Parish church of St Michael

The parish church of St Michael is a building of significant historical interest, dating back to the 12th century. It is located in Chesterton, near Oundle. The original nave dates from around 1120, with a south aisle added in the early 13th century and the ground stage of the tower built at the same time. A chancel arch was constructed around 1300, followed by a north aisle and a mid-14th century clerestory and a spire to the tower. The chancel was considerably rebuilt in the 18th century, and a south porch was added during that time. Restoration work took place in 1841 and 1907, led by the architects Townsend and Fordham. The church is constructed of stone rubble with ashlar dressings, and has lead roofs.

The south elevation features a two-stage west tower topped with a broach spire. The spire has a decorative corbel table featuring carved heads, and a stair turret is located in the south-west angle. A belfry window is positioned above, featuring two pointed lights with a pierced spandrel set within a two-centred head and a chamfered label. Below this is a tall lancet window. The tower spire incorporates two tiers of gabled lights, each with two trefoiled lights and a quatrefoil set within a two-centred head. The nave has an embattled parapet with ball-flower ornament, and three clerestory windows dating to around 1330, each composed of three trefoiled lights set in a square head, with a moulded label and mask stops. The south aisle has a plain parapet, with two 18th-century windows with depressed semi-circular heads, plain imposts, and a keystone. The south doorway is from the 13th century, featuring a two-centred head with three moulded orders, a moulded label, and two orders resting on detached shafts with capitals carved with 'stiff-leaf' ornament and one with a carved head. An 18th-century south porch has a semi-circular headed archway with a Gibbs surround. The rebuilt chancel is constructed of ashlar with a plain parapet, plinth, and rusticated quoins. It includes a round-headed arch to the priest's doorway and an eastern window, both reminiscent of the south aisle windows. Two rainwater pipes, inscribed "GG 1821" (Hon. Rev. George Gordon, Rector 1819-1863), are also present.

Inside, the nave arcades consist of four bays. The north arcade has two-centred arches of two chamfered orders with moulded labels to the nave, supported by octagonal piers with moulded capitals and bases. The south arcade has a mix of octagonal and round piers, with capitals featuring 'waterleaf' foliage and 'stiff-leaf' foliage carved decoration, and moulded bases. The west tower arch is two-centred with three chamfered orders, the inner two orders resting on half-round responds with moulded capitals and bases. The chancel arch, dating to around 1300, is two-centred with two chamfered orders and a moulded label with mask stops. There is an 18th-century chancel screen composed of three arcaded bays, a frieze, and a cornice, with a plastered wall above. A reredos features coupled Ionic pilasters and a wide pediment. An 18th-century pulpit and a baluster font are also present. A piscina is situated in the south aisle, with a chamfered jamb and a two-centred head from the 13th century, while a niche is found in the north aisle, featuring a shouldered triangular head and a carved head stop above the apex. The nave roof is from the 17th century, consisting of five bays with cambered tie beams; the north aisle roof has five curved stop-chamfered tie beams. Various monuments and floor slabs are present, noted in the Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (RCHM) and Victoria County History (VCH), including those dedicated to Sir Robert Bevill and his son, dated 1611, and to John Driden, dating from 1707-8.