Description

BENACRE THE STREET
TM 58 SW
4/8 Church of St. Michael
-
- II*

Former parish church, now privately owned by Sir John Gooch. Medieval;
severely damaged by fire in C18: much restoration and rebuilding work was
carried out in 1769 by Sir Thomas Gooch; also restored 1888-90. Nave and
chancel (in one range), south aisle, west tower, south porch. Flint rubble,
the aisle and east end of the chancel probably of 1769; the upper part of the
nave, chancel and aisle walls rebuilt 1769 in red brick (to north) and pale
yellow brick (to south). Stone dressings. Pantiled roof, with glazed black
tiles to the aisle. Tower probably C14, said to have been reduced in height
late C18: square, in 2 stages, the upper stage slightly inset; later
crenellated parapet with 3 flushwork panels to each face. To the west are 5-
stage diagonal buttresses and a restored C15 2-light window. Small single-
light bell-chamber openings except the south, which has 2 lights with cusped
Y-tracery. Lower walls of nave and chancel probably C13. To the north the
nave has 4 2-light windows of 1769 in Perpendicular style, and a blocked C15
doorway with hoodmould and stone shields in the spandrels. 2-bay chancel with
Y-traceried wooden windows of 1769; renewed 3-light east window, the opening
shafted internally. The south chancel wall has small remains of 2 original
lancet window openings. 3-bay aisle, originally C14 but substantially rebuilt
1769; C14 moulded doorway; original window opening to west, now blocked. Red
brick porch, probably of 1769. Interior. C14 6-bay aisle arcade. C13
octagonal font bowl, of Purbeck marble, with 2 shallow-recessed arches to each
face. Good set of C18 box pews; C19 choir stalls and organ at west end of
nave; late C19 squire's pew at east end of nave. Traceried wooden chancel
arch, possibly of 1769. Many wall monuments and ledger slabs, mainly to the
North and Gooch families. The main wall monuments are as follows. North
nave: Sir Thomas Gooch (1781), Dame Anne, his wife (1767) and Sir Thomas
Gooch, his son (1826): by Behnes, without figures. North chancel: Francisca
North (1663); Sir Edward North (1708): large, with standing and seated putti;
Louisa Anna Maria Gooch (1838). South chancel: North Carthew (1716) and Sir
Alfred Sherlock Gooch (1809): both cartouches; Sir Thomas Sherlock Gooch
(1851): good, with 3 Grecian figures. At the west end of the nave are 8 good
hatchments.

Listing NGR: TM5116284460

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17546792

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

• 
  Listed Buildings and Other Heritage Assets
• 
  Suffolk: East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Derbyshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair
• 
  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides): Written by Charles O'Brien, 2014 Edition, Publisher: Yale University Press [Hardcover]
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Buildings of England)