Description

SE32NW WF3 CHURCH LANE
SE302253 MORLEY (north side)
East Ardsley

3/71 Church of
St. Michael

GV II

Church. 1880-81 reusing Norman doorway from earlier church by W. Swinden
Barber (Halifax). Large, remarked punch-dressed stone reused from the earlier
church, supplemented by Morley Stone from Denton quarries, Welsh blue-slate
roof. West tower, nave, aisles, chancel, south vestry, south porch.
Perpendicular style. 4-stage embattled tower with angle buttresses, south-west
corner octagonal stair-turret rises above tower surmounted by weather vane.
2-light window in 1st stage, lancet in 2nd stage, clock to 3 sides in 3rd stage,
2-light belfry opening with cusped lights. 4-bay nave with clerestorey and
aisles. Porch set in 1st bay has arched doorway with hoodmould with carved face
stops and coped gable. In porch is reused Norman doorway c1160 with 3 decorative
orders; chevron, zig-zag incorporating beak-head ornament probably from 3rd order
now replaced by curious cross-bones motif; original capitals but renewed columns.
Aisle has two 3-light windows with cusped lights and curvilinear tracery and
2-light window to 4th bay. Clerestorey has 3-light chamfered mullioned windows
with trefoil cusped lights. North aisle continues a bay into chancel. Gabled
vestry, breaking forward has pointed doorway with ogee lintel set in west wall.
3-light window with taller central cusped light in gable. Lateral stack at 2-bay
junction with chancel which has lower roof than nave. Coped gables with crosses
to apex. 4-light east window with cusped lights and panel tracery surmounted by
octofoil.

Interior: relatively plain with pointed-arched arcades on octagonal piers with
square moulded capitals. Collar-rafter roof with crossed principals. Some
monuments from earlier church, the best to Rev. Ingram Shaw c1766. Font dated
1663 has octagonal, recessed, cyma-moulded panels, 2 bearing date with raised
numerals; octagonal base and shaft. The Churchwardens' Accounts show they paid
5/- for the stone and £1-1s-4d to Michael Nettleton for making and carving the
font, plus 6d for sharpening his tools. Set under porch is grave of John Field
(1520-1586) who was the first astronomer in this country to make known the
discoveries of Copernicus.

Stained glass memorial windows by Heaton, Butler and Bayne (London). Vestry has
panelling made from box pews of earlier church, one initialled and dated
"1634 R.S.E.S." (Robert and Elizabeth Shaw of Ardsley Hall (q.v.) Main Street).

The original church was a chapel of ease for St. Mary's, Woodkirk (q.v.) and
belonged to Nostell Priory. After the Reformation it fell into the hands of the
Savile Family and by marriage to the Earl of Cardigan. The Patroness of the
present church was Lady Cardigan, widow of the 7th Earl of Cardigan (who led the
Charge of the Light Brigade). The Cardigan family are still patrons of the
living of East Ardsley.

J. M. Booth, A History of the Parish Church of St. Michael East Ardsle ,
(booklet 1963).

M. Fiske and R. Weller, St. Michael's Church East Ardsle 1881-1981
(centenary booklet).

Listing NGR: SE3021625319

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26553823

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.

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