Church Of St Michael

The Church of St Michael is a Grade I listed building located in Barton. It features a nave and central tower dating from the 12th century, with a south aisle and arcade added in the mid-13th century. The north aisle, arcade, and south chapel were constructed around 1300, while the chancel, tower arches, and chapel arch were completed in the early 14th century. The west and north windows, along with the south-east chapel window, date from the early 16th century. The south porch, stabling to the north of the tower, and part of the chancel's south wall and roof were built in the 17th century. A vestry and some restored tracery in the south windows were added around 1904. The church is built of dressed stone with ashlar dressings and has a slate roof, featuring coped gables and catslide roofs over the aisles and chapel. Most windows consist of paired round-headed lights, with a three-light window in the south aisle and three-light east and west windows. The squat tower has paired bell openings and a plain parapet. The south porch features an elliptical arch with a key and a panel displaying the Lowther arms on the gable; the inner entrance is round-headed and consists of three orders. There are several memorials attached to the walls.

Inside, the nave has a waggon boarded roof and three-bay arcades supported by octagonal piers on the south side and quatrefoil piers on the north. The west window contains stained glass, likely by Kempe, dated 1912. The font, from the 13th or 14th century, has an octagonal bowl that splayed out from the base with moulded angles. There is a 19th-century timber pulpit and reading desk. The tower features round arches to the east and west, which have been cut through by later segmental arches, and displays the royal arms from 1730. The tower has a barrel vault and a lancet window to the south. The chancel also has a waggon roof, and the arch to the chapel displays armorial bearings on the responds. The altar rail and east panelling are from the late 17th century, with some late 17th-century panelling in the 19th-century parclose screen. The 19th-century stalls are present, along with various wall and floor memorials dating from the medieval period to the 17th century. The chapel contains two piscinas and a decorative wall slab. For a more detailed description, refer to the RCHM Inventory: Westmorland.