Description

SU 93NW THURSLEY C.P. HIGHFIELD LANE

8/196 Church of St Michael
9/3/60 and All Angels

GV I

Church. Nave and Chancel mid C11, with C15 belfry and cage, restored and extended
to north by B. Ferrey in 1860, nave extended to west in 1883-6 when transept
baptistry and porch were added to the south by J. W. Penfold. Coursed Bargate
stone with sandstone block and chalk dressings to nave. Timber framed chancel on
conglomerate plinth with mortar rendered cladding. Plain tiled roofs with wood
shingled tower and broach spire. Buttresses to west end flanking three stepped
lancets. Lancet fenestration to remainder of church, quatrefoil roundel above on
gable end of transept. Two re-cut lancets on south side of the chancel and three
to east end under hood moulds. Two Saxon lancets rediscovered in 1927 on north
side of Chancel in deep reveals. Tower to east of centre with louvred opening in
each face of plinth. Sundial to south face. Fine gabled timber porch to south on
stone plinth walls with trefoil lights to sides. Moulded bargeboards and billeted
cambered tie beam to entrance. C19 broach stop and chamfered door surround to
ribbed door. Interior:- Simple whitewashed interior with wooden floors. Re-cut
4-centre arches to north side with window opening above, since enclosed by aisle.
Massive cage supporting belfry with four large corner posts, two against the north,
two against the south wall of the nave, although free standing. These support tie-
beams on arched braces. From west to east they are joined by 4-centred arches,
carrying beams supporting two more strut posts and two tie beams with braces. The
main posts are simply moulded. Hard chalk Mid-C13 chancel arch with two chamfered
orders above and pyramidal stops to base. Old timbers in roof. Two lancets in
north side of chancel - double splayed with red ashlar patterning and original mid-
wall windowboards still in situ.
Fittings:- C13 arched aumbry to south wall under bellcage. Two square piscinae
to south chancel wall with slat carved from wall. Late C19 wooden and panelled
pulpit. Bargate stone tub font, possibly Saxon. Approximately three feet high
with chevron band of decoration. Late C19 reredos, and C19 restoration to C15
screen. Royal Arms Hatchment - 1783. Monuments:- Dedicated to Edward Woods,
died 1792(on North Wall). Grey marble ground and panel with flanking white marble
scrolls and fluted cornice. Crowning urn, draped with egg shaped inscription
panels. South Wall - to Katherine Woods, 1793. Four types of polychrome marble
with Grecian Urn to top, inscription panel below. Originally the church was a
Chapel at Ease to Witley.

PEVSNER: BUILDINGS OF ENGLAND, SURREY (1971) pp 484-485.
V.C.H. (1967 ED) Vol. III pp 59-61.

Listing NGR: SU9009939384

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17527823

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

• 
  Staffordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Worcestershire Revised Edition (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  The Listed Buildings and Other Principal Structures at the Royal Gunpowder Mills Waltham Abbey
• 
  Cork: City and County (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
• 
  Listed Buildings and Other Heritage Assets
• 
  [(Shropshire)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1958)