Church Of St Michael And All Angels

The Church of St Michael and All Angels is a church with elements dating back to the 11th century, with significant additions and alterations in the 15th, 19th, and 20th centuries. Originally a Chapel at Ease to Witley, it is located on Highfield Lane in Thursley, Surrey.

The nave and chancel are of mid-11th century origin, while the 15th-century belfry and cage were restored and the church extended north in 1860 by B. Ferrey. Further extensions to the west occurred in 1883-86, during which a transept baptistry and porch were added to the south by J. W. Penfold. The construction uses coursed Bargate stone with sandstone block and chalk dressings to the nave, while the chancel is timber-framed on a conglomerate plinth with mortar-rendered cladding. The roofs are plain tiled, with wood shingles covering the tower and broach spire. The west end features buttresses flanking three stepped lancet windows. Lancet fenestration is seen throughout the church, with a quatrefoil roundel above the transept gable. Two Saxon lancets, rediscovered in 1927, are set within deep reveals on the north side of the chancel. A tower is situated east of the church’s centre, boasting louvred openings on each face of the plinth, and a sundial is set into the south face. A fine gabled timber porch, with trefoil lights and moulded bargeboards on a cambered tie beam, is located on the south side, resting on stone plinth walls. The entrance features a 19th-century broach stop and chamfered door surround to a ribbed door.

The interior is simply whitewashed with wooden floors. A 4-centre arch opens to the north side, accompanied by a window now enclosed by an aisle. A massive cage supports the belfry, comprising four large corner posts against the north and south nave walls, linked by 4-centred arches, carrying beams supported by strut posts and tie beams with braces. The main posts are simply moulded. A hard chalk mid-13th century chancel arch features two chamfered orders above and pyramidal stops at the base. Old timbers remain in the roof. Two lancets on the north side of the chancel have double splayed reveals with red ashlar patterning and original mid-wall windowboards. Fittings include a 13th-century arched aumbry on the south wall under the bellcage, two square piscinae on the south chancel wall, a late 19th-century wooden and panelled pulpit, a Bargate stone font possibly dating back to the Saxon period, approximately three feet high with a chevron band of decoration, a late 19th-century reredos, and a 19th-century restoration of a 15th-century screen. A royal arms hatchment from 1783 is also present. Monuments include a dedication to Edward Woods (died 1792) on the north wall, constructed from grey and white marble, and another to Katherine Woods (died 1793) on the south wall, featuring polychrome marble and a Grecian urn.