Church of St Michael le Belfrey, Guildhall, York

Description

This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 02/09/2019

SE6052SW
1112-1/27/715

YORK
HIGH PETERGATE
Church of St Michael le Belfrey

(Formerly listed as Church of St Michael-le-Belfrey, MINSTER YARD (south-west side), YORK)

14/06/54

I
Parish church. 1525-37 with vestry, west front and bellcote of 1867. C19 alterations by G Fowler Jones.

MATERIALS: limestone ashlar with roofs of lead and stone slate.

PLAN: Six-bay continuous aisled nave and chancel with clerestory; east vestry; west porch and bellcote.

EXTERIOR:double moulded plinth to all sides. East end partly obscured by vestry: east window has five cinque-foiled lights and panel tracery in two-centred head: north aisle east window is of two pairs of trefoiled ogee lights in traceried four-centred head. North and south sides are articulated by two-stage buttresses, those on north side only with gargoyles and crocketed pinnacles. Westernmost bay on each side has traceried double doors in four-centred arch of two orders with side shafts, spandrels carved with Tudor flowers in quatrefoils, flanked by standards with crocketed pinnacles. Each remaining bay contains window similar to that in east end of north aisle, with moulded sill string on south side only. South side has band of cusped lozenge panels enclosing armorial shields beneath windows. Windows have casement-moulded surrounds and hoodmoulds with return stops. Coved eaves string beneath plain parapet with moulded coping, returned at east end. Clerestory windows, two to each bay, have square heads and tripled trefoil headed lights.

West end: crow-stepped gable. West door and window framed beneath four-centred moulded arch with carved spandrels springing from three-stage buttress piers with cross-gabled and crocketed pinnacles:arch surmounted by octagonal bellcote of paired cinquefoiled lights capped by pierced embattled parapet. West doorway similar to those in aisles has band of cusped lozenge panels beneath gabled door head with carved tympanum. West window repeats east window and aisle end windows repeat those on north and south sides, with moulded sill strings. Octagonal stair turret at south-west has moulded strings at plinth and sill levels, two slit lights, coved eaves string incorporating grotesque beasts, two tiers of blind traceried panels and band of blind quatrefoils at base of pointed octagonal roof.

INTERIOR: nave arcades of four-centred arches on shafted piers and responds with moulded capitals and bases. Above, continuous hoodmould on heraldic angel stops and spandrels carved with quatrefoils enclosing roses, fruit, etc. Moulded clerestory string and trefoiled panels beneath windows. Three-bay reredos of raised and fielded panelling, articulated by fluted Composite columns with entablature and small segmenta pediment filled with cartouche and palm fronts. Bolection-moulded centre panel has painted representation of the Adoration of the Shepherds, outer panels the Creed and the Lord's Prayer. Communion rails have bulbous balusters carved with foliage and spirals, bowed gates in centre, and heavy flat rail.

At west end, gallery with panelled front two staircases cased in raised and fielded panelling, with Gothick balustrades,serpentine handrails, wreathed at foot around column newels on shaped curtail steps. Six-panel doors at stair heads, shaped to fit pier responds, give access to gallery. Four-centred chamfered doorway at foot of south staircase, leads to turret. Hatchment of Royal Arms, originally above reredos, attached to gallery front. Benefaction boards: in gallery, two in bolection moulded surrounds, two with four-centred heads: in north aisle, two with semicircular heads. Lord Mayoral boards: beneath gallery, one 1711-1720, one 1764-1859, one 1872-1969.

Glass re-arranged and restored in C19 and C20, includes mid C14 glass in east window and early C16 in aisle windows

MONUMENTS AND BRASSES: include at east end: carved stone cartouche to Ann, wife of William Walker, d.1687; carved stone cartouche to John White, d.1716/7. North wall: pedimented tablet with floral side scrolls to Mary Grammar, d.1738; scrolled cartouche to Thomas James, d.1732; sarcophagus tablet to Baldwin Wake, MD, d.1842, signed by Flintoft.

Brasses to Thomas Dawnay,d.1683; Frances, wife of William Farrer,d.1680/1, signed Joshua Mann. South aisle, east end: large wall monument to Sir Robert Squire, d.1707, and wife Priscilla, d.1711, two sculpted figures beneath swagged open pediment on fluted Corinthian pilasters; shaped tablet with cornice and floriated sides, to an infant Vavasour, d.1728; scrolled cartouche to Mary Woodyeare, nee Drake, d.1728.

South wall: pilastered monument with cornice and apron, to Catherine and Christine North, d.1734; tablet with shield of arms to Sir Thomas Fothergill, d.1735; tablet with urn to John Blanshard, d.1770, and wife, Mary, d.1789; tablet with urn in broken pediment to children and wife, Elizabeth, d.1790, of John Metcalfe; separated monument with sarcophagus and military emblems to Lieutenant and Adjutant John Crossland of York City Regiment of Local Militia, d.1813, signed by Fishers, York; oval tablet of black marble to Mary Lawson, d.1774.

Listing NGR: SE6028052128

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British Listed Buildings

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Church of St Michael le Belfrey

A Grade I Listed Building in Guildhall, York

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