Church Of St Michael And All Angels

Church of St Michael and All Angels

An Anglican parish church at Figheldean, originally built in the 13th century with significant additions and alterations through the 15th century and later. The building was restored in 1851 by J.H. Hugall.

The exterior is constructed of flint with limestone dressings, and some greensand used in the tower. The roofs are tiled, except for lead covering to the aisles. The nave dates from the 13th century but was raised in the 15th century. The 14th and 15th centuries saw the addition of south aisles. A 13th-century west tower stands at the entrance, and an early 15th-century chancel with a medieval south porch (restored in 1902) complete the main structure.

The nave features 19th-century two-light cusped clerestory windows. The chancel has two-light cusped windows with quatrefoiled heads and no hoodmoulds, while the east window is three-light with a hood. The south aisle contains one 15th-century three-light window in its eastern extension. The north aisle has a 15th-century three-light window in casement moulded reveals, with a blocked door nearby.

The three-stage tower has angle buttresses confined to the lower stage. It was restored in 1679 (marked by a datestone) with the top stage rebuilt in the 19th century in Norman revival style, featuring two-light bell openings and a parapet on a slight corbel table.

Interior

The nave is tall and narrow, plastered with a tiled floor. Four-bay arcades support the structure, featuring early 13th-century round columns with capitals. The north arcade displays colour banding, and those at the east end of the north arcade have nailhead decoration. The arches are of two chamfered orders. A 19th-century open roof of three bays retains 15th-century cranked tie-beams and long queen posts. The chancel arch is carried on corbels, with an opening for a rood loft stair on the north side.

The tower arch dates to the late 12th century, banded in green and white stone with attached shafts and scalloped capitals. It was remade in the 19th century, with a large 19th-century opening to the ringing chamber featuring a neo-Norman stone balustrade and access stair set in the wall from the south aisle.

The chancel is raised over five steps and has a 19th-century open roof. A south priest's door is present, alongside a trefoiled piscina with shelf and credence shelf in a separate niche.

Glass and Fittings

A north aisle window contains two yellow-stained panels in its tracery. The chancel glass was created by Powell & Sons between 1858 and 1869, with one window dating to 1878.

The font is octagonal and plain, reset in 1851 on small shafts. Pulpit and chancel fittings are of oak, dating to around 1930. A 19th-century communion rail is present.

Monuments

Two reset limestone effigies are placed in the porch on a seat and supported by 19th-century columns. The eastern effigy depicts a cross-legged knight in tunic, with short sword and shield, his head resting on a diagonally set pillow. His feet are broken but a lion remains. The western effigy shows another cross-legged knight, probably also from the late 13th century, in tunic holding shield and sword, with head resting on a square pillow supported by angels and feet on a lion.

Seven detached stone bosses carved as flowers are also in the porch.

The chancel contains ten wall monuments. On the north side, from east: (a) A baroque panel with shaped cushioned shield supported by stretching angels and arms over console support, to Edward Poore (died 1756); (b) A streaked grey marble aedicule with pilasters and broken pediment clasping an urn, to Hester Poore (died 1770) and Smart Poore (died 1773); (c) A formal marble tablet with urn over against a large streaked marble oval field, to Edward Poore (died 1787); (d) A wide white marble tablet by Denman on a shaped grey field with poppies either side of the inscription and features in the gable and arms below, to William Dyke (died 1818) and family.

On the south side, from east: (e) White marble baroque panel with strapwork and drapery, arms and urn over, putto below, to Smart Poore (died 1747); (f) White marble tablet set against mottled background with open pediment on consoles, triglyphs below table and arms on apron, to Rev. John Yorke Clarke (died 1740) and members of the Yorke family, by Townsend of Oxford; (g) Oval marble tablet by Reeves of Bath with inscription on bell-shaped field, partial wreath and arms, to Caroline Williams (Dyke) (died 1818); (h) Squat grey and white marble tablet to Edward Dyke Poore (died 1859) and family; (i) White marble on grey with corbel supporting shelf-supporting urn and leaning shield, to Elizabeth Martha Dyke (died 1775) and infant; (j) Arched grey marble with white marble shelf on acanthus corbel supporting two urns with wreath and leaning shield, to Sarah and Francis Dyke of Syren Cot (died 1805 and 1806), by King of Bath.