Church Of St Michael

The Church of St Michael is a parish church with origins in the 12th century, undergoing significant changes in the 14th century. A new west tower was constructed in 1858, and the church was restored in 1901. The building is primarily of carstone with ashlar dressings, covered by plain tiled roofs. The saddleback tower, designed by W. Laurie in 1858, features three stages, with clasping buttresses on the first stage. It has Lancet windows to the first two stages and paired Neo-Norman windows to the belfry, beneath a semi-circular containing arch. Round windows are located north and south of the tower. The west nave walls have flat buttresses. A tall, gabled south porch, with side buttresses, incorporates an arched doorway below a cinquefoiled statuary niche containing a figure. Side lights with timber tracery flank the doorway. The inner doorway, together with the porch itself, dates to the 14th century. The south nave windows consist of one 2-light window with a route tournant, and one square-headed 3-light window with a row of mouchettes in the head, both being 14th century. Restored 2-light square-headed south chancel windows flank an arched priest’s door which interrupts the string course. A low side window is also present. Angle buttresses support the east end, where a tall, gabled mid-14th century 3-light flowing east window of mouchette form features restored mullions. The north chancel fenestration mirrors the south side. Two 2-light square-headed north nave windows are present, one with trefoils in its head and the other with a reticulation net design. An arched north door provides access.

The interior features a 4-centred tower arch from the 12th century, springing from square imposts. The chancel arch is double chamfered, resting on demi-octagonal responds with moulded polygonal capitals and bases. The roofs date to 1901 and include a nave roof constructed with principals, secondaries, collars, and a single tier of butt purlins. The chancel roof is similar but features two tiers of butt purlins, both with ashlaring. An angle piscina, featuring a cusped and traceried head, is situated beside a bench sedilia. Numerous monuments are dedicated to the Pratt family, primarily within the nave and chancel. These include a black marble floor slab to Sir Roger Pratt (1684), displaying a raised and incised coat of arms; and an altar tomb to Lady Pratt (1706), featuring an alabaster effigy in contemporary dress, resting upon a tomb chest articulated with pilasters carved with fruit, a front inscription panel bordered by curtain swag, and a gadrooned cornice. Nave monuments include a wall monument to Pleasance Pratt (1807), a white marble design on a grey background, by John Bacon the Younger, depicting a Neo-Classical arrangement of figures surrounding and supporting an urn upon a semi-circular head of an inscription plate. A monument to Robert Pratt (1816), also in white marble on a grey background, features a square inscription plate below draped canon and military emblems, with a plaque commemorating the Battle of Algiers.