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

• Wikidata Q17537928

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Recommended Books

• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990
• 
  London 4: North: North v. 4 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  The Victorian House Manual (2nd Edition): How They Were Built, Improvements & Refurbishment, Solutions to All Common Defects - Includes Relevant ... ... Properties (Haynes Manual) (Haynes Manuals)
• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects by Harwood, Richard (2012) Paperback
• 
  Oxfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Kent: North East and East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)