Church Of St Michael

Church of St Michael

Parish church, probably mainly of the 16th century with some earlier fabric at the east end and a 15th-century tower. The building was altered in the 17th century, partly rebuilt at various dates in the 18th century, re-roofed and "beautified" in 1823, and restored in 1866–7. It is constructed of squared sandstone.

The plan comprises a west tower, a nave with north and south aisles under the same roof, and a chancel with north and south aisles.

The tower is a massive square structure of four stages, mostly embraced by the nave. It is buttressed at the angles and has an embattled parapet with corner and intermediate pinnacles. The west door is a deep moulded pointed-arched opening with a hoodmould terminating in carved heads. Above this is an arched four-light window with a moulded surround, probably of the 16th century but containing later tracery. Three-light belfry louvres display intersecting tracery and hoodmoulds. Clockfaces are set into the north and south sides, and looplights illuminate an internal vice in the south-west corner.

The nave and aisles are externally divided by buttresses into five bays. Large four-light windows, almost semi-circular headed with restored intersecting tracery and hoodmoulds, light the sides. The first bay on the north side features a very wide moulded four-centred arched doorway with leaf spandrels and a square hoodmould bearing a small shield displaying the Hesketh arms. Above this doorway is a low four-centred headed window of four round-headed lights with hollow spandrels, flanked at sill level by carved armorial shields. A battlement above is inscribed: "THIS CHURCH WAS NEW ROOF'D AND BEAUTIFYD AD 1823".

On the south side, the second bay has a gabled porch with diagonal buttresses and straight side parapets. The outer doorway is almost semi-circular headed and moulded in two orders, with an inner four-centred arched doorway of moulded surround.

The north chancel aisle, known as Becconsall chapel, has two three-light windows in the side and one in the end. The south chancel aisle, the chantry chapel of St John the Baptist, has a priests' door with four-centred head, two three-light windows in the side, and one at the end.

The projecting bay of the chancel has a five-light pointed-arched east window with intersecting tracery. On the south side is a smaller square-headed window with three cinquefoil-headed lights and perpendicular tracery above.

Interior

The interior features a lofty nave of four bays, with a fifth bay at the west end formed by the north and south arches of the tower. The nave arcade comprises relatively low pointed arches, chamfered in two orders and springing from octagonal columns. The capitals and springing are evidently altered and reconstructed. The flat-pitched roof spans six bays with moulded beams resting on carved wall brackets, similar to those of the aisles. The tower arches on the north and south sides are similar to those of the nave but of three orders; the arch to the nave springs from much greater height.

The chancel arch, which is modern, has two orders and springs from shafts with moulded caps. The chancel aisle arcades have been rebuilt.

The chancel retains the remains of an aumbry in the north wall and a double piscina in the south wall. The piscina has a carved capital of a shaft, possibly of the 13th century. At the west end stands a hexagonal font dated 1663 with carved geometricised quatrefoil panels, supported on a six-shafted pedestal. A hatchment hangs above the south door.