Church Of St Michael

The Church of St. Michael is a Catholic church built between 1876 and 1879 by Henry Clutton. It is constructed from red sandstone ashlar and features a slate roof. The church has a cruciform shape with an eight-bay arcade that extends past the short transepts to include the chancel. At the west end of the nave, there is a striking tower topped with a steep saddleback roof. The main entrance, located in the tower, consists of a pair of large, board-filled three-panel doors set in a Gothic opening with a triple shaft treatment. This design is echoed in the three bell-stage lancets, which are framed by shafts with rings. The gables of the chancel and transepts are adorned with rose windows featuring stained glass, while the other windows are large lancets. The roof is steeply pitched and has crested ridge tiles, surrounded by an eaves parapet that forms a continuous open arcade.

Inside, the church features twin coupled shafts with early Gothic-style crocket caps that run the length of the building, supporting Gothic aisle arches and a hardwood boarded barrel-vaulted ceiling common to both the chancel and nave. The north transept houses the organ, while the south transept contains confessionals. The chancel is characterized by yellow sandstone walls and marble floors, whereas the nave has plastered walls. The church was built for a Jesuit community that was expelled from Germany in 1872.