Description

YORK

SE6051NW SPURRIERGATE
1112-1/28/928 (South West side)
14/06/54 Church of St Michael

GV I

Parish church, now pastoral centre. Late C12 arcades,
heightened in C15; C14 north wall, partly rebuilt 1868; mid
C15 tower; church size reduced in 1821, when east end and
south aisle were rebuilt; tower lowered 1966-67; refurbished
1989. Alterations of 1821 by JB and W Atkinson.
MATERIALS: coursed magnesian limestone and tooled gritstone;
tiled roofs to church, pyramidal roof of slate to tower.
Aisled nave and sanctuary, with embraced west tower.
EXTERIOR: east end and south side on double chamfered plinth,
with embattled parapet over moulded eaves string. Both sides
have three windows of four cinquefoiled lights with panel
traceried heads and hoodmoulds, over moulded sill string.
Sillstring stepped up at north end of east wall to form
hoodmould over shallow-arched doorway containing plank door
with attached 'Gothick' tracery. At west end of south wall is
a painted clock face. North side partly obscured by No.24
Spurriergate (qv) has chamfered plinth; to the west are two
4-light windows as above. 2-stage embattled tower has recessed
doorway approached by steps between offset buttresses on
cut-back moulded plinths. Doorway is 4-centred, of two hollow
chamfered orders beneath hoodmould on head stops and contains
original double doors with blind Perpendicular tracery to
upper part, lower part remade with C18 fielded panels and
panelled wicket door. Above is arched window of four
cinquefoiled lights with panel tracery, and hoodmould. To
north of tower, beneath gabled roof, 4-light window with
renewed mullions and blocked traceried head in chamfered
opening. To south, similar window to those in south wall. On
each side of tower are quadrant-shaped rainwater heads, dated
1821 and 1834 respectively.
INTERIOR: panelled reredos against east wall in form of
Palladian arch with fluted Corinthian pilasters, frieze with
shell and palm mouldings carved in relief, and enriched
cornice: incorporates round-headed Commandment, Creed and
Paternoster boards. Other carvings include dove in glory in
head of central panel, winged cherub heads over flanking
panels, and St Michael slaying a dragon above, between urns.
Communion rails are richly carved turned balusters between
panelled standards, with heavy moulded handrail, carved with
foliage. North and south arcades of three and half bays of
2-centred arches of two chamfered orders, on piers of four
clustered columns with waterleaf capitals and hollow chamfered
abaci, and with moulded bases below present floor level. Tower
arches of three hollow chamfered orders on piers and responds
of eight clustered columns and shafts with C15 replica

waterleaf capitals and moulded bases. East arch closed by fine
pedimented doorcase with double doors of raised and fielded
panels in eared and fasciated architrave. Doorcase frieze
carved with acanthus beneath enriched cornice and segmental
pediment enclosing a mask and foliage trails. Above is a
George IV hatchment.
STAINED GLASS: includes: early C15 glass, reset in south aisle
windows, includes: John the Baptist, at east end; The Nine
Orders of Angels to east; The Tree of Jesse in centre; panels
depicting Noah building the Arc and St Margaret slaying the
Dragon to west. Other glass, including north aisle east end,
by J Barnett, c1821.
FITTINGS: include: clock mechanism in south-west corner
inscribed: "Reconstructed by G J F Newey 1896"; two painted
Mayoral boards with the City of York arms and royal ciphers
for George II and George III respectively.
MONUMENTS: include: north aisle - white marble tablet on grey
marble backing, to William Harrison, d.1799, and others;
moulded stone monument to Elizabeth Bath, d.1730. South aisle
- white and grey marble tablet with Coppinger arms, to
Katherine Coppinger, d.1763; white marble monument backed by
grey veined marble obelisk, to William Hutchinson, d.1772,
signed by the Fishers; pedimented tablet with cartouche, in
coloured marble, to John Wood, d.1704, and other members of
his family.
(City of York: RCHME: The Central Area: HMSO: 1981-: 40-43).

Listing NGR: SE6029551694

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Church of St Michael at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q17530545

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

• 
  Lancashire: Manchester and the South-East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  For the Record
• 
  Yorkshire: York and the East Riding (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Maintaining and Repairing Old Houses: A Guide to Conservation, Sustainability and Economy
• 
  Yorkshire West Riding: Leeds, Bradford and the North (Pevsner Architectural Guides / Buildings of England)
• 
  London 4: North: North v. 4 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)