Church of St Michael

Details

SD 44 SE UPPER RAWCLIFFE-WITH-TARNACRE GARSTANG ROAD

6/36 Church of St Michael

17.4.1967

GV I

Church, possibly c.1500 with C13th remains and C17th alterations. Sandstone ashlar and rubble. Comprises a west tower, a nave and chancel under a continuous roof, a south aisle with pitched roof, a short north aisle at the west end, and a north chapel. The 3-stage ashlar tower, said to be of 1549 (VCH), is of trapezoidal plan and has angle buttresses. The upper stage is set back and has an embattled parapet with corner pinnacles. The date 1611, carved on a merlon together with the Butler arms, probably refers to a raising of the tower. The bell openings are each of 2 chamfered cusped lights. The west window is mullioned and transomed, of 6 lights under a Tudor-arched head with hood. The west doorway is hollow chamfered in 2 orders, with Tudor-arched head and hood. The south aisle has an embattled parapet, and buttresses. Its west window is C19th and of 3 lights. To its left is a narrow blocked chamfered lancet, possibly C13th. 2 rainwater hoppers on the west wall are dated '1811'. The south windows are mullioned, of 3 lights with flat heads. To the right of the chamfered reconstructed priest's doorway are 2 windows, double hollow-chamfered with pointed heads to the lights. To the left is one, chamfered and with round heads to the lights. The porch has an outer hollow-chamfered doorway with round head. Above is a tablet inscribed '1611'. The eastern south aisle window is of 3 pointed lights under a Tudor-arched head. The east chancel window, possibly late C14th (Pevsner), is of 3 cusped ogee lights with Perpendicular tracery under a pointed head, the mullions being wave moulded. 2 rainwater hoppers are dated '1811' and '1809'. The north (Butler) chapel has a pitched roof and C19th embattled parapet. Its 2 north windows have flat heads, and hoods with carved stops. They are of 3 cusped ogee lights with Perpendicular tracery. The east window is similar, but only the middle light has an ogee head. Above are the Butler arms. At the west end of the north aisle wall is a reconstructed chamfered doorway with pointed head.

Interior has 4-bay nave arcades, and one of 2 bays to the south of the chancel. They have octagonal piers with pointed arches of 2 chamfered orders, the arches on the north side being more steeply pointed. The west respond of the south aisle is said to be C13th (Pevsner). The 7 nave trusses are of light scantling and have timber pads resting on stone corbels, and arch-braced collars. On the south side of the nave are 3 inserted dormer windows. There is no chancel arch, and the 3 chancel trusses have king posts rising from tie beams, each with 2 ogee braces to the principals and with 2 ogee queen struts. One truss is said to be dated 1736 (church guide). The south aisle has trusses with ties and with arch-braced collars. The high tower arch is chamfered in 2 orders. In the south chancel wall is a piscina with cusped ogee head. On the north wall are fragments of an early C14th wall painting of the Ascension. The north chapel windows have re-set fragments of glass, including an early C14th shield.

Listing NGR: SD4620941044

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

185048

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Farrer, W, Brownbill, J, The Victoria History of the County of Lancaster, (1906)
Pevsner, N, The Buildings of England: North Lancashire, (1969)

End of official list entry

All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.