Church Of St Michael

Church of St Michael

Parish church located on the north side of Church Street in Glentworth. The building dates from the late 11th century, with subsequent additions and alterations spanning the late 12th, mid 14th, late 16th centuries, 1782, and restoration work in the 19th and 20th centuries. It is constructed of coursed ironstone and limestone rubble with ashlar work in ironstone and limestone, beneath slate roofs and stone coped gables.

The church comprises a west tower, nave and chancel in one, with a south porch and north-west lean-to addition.

The late 11th-century tower features rough quoins. The west window, dating to the mid 14th century, consists of three pointed, cusped lights with four heart-shaped mouchettes above, all contained within a pointed head with hood mould. Above this is a small, narrow round-headed light of 11th-century character. The south side of the tower displays a small, narrow round-headed light with flat hood mould and impost blocks set high up. A string course runs beneath the bell openings on all four sides, somewhat restored in the 19th century. Each bell opening comprises paired round-headed openings divided by a shaft with a large, crude volute capital and palmette ornament down the outer face. The east side shows an earlier roof line visible beneath the bell opening, with a clock above. A moulded parapet crowns the tower. The north side of the tower has a 20th-century lean-to with a plank door.

The north side of the nave features three 19th-century windows, each with two cusped lights and a large mouchette above under a round head.

The chancel wall is plain and was rebuilt in the late 16th century. The east end has quoins and a gable, with a large rectangular five-light 16th-century mullion and transom window, the upper lights having shallow pointed heads. The south side of the chancel contains a large blocked rectangular opening to the east and a small late 12th-century doorway to the west. This doorway has a sinuous semi-elliptical head supported by a single shaft with a volute capital to the left and a broad-leafed Canterbury capital to the right, with plain hood mould and plank door. A 19th-century rectangular window to the west contains three lights with shallow pointed heads. The nave has two round-headed windows, each of two cusped, pointed lights with 19th-century tracery. A 19th-century gabled south porch features round-headed east and west lights and a plain round-headed doorway. The porch interior contains a plain round-headed doorway with plank door.

The interior features a late 11th-century tower arch with a round head and large impost blocks. A broad, pointed double-chamfered early 13th-century chancel arch rests upon semi-circular responds with capitals decorated with stiff trefoil leaves, patched with plaster. The interior furnishings include 19th-century pews, lectern, pulpit and altar rail, and a 20th-century font. Two 19th-century chairs reuse 16th-century traceried panels.

The chancel's north wall contains a large tomb to Sir Christopher Wray, who died in 1592, and his wife, executed in pink, white and blue-grey marble. The tomb displays two recumbent effigies: Sir Christopher above and slightly behind his wife, dressed in red robes, black cap and thick ruff, whilst she wears black robes, large ruff and hood. Four white marble kneeling daughters are shown below. The ornate tomb recess above features flanking pink marble columns with white and gold Corinthian capitals, with the undersurface decorated with white and gold bay leaves. An inscribed plaque above shows Sir Christopher's son at prayer, flanked by coats of arms and obelisks.

The south side of the chancel holds a large white marble monument to Elizabeth Sanderson, who died in 1714, designed by Edward Hurst. It features three central cherub heads beneath an ornate baldacchino, flanked by columns with Corinthian capitals, with standing putti beyond.