Church of St Michael

Details

MANSELL LACY CP - SO 44 NW 4/55 Church of St Michael 2.9.66 GV II*

Parish church. C12, C13, C14 and C15, with restorations in c1861 and 1878 when north vestry and organ chamber was added. Sandstone rubble and sand- stone dressings with brick lining to vestry. Tiled roofs. West tower, three- to four-bay nave with south aisle and porch. Three-bay chancel with north vestry and organ chamber. Tower has three diminishing stages separated by moulded strings. Pyramidical roof with weathercock. Top stage has pair of trefoiled ogeed bell openings to south and west sides. East and north sides have single trefoiled and ogeed openings. Middle stage has central ogeed trefoiled light to south, and a clock face to the west. Ground stage has a rectangular opening, with a mutilated head, to west side. Loop to north side. South side has central chamfered doorway with two-centred head, ledged oak door with strap hinges, probably C18 to C19. Above and to the right of the doorway is weathering supported by three corbels. West corners have short oblique pyramidical buttresses about two feet high. North elevation of nave has two windows, both C19 with two trefoiled ogeed lights. The left one has a lozenge in the spandrel; the right one a recessed moulded quatrefoil. Three weathered buttresses. Immediately to the left of the tower is a small weathered projection beneath which is a loop to stairs. Vestry and organ chamber has cellar and a pair of trefoil-headed lights above which is a plaque inscribed "1878". Each return has a single trefoiled and ogeed light. Chancel has two windows. The right one has a pair of trefoil-headed lights; the left one is similar but with a glazed lozenge in the spandrel. Between the two windows is a weathered buttress. East elevation of chancel has three stepped pointed lights in a two-centred head, probably early C14. Mullions, jambs, arch and cill have ball-flowers about one foot apart. Diagonal weathered buttress to each corner. Verge and gable cross, South elevation of chancel has two similar windows to those opposite on north side, but with a third 2-light trefoiled window opposite the vestry and organ chamber. Weathered buttress between centre and right-hand window. South aisle has east return with three stepped trefoiled lights, verge and gable cross. Three pairs of trefoil-headed lights, two to right of south porch and one to left. West end of aisle has a 2-light trefoiled window with quatrefoil in the tracery. Verge and gable cross. Between verge and south-east corner of the tower is is a large valley gutter with moulded sides. C15 south porch has verge and gable cross. Two-centred chamfered outer arch. Brattished wall-plates. Restored open wagon roof with seven trusses. Projecting octagonal stoup with chamfered undersides in round-headed recess. South doorway has square shouldered jambs supporting incised lintel, perhaps formerly a typanum, above which are two corbels with symmetrical scrolls and centrally above these a grotesque cat- mask. C19 ledged oak door with strap hinges. Interior has open wagon nave roof, perhaps C14. Chancel has similar trusses but with three moulded purlins, one supporting collars and one to arch-braces on each slope. South aisle and vestry roofs are C19. Chancel has lowered cill forming window seat or sedilia in south-west window, a pair of opposed moulded brackets on north and south walls. Moulded C19 responds to east side of vestry. Monument on north wall for William Traunter, dated 1691. Stone with slate inscription panel. Cornice with shield- of arms, foliated margins and apron with cherub. On south wall monument for the infants, Samuel and Simeon Traunter, died 1675 and 1676. Stone with open segmental pediment, the ends scrolled inwards. Reclining horn-blowing putti on the pediment. Apron with cherub. Late C19 oak reredos has painting of the Last Supper, gables with figures of St Michael and St George and crested top. Contemporary communion table with foliated panels. Pair of mid-C19 free-standing tripod candlesticks. Wrought iron with scrolled feet and cyclindrical stems, each rising to corona with five brass grease-pans. The ironwork is painted in blue and red. Wall plaque for Capt AGM Burn, killed in action near Gheluvelt, Flanders, at the first Battle of Ypres, 29th October 1914. East window has late C19 stained glass of The Three Shepherds, St George and the Dragon, the Resurrection and to the side, prophets. South-west window has small stained glass panel of Christ and the apostles, perhaps late C19. Squint in west splay of south-west window has a moulded lintel. Organ is late C19, and mainly cased in pine with exposed gilded pipes framed by three panels and with two-centred heads. Choir desks, probably early C20 and perhaps elm, have pointed panels and a pair of matching single desks. Vestry has cast-iron chest with two raised and fielded panels to sides and top inscribed, "COAKBROOKDALE". Chancel arch is C13, double chamfered with a two-centred head, part octagonal responds, and moulded capitals. Nave has three-bay arcade to south aisle. Two orders of double-chamfered arches on octagonal piers with moulded capitals and unusual spurs to bases. To the east of the arcade is a large lintel supported on corbels. In the middle of the north side of the lintel is a grotesque head. Projection at north-west corner has narrow chamfered doorway with shouldered head, two-panelled ledged door and strap hinges leading to tower stairs. Small doorway, probably C19 and of similar design to the last leads through centre of east wall of tower. Above is a corbel head and triangular headed inner arch with deep splays to lancet which, before the tower existed, lit the nave. Pulpit is C19 and pine. Part octagonal with recessed trefoil-headed panels and two-branch brass candelabrum attached to top rail. In eastern bay a late C19 cast iron stove, about five feet high by three feet diameter, with deep fins and crown-finial on fluted capping. South aisle has piscina with chamfers and two-centred head. Square drain on projecting bracket. Recessed two-centred chamfered arch. Grotesque corbel head over south doorway. East window has moulded angles part of the way up the jambs and a small panel of stained glass consisting of a red cross on a yellow ground. Beneath the window is an oak plaque for six men of the parish who died in the Great War. South side of easternmost arcade pier has a rectangular recess, probably formerly an aumbry. Font, probably C12 or C13, has round base, chamfered and moulded stem and tapered round bowl. Wall monument for William Weaver, died 1801, by J Passen of Tillington, in black, yellow and white marble, has tapering margins and drapery. (BoE, p 249; RCHM, Vol III, p 145-6).

Listing NGR: SO4255745565

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

149736

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Inventory of Herefordshire III North West, (1934), 145-6
Pevsner, N, The Buildings of England: Herefordshire, (1963), 249

End of official list entry

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