St Michael's Church, Whittington

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Coordinates: 54°10′51″N 2°36′54″W / 54.1808°N 2.6149°W / 54.1808; -2.6149
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St Michael's Church, Whittington
Style
Gothic, Gothic Revival
Completed1875
Specifications
MaterialsSandstone, slate roofs
Administration
ProvinceYork
DioceseBlackburn
ArchdeaconryLancaster
DeaneryTunstall
ParishWhittington
Clergy
Vicar(s)Revd Iain H. Rennie
Laity
Reader(s)Robin McIlveen
Churchwarden(s)Christopher Tomkins, Anne Pettifor
Parish administratorLisa Tamlin

St Michael's Church is located in the settlement of

Anglican parish church in the deanery of Tunstall, the archdeaconry of Lancaster and the diocese of Blackburn. Its benefice is united with those of St John the Evangelist, Gressingham, St Margaret, Hornby, and St John the Baptist, Arkholme.[1] The church is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II* listed building.[2]

History

The church stands within the

bailey of a former castle.[3] It is thought that a church has been on this site since 1200.[4] The oldest part of the present church is the tower, which dates from the early 16th century. The rest of the church was largely rebuilt in 1875 by the Lancaster architects Paley and Austin. Its cost was met mainly by Colonel D. C. Greene of nearby Whittington Hall.[5]

Architecture

Exterior

St Michael's is constructed in sandstone rubble with slate roofs. Its plan consists of a four-bay nave with a clerestory, north and south aisles, a south porch, a single-bay chancel with an organ chamber and vestry to the north, and a west tower. The tower has diagonal buttresses, and an embattled parapet. It contains a west doorway, above which is a three-light window. In the south wall of the tower are re-set fragments of stone carved with chevrons. The bell openings have three lights. Along the south aisle are a timber porch, three three-light windows containing Perpendicular tracery and, leading into the chancel, a doorway. The clerestory windows consist of four windows with square surrounds, pierced alternatively with quatrefoils and circles. The north aisle has two windows, and the clerestory is similar to the south side. At the east end are buttresses and a three-light window with Perpendicular tracery.[2]

Interior

The

George III, overpainting the arms of Charles II. The stained glass includes three windows, including the east window, by Powell, dating from about 1875. There are two windows in the south aisle by Kempe and Tower dated 1922. In addition there is a window dated 1968 depicting Saint Blaise by Lawrence Lee.[5] The two-manual organ was built by Abbott and Smith.[6] There is a ring of six bells. The oldest of these was cast in 1739 by Edward Seller II, the next in 1754 by Abel Rudhall, and the other four in 1875 by John Taylor & Co.[7]

External features

In the churchyard is a

motte.[3] To commemorate the millennium of 2000, a mosaic by Maggie Howarth was installed at the entrance to the churchyard.[4]

Assessment

The church was listed at Grade II* on 4 October 1967.

Scheduled Monument.[3]

See also

References

  1. ^ St Michael the Archangel, Whittington-in-Lonsdale, Church of England, retrieved 29 August 2011
  2. ^ a b c d Historic England, "Church of St Michael, Whittington (1071615)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 29 August 2011
  3. ^ a b c Historic England, "Whittington motte and bailey castle (1010796)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 29 August 2011
  4. ^ a b St. Michael the Archangel Whittington, Whittington Village, retrieved 29 August 2011
  5. ^
    ISBN 978-0-300-12667-9
  6. National Pipe Organ Register, British Institute of Organ Studies
    , retrieved 1 July 2020
  7. ^ Whittington, S Michael Archangel, Dove's Guide for Church Bell Ringers, retrieved 29 August 2011
  8. ^ Historic England, "Sundial and base west of Church of St Michael, Whittington (1317331)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 29 August 2011
  9. ^ Listed buildings, Historic England, retrieved 9 April 2015
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