Description

EDENHAM MAIN STREET
TF 02 SE (east side)

7/134 Church of
St. Michael and
30.10.68 All Angels

G.V. I

Parish church. C8, C12, C13, C15, early C16, 1808. Ashlar,
squared and coursed limestone rubble, lead roofs, battlemented
parapets and stepped buttresses throughout. Western tower,
clerestoried nave, aisles, chancel, south porch, vestry. The 4
stage C16 ashlar tower has stepped clasping corner buttresses,
shields in quatrefoil frieze to parapet, grotesque and human head
chutes. To the belfry stage are tall 2 light louvred openings
with cusped transoms and heads, quatrefoils over, rounded head
and hood mould. The west doorway has a C13 base but was recut
C16 with deeply recessed 4 centred arch set in a heavily moulded
rectangular surround with quatrefoils to the spandrels. Above is
a large 5 light 4 centred arched headed window with panel
tracery. Immediately below the string course to the third stage
is the matrix of a brass, now inside the Church, to St. Thomas of
Canterbury. To the second stage is a 3 light window with shallow
4 centred head and hood mould. The north aisle west window is
C15 of 3 lights with cusped heads to the lights. In the north
wall are 3 tall 2 light windows with cusping below the transoms
and ogee heads to the lights, with quatrefoils over, and a
similar blocked light in the east wall. The 2 westernmost
windows are set in full height openings. The blocked north
doorway has a deeply moulded 4 centred surround. To the west of
the door, beneath the parapet is a small blocked C14 niche
decorated with a small cat's head and fleurons. The 2 pointed
north windows of the chancel are blocked. The east window is C19
in a C15 opening, of 5 lights with panel tracery. C19 vestry
with 3 light east window and 2 doorways to south. The south
aisle and porch have ornate friezes of quatrefoils and lozenges.
In the south wall 2 three light C14 windows and in the east wall
a single window with cusped ogee heads to the lights and pointed
surrounds. West of the porch a 2 light window, also with ogee
heads and a rectangular surround. C14 gabled porch with
floriated buttresses, pointed outer arch with octagonal responds
and capitals with shields to either side. Above a nodding ogee.
Early C13 pointed inner doorway has angle shafts with floriate
capitals and heavily moulded head with dogtoothing. Interior.
Early C13 4 bay nave arcades having quatrefoil piers having
slender collared shafts to the angles, annular capitals and
heavily moulded arches. Tall C16 tower arch having circular
responds with tall facetted splayed bases, octagonal capitals and
double chamfered arch. In the south aisle at the west end is an
C8 relief carvedfoliate roundel resting on a contemporary
projecting plain string course. This feature was cut by the
insertion of the early C13 nave arcade and appears to be in situ.
At the east end of the aisle at the same level is a similar
roundel and string course suggesting that there was originally an
entire scheme of external decoration to the Anglo Saxon nave.
Nave roof is C16 with moulded arch braced cambered ties,
supported by octagonal embattled corbels. Although restored the
roof retains much original wood and some contemporary angel
supporters. The aisle roofs are also C16 and have moulded
principals, and carved bosses. Early C13 chancel arch with
rounded responds and capitals with 2 orders of quirked roll
moulding to the head, possibly recut in 1808. In the chancel
side walls are 2 C16 4 centred arched doorways with moulded
surrounds. C15 chancel roof having arch braced cambered ties and
to the spandrels and ridge are pierced friezes of triskeles and
trefoil headed panels. In the north aisle is the west doorway of
a C12 chapel of ease built at Scottlethorpe by the Huntingfield
family, it was re-erected here in 1967. The doorway has paired
angle shafts with simple cushion capitals and 2 orders of roll
moulding. On the keystone of the inner order is a crudely carved
face. The tympanum has a sunk panel bearing lightly incised
zigzag and geometric figures. Fittings. A complete set of C16
pews, restored C19 having pierced quatrefoils to the back and
side panels and carved cusped blank arches to the ends with 6
carved poppy heads. At the east end of the nave are C18 Gothick
