Church Of St Michael

SD 57 NE 1/219

WHITTINGTON CHURCH STREET (south side) Church of St.Michael

4-10-1967

GV II*

Church, probably early C16th, with nave and chancel extensively restored in 1875, probably by Paley and Austin. Sandstone rubble with slate roofs. Comprises a west tower, a nave with clearstorey and chancel under a continuous roof, and north and south aisles. Tower has diagonal buttresses with offsets, and an embattled parapet. The bell openings each have 3 round-headed lights under a flat head. Below on the west wall is a niche with statue. The west window is of 3 round-headed lights under a flat head with hood. The west doorway is pointed and hollow-chamfered in 2 orders. Re-set in the south wall are fragments of stone with chevron decoration. The south nave aisle is of 2 bays, the windows being of 3 lights with Perpendicular tracery under flat heads. The chancel aisle is of one similar bay, with a door to its left with a pointed arch and a buttress separating it from the nave bay. The 4 clearstorey windows have square surrounds pierced by, alternately: quatrefoils, and circles with mouchette tracery forms. At the left is an open timberporch with carved decoration. Under the apex is carved: 'AD MDCCCLXXV'. The pointed doorway is hollow chamfered in 2 orders. To each side of it are re-set stones with cable moulding and chevron decoration. On the north side the aisle and clearstorey are treated similarly, but with 2 aisle bays, and an organ chamber and vestry to their east. The east wall of the church has 2 buttresses with offsets. The east window is of 3 lights under a pointed head with Perpendicular tracery. Interior has 5-bay arcades, one of the bays being within the chancel, with a further half bay on the south side of the chancel. The arches are pointed and chamfered in 2 orders. The piers are octagonal. On the north side some of the capitals are moulded. The tower arch is chamfered in 2 orders which die into the responds. The open timber roof has braced queen post trusses and curved wind braces. The chancel screen is elaborately carved, with tracery and other decoration. At the east end is a carved stone reredos. The marble font, very late C19th, is carved with tracery panels, shields, and other decoration. Glass in 3 windows by Powell, including east window. 2 windows in south aisle by Kempe & Tower.

Listing NGR: SD5996876284