Church Of St Michael And All Angels

This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 15/12/2016

ST 86 NE, 2/42

ATWORTH, CHURCH STREET (south side), Church of St Michael and All Angels

13.11.62

G.V.

II*

Anglican parish church. C15, rebuilding 1832 by H. E. Goodridge of Bath. Limestone ashlar, Welsh slate roof. Nave and chancel under one roof with west entrance, C15 tower to earlier church stands detached on north side. Pointed moulded west doorway with original ribbed door, hoodmould, string course carried over to a point, 3-light decorated window and oculus over, flanking pilasters carried up to pinnacles, Lombardy frieze to sides. North and south side of nave/chancel have three 2-light decorated windows with hoodmoulds. East end has angle buttresses; 3-light decorated windows with hoodmoulds, flanking buttresses and pinnacles with trefoil Lombardy frieze at west end. Detached north tower linked to nave by short passage; 4 stages with diagonal buttresses, string courses; pointed moulded west doorway with square hoodmould, 2-light window with cusped arched lights, square hoodmould to second stage, arrow loop to third stage, bell stage has 2-light square-headed louvred windows with cusped lights, cornice with water spouts to battlemented parapet, gabled tiled roof. Stair turret on north side has ogee- headed doorway with planked door, arrow loops, gabled roof. East side of tower retains blocked tower arch to former nave and former roofline.

INTERIOR: West vestibule below gallery on cast-iron columns supporting shallow Tudor arches, gallery front with tromp l'oeil panels, organ pipes in gallery. Five-bay roof over whole space with moulded tie beams and vertical struts. Chancel separated by steps; polychrome tiled floor, 1881 communion rail. Pointed doorway on north wall to tower. Fittings: pews of 1881, polygonal stone pulpit with blind traceried panels, brought here from Melksham, C19 octagonal stone font, pointed stone prayer boards on east wall. Stained glass in east window 1930s by Hugh Easton in memory of wife of Sir John Fuller of Neston Park. Gothic monument on south wall to Bernard Powlett of Cottles (died 1700), classical marble tablet to Mary Webb (died 1800). Good collection of C17 and C18 tablets in the tower, including two with foliage carved oval borders to Edward Tydcomb (died 1689) and to Mary Abbott (died 1693). Three bells dating from 1350, 1786 and 1606.

(SOURCES: N. Pevsner, The Buildings of England, Wiltshire, 1975; Atworth History Group, Atworth - A Little History, 1977).

Listing NGR: ST8588865780