pulpit, readers desk, and Ancaster family pews to north and
south, having pierced trefoils and quatrefoils and cusped blank
arches to the panels. Above the chancel arch a handsome carved
alabaster set of the Royal Arms c.1808. C12 circular font having
engaged shafts with scrolled capitals to the sides, joined by
paired arches, with foliage to the decoration of the upper parts.
At the west end of the nave is a C8 morticed base of an Anglo
Saxon cross shaft, tapering rectangular shape. The sides are
ornamented with tight interlace and on one front is a seated
female figure beneath a panel containing interlacing foliage.
C19 stained glass in the north aisle by Baille and Mayer 1865.
Miniature brass originally on the external west face of the
tower, now reset on the west wall of the chancel depicting a
mitred Bishop reputedly St. Thomas of Canterbury. Monuments. In
the tower are 2 pairs of C14 effigies, one a civilian and his
wife much abraded, the other a knight with chain and plate armour
and close fitting helm. She with a nodding ogee canopy with
crockets and figure of the Virgin, now supported on a C15 tomb
chest, with shields to the side panels. Also 7 white marble
monuments to members of the Heathcote family removed from the
church at Normanton in Rutland in 1972. At the east end of the
north aisle is a large wall monument to Robert Bertie, First Earl
of Lindsey, killed at the Battle of Edgehill, 1642, and his son
Montague. The 2 memorial tablets have moulded base and cornice
and are surmounted by the cartouche of arms and the Ancaster
cannon. To the sides are military trophies in high relief and at
the base, arms, anchors and helms. Also a wall monument to
Richard Bertie, d.1686, consisting of large swagged and scrolled
cartouche surmounted by an urn and cornucupia and bearing 2
scrolled inscription panels, a shield of arms with palms
supported by 2 putti. On the north wall are 3 C20 wall monuments
to members of the Willoughby family in early C18 style of
coloured marble. In the chancel a huge marble monument by
Scheemakers and H. Cheere to Robert Bertie, First Duke of
Ancaster, d.1723, in the form of a classical aedicule with
Corinthian capitals supporting open dentillated pediment with
garland, urns and putti. Before the aedicule a rounded pedestal
supports a marble image of the deceased attired as a Roman
General. A monument to Peregrine, Second Duke of Ancaster, died
1741, by Roubiliac, flat obelisk before which stands life sized
carving of the deceased leaning on an urn, in Roman dress, a
putto holding a medal lion of the Duchess Jane. On the south side
a monument to the Third Duke of Ancaster, d.1778 and Fourth Duke,
d.1779, by Charles Harris of London. Pointed back panel of black
marble before which is a carving of the deceased seated in ducal
robes, holding a cameo of the Duchess, beside him stands the
fourth Duke in Roman dress. The figures are flanked by urns.
The base is carved with flutes and paterae and to the centre are
bronze plates bearing the memorial inscription. Above the north
door is a semi-circular headed wall plaque with acanthus corbels
to the Hon. Fred. Burrell, d.1819, depicting the deceased, a
babe, being borne to Heaven by angels against a background of
palm trees. Nearby a freestanding square marble shaft bears a
bust of Peter Burrell, the First Lord Gwydyr, d.1820 by
Nollekens. Finally, a large, semi-circular headed sideboard tomb
supporting a black sarcophagus with gadrooned top and lions feet,
erected 1738. Commemorates 7 members of the Bertie family. The
rear has a marble surround with egg and dart moulding and
scrolled imposts with cartouche of arms to the top. Within are 7
classical busts, supported on moulded corbels.

Listing NGR: TF0621321830

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17531615

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

• 
  Warwickshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of Historic Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas
• 
  [(Cumberland and Westmorland)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1967)
• 
  Suffolk: West: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  ENGLAND GUIDE TO POST WAR LISTED: A Guide to Post-war Listed Buildings
• 
  Somerset: South and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)