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

• Wikidata Q26553823

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