Church Of St Michael

The Church of St Michael is a parish church with origins dating back to the 11th and 12th centuries, but largely rebuilt in the 13th century with an early 14th-century tower. A north porch was added in 1661, and the church has undergone 19th and 20th-century restorations. The church is constructed of rubble stone with an ashlar tower and lead roofs. It comprises a west tower, nave, south aisle, north porch, and chancel.

The west tower is of two stages, with diagonal buttresses, a two-light traceried west window, and wide arched single lights in double-chamfered surrounds to the bell chamber. It is surmounted by a broach spire with a single tier of lucarnes. The nave features some herringbone stone work at the base of the north wall, a short length of moulded plinth, and a coved cornice. A large 19th-century brick buttress strengthens the north east corner. The north side has two large arched single lights in double-chamfered surrounds, and a moulded arched doorway, with an inner order on shafts. The north porch has a coped gable and moulded arch. The south aisle has covered eaves and restored traceried windows, including a two-light window to the west, a three-light window to the south side, a tall two-light window to the south side, and another three-light window to the east. Both three-light windows feature intersecting tracery. A moulded south doorway is partially blocked and contains a small door. The chancel retains the outline and inner splays of a small 11th-12th century arched single light in the north wall, now blocked, and another blocked single light with traces of carving over the arched head. The south side of the chancel has two 19th-century two-light traceried windows in the Decorated style, and a blocked lowside window. A large three-light east window with cusped tracery is also present.

The interior is extensively restored and stripped of plaster. Double-chamfered arches lead to the tower, chancel, and south arcade. The south arcade is of three bays with octagonal piers, moulded capitals with dogtooth ornament, and a label with carved stops. The nave roof was renewed in 1949, the south aisle roof in 1902, and the chancel roof in 1964. The chancel contains an aumbry in the east wall and an arched piscina with a rebate in the south wall. Fittings include a font with a round bowl, possibly 11th-12th century, on a later base with four filletted shafts, a panelled pulpit and tester dated RC 1713, and fragments of wall plaster from No 31 Hall Gate, featuring small incised figures. Other fittings are 19th century. Marble wall memorials include a late 18th-century tablet to Calet Lowdhan and family, and 19th-century tablets to members of the Cheslyn family. A tablet to Anne Cheslyn 1823 features a relief carving of a mourning lady leaning on a tomb.