath gable windows; single and paired C13 lancets in side walls with hollow-chamfered string linking hoodmoulds. Three-light windows in gables are largely C19. Chancel has lancet windows in side walls, priests' door on south with enriched shouldered arch, three-light east window. South porch has Cl9 inner and outer arches, good C18 sundial in gable, blocked square-headed window in west wall.

Interior. Low round-headed tower arch with moulded imposts, possibly Roman stones, arch of rough rubble perhaps a post-medieval reconstruction. C19 pointed double- chamfered transept arches on medieval jambs. Piscina in south wall of south transept, square-headed aumbry rebated for door in north wall of north transept.

C12 coped and regulated gravestone in chancel against north wall, medieval cross slab in sanctuary floor, various C18/19 floor slabs and wall monuments. Important collection of carved stones lying loose in porch.

Traditionally Warden Church stands on the site of an oratory used by St. John of Beverley when he was Bishop of Hexham (685-704). The west tower, despite the C18 reconstruction of its belfry stage, is an important member of the Northumbrian group of Saxon towers. H.M. & J. Taylor, Anglo Saxon Architecture 632 - 634

Listing NGR: NY9136066490