Church Of St Michael

Church of St Michael

Church. Early 13th century, 14th century and 15th century with 19th century restoration. Built in rubblestone, coursed squared stone and ashlar, with Welsh slate roofs. The building comprises a west tower, nave with north and south aisles, 19th century south and north porches, and a chancel with south and north vestries.

West Tower: A tall Perpendicular structure of four stages with offset diagonal buttresses and a full-height stair tower to the south corner which rises above the parapet with a sloping roof. The two middle stages have small rectangular chamfered openings to the south. The belfry has flat-headed mullion and transom two-light openings with cusped heads to the lights on each side. There is a projecting embattled parapet. The three-light west window has a pointed arch with hoodmould and rectilinear tracery. A clock face is set to the third stage on the north side of the tower.

Nave: Early 14th century with three bays. To the west of the south aisle is a gabled porch with offset diagonal buttresses and a pointed-arched doorway with panel door and hoodmould. The north porch is similar, with inner doorways featuring pointed-arched surrounds with thin shafts of the early 14th century. The aisles have offset diagonal buttresses to the east, with bays divided by offset angle buttresses. The south aisle has two pointed-arched cusped Y-traceried windows with hoodmoulds. The north aisle has a central window similar to those in the south aisle, and an east window with flowing tracery. The clerestory contains three flat-headed two-light cusped windows, a coped parapet and a bell turret to the east gable.

Chancel: Early 13th century with later alterations, comprising three bays. There are offset diagonal buttresses to the east, with bays divided by offset angle buttresses. On the south side is a 19th century vestry with a hipped roof, to its right two 14th century windows with pointed arches, cusped Y-tracery and hoodmoulds. The east window is Perpendicular, with five lights, a pointed arch, hoodmould and rectilinear tracery. On the north side is a gabled vestry to the east with flat-headed 19th century two-light windows with hoodmould and rectilinear tracery. To the west is a cusped Y-traceried pointed-arched window with hoodmould. The central bay of the chancel contains a blocked early 13th century pointed-arched priests' door with hoodmould flanked by early 13th century lancets. To the right is a two-light cusped Y-traceried pointed-arched 14th century window with hoodmould. Stone coped gables run throughout.

Interior: Four-bay north and south arcades feature double-chamfered pointed arches on octagonal piers with moulded capitals. The hoodmoulds have headstops including three grimacing heads and one of two animals entwined round a human face. The chancel arch is similar to the arcades but has corbelled capitals. The font is 19th century but set on a circular base of 14th century date. The pulpit is made of reset 16th or early 17th century carved woodwork on six thickly turned legs. There is a 19th century Decorated style timber rood screen. Fragments of medieval and 17th century glass are present in the lancet north vestry window.

Monuments in the south aisle include two late 14th century effigies beneath canopied recesses: one of a Knight in armour, the other of a lady, thought to be Elizabeth de Musters and her husband John de Wandesford. To the east of these is the tomb of Sir Christopher Wandesford, dated 1590, a recumbent effigy on a high tomb chest decorated with coats of arms. Behind this is a large cartouche with obelisk finials, above which is his achievement.