Church of St Michael

Parish Church in the Early English style. C15 origins; restored and the chancel rebuilt 1881-2 by the architects Crickmay & Son. The tower was partly rebuilt by architect C E Ponting in 1897; further repairs in the mid-C20 by Potter & Hare.

MATERIALS: it is constructed of coursed rubble stone with ashlar dressings under tiled roofs with coped gables. Some re-use of old materials in the C19 restoration.

PLAN: orientated approximately west to east and consists of a nave, chancel with a vestry to the north, north porch and a west tower.

EXTERIOR: the tower is of two stages and has diagonal buttresses and a moulded plinth. It has a solid C19 parapet with moulded coping and a string course with carved gargoyles at the base of the parapet. There is a rectangular stair turret on the north side. The north and south walls of the upper stage each has a single-light louvred window; the west wall has a two-light window with geometrical tracery; and the south wall has a two-light window with louvres. The south wall of the lower stage has a single-light window, and the main west window has three cinque-foiled lights with Perpendicular tracery, moulded reveals and a label with head stops. The north porch has a reset early-C16 outer doorway with a four-centred arch set in square head with foliage carving to the spandrels. The north elevation of the nave has two two-light windows with Perpendicular tracery; the western one is a C19 copy and the eastern window is C15 and has been reset. There is a similar window in the vestry, and a door with chamfered head to its east elevation. The north wall of the chancel has a reset C15 single-light window with cinquefoil head within a rectangular surround. The east window has three lights, with Perpendicular tracery. The south chancel wall has two windows similar to those in the north wall. The south wall of nave has buttresses to the corners and three windows of two cinque-foiled lights with a quatrefoil at the head; the outer windows are C15 and have been reset, and the central one is a C19 copy.

INTERIOR: internally the walls are plastered. The arch to the tower has a panelled soffit; the C19 chancel arch has attached shafts with octagonal caps. The nave has a wagon roof with arch-braced trusses resting on carved corbels, and the chancel has a C19 pointed barrel roof, both are boarded internally. There is a trussed rafter roof to porch.

FITTINGS: the C15 octagonal font has a tapered bowl with a moulded edge and angles, and a splayed underside with small cusped panels and two panels with foliage. It has a plain stem and a moulded base. The stained glass in the west window of the porch is C15 and bears the coat of arms of Sherborne Abbey. The pews, pulpit and altar rail are C19. A set of thirteen C15 consecration crosses in relief have been re-set in various places on the external and internal walls. The organ, built by TC Bates & Son of London, has a gothic case.