Church Of St Michael

BARFORD ST.JOHN & ST.MICHAEL SOUTH NEWINGTON ROAD SP4332 (South side) Barford St.Michael 12/44 Church of St. Michael 08/12/55

GV I

Church. c.1150. Remodelled C13. Regular coursed ironstone rubble. Stone copings. Chancel, nave, south aisle and south porch in unusual position in angle between south aisle and chancel. Chancel: 3-light traceried east widow has 4-centred head and hood mould. Some stonework renewed. 2-light window with Y-tracery to south with hood mould and label stops. 2 similar windows to north. Between them a pointed arched doorway with plank door. To right a square headed window. Nave: A 2-light window with Y-tracery to left and a 3-light window with intersecting tracery. North porch: Gabled with chamfered arch. North doorway: Romanesque with 2 orders of roll moulding overset with bearhead decoration, separated by bands of zig-zag. Timpanum decorated with beaded interlace in a figure of eight. South doorway of the same date has one order of ziz-zag, a plain tympanum and a lintel with 4 rows of stairs. Plank door has elaborate wrought iron strap hinges. A 2-light window with Y-tracery to right. Single lancet to west. South aisle: Gabled porch is flanked by a 2-light window with cusped ogee heads and 2 windows with intersecting tracery. South tower: 3 stages. Crenellated parapet. 2-light square-headed stone mullioned window to bell tower. Early English window to ground floor. Original buttresses and moulded stone cornice to chancel nave has moulded cornice and plain parapet with canopied niche and finials. Interior: Chancel arch C13. The repsonds contain Norman work including 2 shafts with scallop capitals and a band of palmetti decoration. Decorated piscina in chancel has projecting bowl. South aisle: 3 unequal bays. round piers with moulded capitals and rectangular piers. All arches are double chamfered. Early English piscina in south aisle has 2 trefoiled arches. Fittings: C15 chancel screen with Georgian doors. Poppy head bench ends in nave. Lectern and prayer desk incorporate Jacobean panelling. A notable survival of Romanesque north and south doorways. (V.C.H.: Oxfordshire, Vol.XI, p.54; Buildings of England: Oxfordshire, 1974, pp.445-6).

Listing NGR: SP4326932610