Church Of St Michael

The Church of St Michael is a parish church largely of the early 12th century, with a 13th-century chancel and a 15th-century tower. It is constructed of ashlar and rubble limestone, with a stone slate roof. The church consists of a short, wide nave without aisles, an eastern tower, a chancel to the east, a south porch, and a north vestry.

The south doorway of the nave is original to the 12th century, and a scratch mass dial is visible on the right jamb. There are two 2-light windows to either side of the doorway, one of the 13th century and one of the 15th century; the 15th-century window is flanked by two 18th-century wall-mounted memorials. The blocked remains of a 12th-century window are also visible in the south nave wall. The doorway is now sheltered by a 14th-century porch with internal stone seats. The west wall of the nave was replaced in the 15th century and contains a 2-light window. The north wall has a projecting rood loft stair turret, two small trefoil-headed 13th-century lancet windows, a 2-light 15th-century window, and a doorway now obscured by the 19th-century vestry. The chancel has no east window, but features a narrow 13th-century lancet in the north wall and two 2-light 14th-century windows and a square-headed priest’s door in the south wall.

The tower is of Perpendicular style with string courses and a crenellated parapet. The bell chamber has a 2-light trefoil-headed opening on the south face, with single lights on the others, all with stone louvres. It is believed that the bell chamber formerly had an apsed east end.

Inside, the church is whitewashed. The view into the chancel is constricted by narrow tower arches with complex piers, which include partly embedded 13th-century round columns within the later tower masonry. Chapels are located on either side of the tower; the north chapel contains a stone mensa, and both chapels have restored 19th-century squints. Complete rood loft stairs remain, and one loft support corbel survives. Fragments of medieval painting are visible on the tower piers. The nave roof is wagon-shaped with early tie-beams at the east end. The chancel roof is of the 19th century, consisting of two collar and braced trusses with curved wind braces. An aumbry is located in the north chancel wall and a double-drained piscina in the south. Three medieval memorial stones and a fine 18th-century chest tomb are situated in the chancel. In the nave is an octagonal carved oak pulpit dated 1658, and a 15th-century octagonal stone font with quatrefoil panel decoration on a buttressed base. The stained glass is of the early 20th century.

The church’s early history is associated with a Benedictine priory that once stood alongside it, both being founded by a Giffard. The Giffards, as Lords of the Manor, also built the 12th-century castle, the mound of which is located south of the church approach path. The church is of considerable landscape importance.