Church Of St Michael And All Angels

The Church of St Michael and All Angels is a parish church that dates from the late 12th century and 13th century, with a chancel from that period. The nave arcades and west wall were constructed in the 14th century, while the vestries were added in the 15th and 19th centuries. The church features 19th-century aisles, a porch, and the upper stage of the tower, with alterations to the tower likely made by Hardwick. It is built of sandstone and has a roof made of Westmorland slate.

The church has a 4-bay nave, north and south aisles, and a south porch, along with 2-bay transepts. The chancel includes a south vestry and a second south-east vestry that is two stories high. There are diagonal buttresses on the chancel and tower, as well as at the angles of the transepts and nave. The tower is pinnacled and has two stages, with crenellations on the vestry. The steep-pitched roofs feature overlapping stone coping on the nave gable, while the chancel and transepts have flat roofs.

Inside, the 4-bay nave arcades are supported by double-chamfered arches and 8-shaft columns with fillets. The 6-bay chancel contains a small round-headed door in the north wall with a tympanum and eight lancet windows on the south side. An octagonal font is also present. Notable monuments in the south transept include a chest tomb for Bernard Gilpin, who died in 1583, featuring strapwork decoration and arms; a brass memorial for Margery Bellasis, who died in 1587, depicting her kneeling children; a wall tomb with a 13th-century effigy of a knight; and another effigy of a knight. Additionally, grave slabs in the floor display the arms of Ralph Carr of Cocken Hill, who died in 1709, and Nicholas Conyers, High Sheriff of Durham, who died in 1686.