Church Of St Michael

Church of St Michael

A parish church of substantial medieval character, dating from the 12th to 16th centuries with significant 19th-century restoration and re-roofing. The building is constructed of herringbone rubble, coursed squared rubble and ashlar with brick and rendered surfaces, covered with a plain tile roof and leaded chancel gable.

The church comprises a west tower, nave, chancel, north chancel chapel and south porch. The west tower dates to the 11th, 13th and 15th centuries in three sections. It is two stages high with a chamfered plinth, coved string course and coved eaves band featuring eight Romanesque style gargoyles. The parapet is crenellated with shields in panels and eight crocketed pinnacles. Four diagonal buttresses with five and three setoffs support the tower; those to the east are engaged with the nave, and the south-west buttress bears a rebus with moulded hood. The first stage has a clock to the south and a 14th-century double lancet window to the west with cusped heads, Decorated tracery, chamfered mullion and rebated reveal with hood mould. Above this is a clock. The second stage contains four 14th-century double lancet openings with cusped heads, Decorated tracery, coved mullions, chamfered and rebated reveals and hood moulds.

The nave of four bays is supported by four diagonal buttresses, two intermediate buttresses to the north and a single buttress to the south, all with three setoffs, plinths and string courses. The north side has two restored 15th-century triple lancets with ogee heads, panel tracery, chamfered mullions, chamfered and rebated reveals with four-centred arched heads and hood moulds. A blocked 15th-century doorway with coved and roll moulded surround stands to the west, followed by a restored 15th-century triple lancet with cusped trefoil heads, coved mullions, splayed and rebated reveal with four-centred arched head and hood mould with mask stops. The south side has three restored 15th-century triple lancets similar to those on the north side.

The chancel comprises two bays. To the north is a 13th-century double lancet with geometrical tracery, mullion with ringed shaft, chamfered and roll moulded reveal and hood mould with mask stops. The east end features an early 14th-century quintuple lancet with intersecting tracery and ogee quatrefoil head, chamfered mullions, chamfered and rebated reveal and hood mould with mask stops. The south side has an off-centre priest's door with cove moulded surround and hood mould with mask stops, and to the west a restored 15th-century triple lancet with coved mullions, chamfered and rebated surround and hood mould. To the east stands a partly restored 13th-century triple lancet with geometrical tracery, roll moulded mullions, chamfered reveal and hood mould with mask stops.

The north chancel chapel has a chamfered plinth, string course, coped ashlar parapet and north gable with cross. The gable features a 15th-century style double lancet with coved reveal and hood mould with mask stops. The east side has a central pointed doorway with chamfered reveal.

The south porch, dating to the early 16th century, has three string courses and four gargoyles, with a gabled crenellated parapet surmounted by a cross. Pairs of diagonal buttresses with three setoffs and plinths support the structure. The restored south doorway has double cove and roll moulding with hood mould. Above are three sets of Arms referring to Sir Thomas Sutton, and a central pilaster with angel corbel.

The interior contains stone benches and a 16th-century principal rafter roof with moulded timbers and curved braces. The inner south doorway of the 15th century has a restored double cove and roll moulded surround with 19th-century painted text, and retains a traceried panel door with ornate 18th-century hinges. The aisleless nave has re-set 16th-century corbels on each side. At the east end, the north side features a 14th-century depressed ogee-headed tomb recess with Sutton rebus and blank shields in spandrels, containing a slab with moulded edges, foliate cross and Norman French inscription. The south side has a 16th-century moulded elliptical tomb recess with foliate bosses and Arms in a traceried panel in the tympanum, containing a late 14th-century slab with a male figure. North side windows contain stained glass from 1888, c.1905 and c.1913. The south side has stained glass from c.1882 and two windows with 19th-century patterned glass and fragments.

The roof of 1865 is in 14th-century style, with 16th-century foliate and mask corbels carrying arched braces to tie beams and further curved brackets above, all with pierced spandrels. The tower arch, dating to the 13th century, features double chamfering and rebating with hood mould and mask stops. Octagonal imposts with moulded bases support mask and monster capitals with foliage. The tower chamber has a west window with patterned stained glass. The upper tower chamber contains wall paintings.

The chancel has a traceried panelled Perpendicular screen, partly restored, with inscribed crest and cross. The east end has re-set corbels on either side of the window. To the south is a 14th-century cusped trefoil-headed piscina. The north window contains fragments of 14th-century stained glass assembled by Rev. J. H. Sutton in 1885. The east window features re-used 15th-century stained glass from Kelham Hall and 19th-century stained glass by Heaton, Butler and Bayne. The south windows contain early 19th-century stained glass fragments and patterned 19th-century stained glass. The vaulted panelled timber roof of 1865 has stencilled decoration. The north aisle chapel, now the vestry, contains no significant architectural features.

Fittings include panelled dado to the nave and chancel, a crested south doorcase and moulded benches, all by Hodgson Fowler for the Walker family in 1890. Part of the chancel dado was renewed in 1978. The furnishings include 19th-century chairs and a panelled bench with arms, a 19th-century octagonal traceried panelled pulpit, and a small 19th-century octagonal font on an octagonal base and stem with crocketed pierced spire cover. Two 14th-century traceried panelled oak stalls, traceried panelled 20th-century stalls and desks, two 18th-century stools and a 17th-century table with bulbous turned legs and low stretchers are also present.

Monuments include a painted alabaster Renaissance Revival style tomb of Sir W. Sutton and his wife, dated 1607. This comprises a moulded rectangular base with corner pilasters containing panels of Arms, a recessed central panel with two scrolled cartouches with Arms, and above, two inscribed tablets. Above these stand a pair of Ionic-type columns on strapwork bases, carrying a projecting entablature with strapwork frieze, Arms and dentillated cornice, flanking a pair of reclining figures. At the rear is a round-headed recess with coffered soffit containing a moulded inscribed panel. Above again is a dentillated plinth carrying a strapwork base with a round panel displaying Arms and crest in the form of a rose in a ring, flanked by single corniced dice with Arms.

A large marble and alabaster wall monument to Lord Lexington, dated 1668, features a draped square inscribed panel on brackets. Above is a panel with Arms, and above again a swagged panel of Arms with supporters and a crest in the form of a fluted eggcup containing an egg. A classical-style wall monument in marble and slate, with shaped surround, pedimented inscribed tablet, cornice with flanking urns and obelisk with cartouche, commemorates Rev Richard Sutton, 1785.

Additional furnishings comprise an 18th-century carved and painted Royal Arms, two metal commandment boards, commemorative brasses from 1858, 1865, 1901 and 1907, two hatchments, and two 20th-century brasses. A traceried timber war memorial of 1918 and a wood tablet of 1945 are also present.

The chancel was restored in 1857 by C. Bailey, with further restorations in 1858 and 1907. The roof was re-covered in 1865.