Description

WELL CHURCH STREET SE 28 SE (north side) 5/38 Church of St Michael 22.8.66

GV I

Church. C12, early C14 and C15 with 1844 restoration. Coursed squared stone, ashlar, graduated stone slate and lead roofs. West tower, nave, north and south aisles, south porch, chancel with south aisle and small north aisle with north vestry. West tower: C12 to tall first stage, Perpendicular to upper 3 stages. First stage has 2 small chamfered single- light openings to south side. Wide band to second stage which is blank. Wide band to third stage and paired cusped lancets, blocked to base. Belfry has 2 large shallow-arched openings next to each other, each contains a 2- light opening with cusped pointed-arched heads and a transom. At this level the corners are cut back to form a small diagonal buttress. Band, embattled parapet. West window is set in segmental-headed opening but window is flat headed with 2 cusped lights. Clock faces to west and east below belfry. To north side a small lean-to stair tower with 4-centre arched lintel to doorway. Nave: early C14 and later, of 3 bays. South porch to left bay of south aisle, offset angle buttress to its left. Gabled porch has offset angle buttresses, pointed-arched moulded doorway. Inner south door C12 with 3 orders of colonnettes, waterleaf capitals and several roll mouldings in the arch. Board studded door. An offset angle buttress divides nave south aisle from chancel aisle. To nave south aisle are two 3-light flat-headed cusped traceried windows set in segmental-headed surrounds. North aisle to nave has three 2-light Perpendicular cusped windows in segmental-headed surrounds. South aisles have a plain parapet. Clerestory: both sides have three 2-light ogee-headed cusped windows set in chamfered flat-headed surrounds. Plain parapet. Corner clasping buttresses. Gable cross and pinnacles to east end, also similar 3-light window above the chancel. Chancel: early C14. South aisle of 3 bays, to east offset angle buttresses. To left a C19 2-light pointed-arched window with hoodmould and cusped curvilinear tracery, to right a small basket-arched priests door. Central window of 2-lights in pointed arch with hoodmould and cusped tracery. Window to right is of 2-lights in pointed arch with hoodmould and curvilinear tracery. One bay north chancel aisle has pointed-arched 2-light, cusped window, vestry beyond to east. South aisle, 4-light east window has pointed arch and cusped reticulated tracery. Chancel east window has pointed-arch with hoodmould, 3 lights with cusped curvilinear tracery with quatrefoils in head. North vestry of 2 stages. Offset diagonal buttress to east. To east a C17 2-light mullion window, above a 2-light mullion window with round-arched heads. Interior: nave arcades of 3 bays. Keeled quatrefoil piers with fillets between the shafts, above octagonal capitals and pointed moulded arches. Chancel arch similar, as are arches to chancel north aisle. South chancel arch similar but of 1844. Similar tower arch. Font cover of 1352, tall wooden elaborately traceried and crocketed pinnacle. Wooden reredos in north chapel, late C16, Dutch, with 5 small screens and decorative panels. To north aisle is a portion of Roman mosaic found at the Villa in Well in 1859, also to north aisle large painted coat of arms to George I, 1731. Monuments: tomb chest 1526 to Lady Dorothy Nevill, very plain. Tomb chest to Sir John Nevill Lord Latimer 1596, a recumbant effigy, the back panel now to side with inscription and arms. In north chapel a cartouche with convex inscription place circa 1700 to John Milbanke. Roofs to nave and chancel probably C17.

Listing NGR: SE2681482058

External Links

• Wikidata Q17538175

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Recommended Books

• 
  Churches: An Architectural Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Wiltshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Pevsner's Architectural Glossary (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Department for Communities Listed Historic Buildings of Northern Ireland: Information Guide for the 2nd Survey of Historic Buildings
• 
  Lancashire: Manchester and the South-East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Specifications for Building Conservation: Volume 1: External Structure: Practical Examples v. 2