Church Of St Michael And Railings

The Church of St Michael is a parish church located on High Street in Lewes. It dates from the 13th and 14th centuries, with restorations and extensions made in 1748 and 1885. The church is constructed of flint with stone dressings and has plain tiled roofs, except for the pebbledashed tower topped with a shingled spire. The structure features a round west tower with a circular bell-opening on the south side, a tall octagonal spire, a nave with north and south aisles, and a chancel.

The main facade facing the street is made of flint with a stone plinth, door and window dressings, and a moulded cornice-parapet with ball-finials at each end. This front was essentially created by remodelling the south aisle wall in 1748, which was gothicised in 1885. It includes three central pointed-arch windows with hood-moulds, two lancets, and a quatrefoil in the arches. The outer bays have pointed-arch entrances with panelled doors and hood-moulds, topped by oculi that now contain quatrefoil windows. The main entrance is located at the west end of the south aisle, featuring a segment-headed doorway with a small round-arched window above and to the left. All gables are parapetted and coped.

Inside, there is a five-bay 14th-century south arcade with double hollow-chamfered arches. The north aisle has a timber arcade from 1748, with panelled arches supported by octagonal columns featuring quasi-Tuscan capitals. The chancel was added in 1885. Notable monuments include a tablet to Sir Nicholas Pelham, who died in 1559, depicted with kneeling parents and children below.

Adjacent to the church, there are cast-iron railings in a neo-Gothic style, likely dating from the 1885 alterations. The central gates feature a pointed overthrow with a Gothic-arched soffit, and the panelled openwork sides have cusped arches and colonnettes. The railings and gates are complemented by low dog-rails.