Church of St. Michael and All Angels, Felton, Northumberland

Entry Name: Church of St. Michael and All Angels

Listing Date: 15 September 1988

Grade: I

Source: Historic England

Source ID: 1041881

English Heritage Legacy ID: 236791

ID on this website: 101041881

Location: St Michael's and All Angels Church, West Thirston, Northumberland, NE65

County: Northumberland

Civil Parish: Felton

Built-Up Area: Felton

Traditional County: Northumberland

Lieutenancy Area (Ceremonial County): Northumberland

Church of England Parish: Felton St Michael and All Angels

Church of England Diocese: Newcastle

Tagged with: Church building

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Description

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NU 1800
12/122

FELTON
RIVERSIDE (West end, off)
Church of St. Michael and All Angels

GV
I

Parish church. Building history 'a happy puzzle for the antiquarian' (Pevsner). Approximate sequence: Nave-and-chancel church of c.1200 with small west tower or belfry, and perhaps transepts; south porch then south-west chapel added in later C13; aisles early C14 (chantry endowed 1331) incorporating earlier porch and chapel; present porch c.1400, later truncated; nave roof reduced in pitch and belfry rebuilt C16 or C17; north aisle extended c.1845; vestry 1870; east end rebuilt 1884; north aisle extension partly rebuilt c.1900. Squared stone of varying colour and quality; cut dressings. Low-pitched felted roof to nave; graduated Lakeland slates on chancel; stone roof to porch. Aisled nave with south porch; chancel with small north vestry.

West end shows central projecting turret with small loops, carrying belfry with twin square-headed openings to east and west and single openings to north and south; pyramidal stone cap. Flanking tall two-light windows of 1870 and heavy stepped west-facing angle buttresses of former aisle less nave; at right-angles to these the other parts of the buttresses may be seen in the masonry of the added aisles. Blocked window in north aisle; small chamfered lancet in south aisle; diagonal stepped south-west buttress.

Gabled projecting south porch with hollow-chamfered arch under a moulded hood, probably re-set, between irregular buttresses formed from cut-down side walls. Block sundial dated 17.. above. Shallow but taller gabled projection behind is south end of older porch, with lower courses of diagonal buttresses surviving. Interior with stone benches, vault on chamfered ribs and late C19 double doors in arch of two continuous chamfers. To west a C19 two-light window with the head of older lancet above and flower-carved stone to right. To east chamfered plinth, stepped buttress, three C19 windows and diagonal stepped buttress. Five-light window, with Geometrical-traceried head cut from a single slab, in east end of aisle.

North side of nave: Older west part shows two stepped buttresses and two C19 windows; middle part c.1900 with three two-light windows; projecting gabled east part of c.1845 with two two-light windows, tracery renewed.

Chancel south wall shows late C19 double-chamfered priest's door under tablet R R 'ALEX DAVISON ESQ /impropriator/repaired this chancel 1823', and three restored lancets. Massive irregular clasping buttress at south-east corner. East end with three stepped lancets and tablet 'EMERSON MUSCHAMP BAINBRIDGE/OF FELTON HALL/ 1884'; coped gable with finial cross.

Interior: Five-bay north arcade of double-chamfered arches with chamfered hoodmoulds on octagonal columns with moulded capitals; earlier semicircular east respond. South arcade is made up of double-chamfered west arch on semicircular responds (perhaps re-set), a length of c.1200 nave wall with the original south doorway, chamfered arch on shafted jambs (inner order cut away) with tall round-headed rear arch, and two broad eastern arches similar in detail to north arcade. To east of original doorway a small carved recess probably for stoup; above and to east are traces of blocked windows. Rear arch of the present south door is end of vault of older porch, with one chamfered rib.

Renewed doorway in west end to turret newel stair, now ending in shouldered doorway on to nave roof. Double-chamfered chancel arch, with chamfered hood, on semicircular responds with moulded capitals and holdwater bases. Low-pitched nave roof has purlins resting on tie-beams with central block carrying ridge; chancel has late C19 crown-post roof with scissor braces.

Monuments: In north aisle broken C14 priest's slab with high-relief figure and Lombardic marginal inscription. Wall tablets in chancel; James Muncaster d.1797 with urn and arms, signed by Fisher of York; Robert Lisle of Acton House d.1800 with draped urn and arms, signed by T. King of Bath; Alexander Davison of Swarland Park d.1829 with carved canopied niche. In south aisle tablet to William Adams of South Acton c.1824. Octagonal font, probably C14 but re-tooled. One medieval bell inscribed AVE.M/RIA.GRACIA.PLENA; second, uninscribed, probably 1674.

Listing NGR: NU1821300196

External Links

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