Church of St Michael De Rupe

Church of St Michael de Rupe

This parish church stands on the summit of Brent Tor, surrounded by probably Iron Age earthworks, making it a landmark visible for miles around. The first church on the site was built circa 1130 by Robert Giffard, Lord of the Manor of Lamerton, and may have been built as a chantry chapel.

The building is probably largely 13th century in date, with 15th century alterations and a 15th century tower. It has undergone considerable repair and major restoration in 1889–1890. The walls are constructed of local volcanic stone, formerly rendered, with local Hardwick stone dressings. The roof is lead, concealed behind parapets.

The original 13th century plan consisted of a small nave and chancel. Evidence from the east front masonry indicates the previous chancel was narrow. In the 15th century the tower was added and the chancel was extended to the same width as the nave. The steeply pitched 13th century roof was replaced by an almost flat 15th century roof, which is protected from the weather by tall battlemented parapets supported on the 13th century corbel table. Some replacement of parapet and corbels has been undertaken.

The church has a heavily fortified appearance with only one window on each of the north and south sides. A deep battlemented coped parapet runs around the building, carried on 13th century moulded corbels. The walls are unbuttressed throughout. The east wall has been partly rebuilt in roughly dressed coursed stone, with a chamfered plinth to the south only. A triple lancet window with square head, appearing to be 19th century in date, lights the east wall. The south side features a chamfered arched doorway under a bead hoodmould with one pyramid and one bar stop. A round-headed window, circa 12th century, is also present on the south side. A change in the plane of the south wall indicates rebuilding. The north side has a single lancet window, circa 13th century, with evidence of rebuilding shown by a change in wall plane.

The small three-stage battlemented 15th century west tower has two moulded strings and no west door. The west face contains a round-headed window to the first stage. A rectangular opening on the north face serves the bellringers' stage. Round-headed openings with carved spandrels appear on the north, south and west faces of the tower.

The battlemented north porch has a shallow-moulded arched doorway; some moulded stones have been replaced and the north face has been largely rebuilt. Inside the porch are shallow stone benches and probably a late 19th century roof of unusual section. A chamfered arched inner doorway under a bead hoodmould provides access to the church.

The interior contains no chancel arch, with an unmoulded tower arch instead. A circa 15th century octagonal font stands on an octagonal stem and base; the rim of the bowl retains fastenings for a font lock. The almost flat roof, dating from 1889–90 and said to be a copy of the 15th century roof, features massive rafters moulded to the nave and unmoulded to the chancel. These rest on heavy bead-moulded wall plates supported on long plain corbels. A six-sided drum pulpit dating from 1884–1890 has a moulded cornice above a frieze of pierced rectangular panels. Benches and the altar rail are contemporary with the pulpit. The east window is signed by James Paterson, dated 1971.

A slate memorial to Walter Batten of Brinsabach, buried in 1677, is fixed to the north wall. A slate sundial fixed to the exterior south wall of the tower is dated 1642 and bears the initials W.B. for Walter Batten, with twelve zodiacal signs carved on the border.