Description

SO 33 SW MICHAELCHURCH ESCLEY CP -

4/18 Church of St Michael
26/1/67
-

GV II*

Parish church. Possibly C12 origins, enlarged in C14 and late C19. Coursed
rubble, partly plaster skimmed, plain tiled roofs. West tower, nave and
chancel. Rock-faced coursed sandstone west tower: pyramidical roof, weather-
vane, 2 storeys, single lancet to each of the 3 exposed sides of ground storey,
one pair of lancets to each side of first storey. Nave: probably C13, 2 bays,
south elevation: 2-light mullioned double chamfered window, to left of porch,
set in late C19 rock-faced sandstone, 3-light C14 window to right of porch with
an ogival cinquefoil head to each of the lights. Roughly central entrance under
rendered rubble and part timber-framed porch with a deeply splayed opening on
each side wall, miniature wagon roof set on bowtell moulded wall-plates and
depressed 4-centred outer timber head through 2-centred arch over C18 ledged
door. North elevation: rendered rubble, heavy late C19 buttress with off-
sets to north-west corner; one window near east end: double chamfered 2 lights
with mullions of same design as that to west of porch. Chancel: south eleva-
tion has to west side one single-light ogee window with trefoil head, heavily
restored; to east side a 2-light trefoil-headed window with 2 heavily restored
mouchettes above; block priests' door between the 2 windows. East window: 2-
centred head, containing 3 lights under a label, restored cinquefoils to all
3 lights, outer lights have ogee heads beneath upper cinquefoils. North side:
one-light double chamfered window to east; one-light late C12 (?) or C16 (?)
segmentally headed window to west side. At west side blocked door to former
rood loft. Interior: continuous wagon roof, with alternate rafters enriched
by mouldings from east window to tower indicating former ceiling pattern;
bowtell moulded wall-plates and 3 matching tie-beams: above altar rail, choir
screen and between the 2 bays of the nave. Chancel: deeply splayed window
reveals to north wall, blocked door with 4-centred head and roll-moulding
probably to rood loft; two monuments on north wall: one undated to
Humphry Thomas, probably mid-C18: enriched plaque supported on acanthus
corbel; Jane Campion, died 1744: foliage and strap decorated plaque supported
on corbel with patera. Nave: late-medieval painting of Christ of the Trades;
font: moulded octagonal pillar supporting octagonal basin, probably late C14
to early C15 ; late C19 2-centred pointed arch on moulded corbels to tower.
Monuments: one west of choir screen on north wall to Samuel Harris died 1757,
enriched plaque with following inscription: "My Sledge and Hammer lies declin'd,/
My Bellows to have lost their Wind,/ My Fire is extint, my Forge is decay'd,/
And in the dust my Vice is laid,/ My Cole is spent, my Iiron's gone,/ My Nails
are drove, my work is done." There is a second to Henry Morgan, died 1834, by Jno
Pritchard of Clodock with enriched epitaph panel. Two on south wall: Walter
Morgan died 1796, cartouche supported on corbel; Edmund Thomas, died 1757, plaque
on corbel with scrolls and achievement above inscription. Fragment of C15 stained
glass in spandrel of window to east of porch with heart pierced by spear, mallet
and pincers and suns in their glory. The church retains a large amount of
skimmed plaster on the nave walls and apart from the tower and window alterations
retains a very unrestored appearance which is heightened inside by the well-
preserved ensemble of work in the roofs of the nave, chancel and porch.

Listing NGR: SO3167234186

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17537928

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Devon (Pevsner Buildings of England)
• 
  Yorkshire: York and the East Riding (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  [(Cumberland and Westmorland)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1967)
• 
  Liverpool: Pevsner City Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  Cumbria: Cumberland, Westmorland and Furness (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Gwent/Monmouthshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Wales)