Church Of St Michael

SO 76 NE ABBERLEY CP ABBERLEY

3/9 Church of St Michael

29.7.59

GV II*

Former parish church and chancel still used for services, nave unroofed and in ruins. C12, altered and extended C13, altered C14 and C15; chancel and south chapel repaired 1908. Coursed rubble, the chancel and south chapel have a plain tiled roof, brick repairs to upper part of chancel. Consists of west tower, nave and south aisle, chancel and south chapel. The nave, tower (both C12) and south aisle (c1260) walls are approximately 4 feet high and are capped with a thick layer of concrete; stumps of C14 buttresses and C19 flying buttresses outside north wall. Reset in the south aisle wall is the C12 south doorway, now badly eroded due to poor pointing: semi-circular arch of 2 moulded orders, plain tympanum with segmental intrados and chevron border and 2 engaged shafts in the jambs. Inside the south door is a trefoil headed piscina. The C12 north door is now inset within the blocking of the chancel arch: also badly eroded with a single order of colonnettes, eroded captials and zig-zag enriched arch. Fragments of east respond of late C13 south arcade. Chancel of 2 bays, C12, extended to east in early C13. North wall has one narrow C12 round-headed window with a deep embrasure and stepped cill, and a twin, early C13 lancet window with stepped cills and internal hoodmoulds with carved head stops. Three-light east window with late C13 inner jambs, early C19 wood frame (restored 1970). West single light south window in brick surround and with leaded Gothick glazing (probably originally as north- east window). South chapel of c1260 with Y-tracery south window (restored) and round-headed. west window; C19 panelled door in round-headed surround. Interior: restored chancel roof of 5 bays with arch-braced collar beams, ashlar posts and cusped wind-bracing, late C14 according to VCH but probably incorporates late C15 or C16 parts. Plain aumbries in north and south walls. Low C13 archway to south chapel, of 2 chamfered orders, the east respond has a dog tooth impost moulding and a small engaged shaft; fragments of clerestorey windows above. Monuments Inscribed baroque tablet of Chapman, 1690. Inscribed marble plaque to John Basier of 1683. Walsh monument, Elizabeth died 1645 and Ann, died 1679, marble inscribed plaque frame by 3 Ionic columns supported on brackets, and surmounted by segmental pediment with arms. Other plain late C18 - early C19 tablets in south chapel (BoE, 1968; VCH, Vol IV, 1979).

Listing NGR: SO7535067869