Description

HORWOOD HORWOOD
SS 52 NW
4/54 Church of St Michael
25.2.65
GV I
Parish church. C13 fabric to chancel and probably to nave, remodelled in C15 when
the tower and north aisle were added. Restored c.1889 by Hayward. Stone rubble
with ashlar dressings. Slate roof with crested ridge tiles, coped parapet to
chancel-end with apex cross. Comprising: west tower, nave, chancel and north
aisle.
Unbuttressed west tower of 2 stages. Embattled parapet with corner pinnacles.
Stair turret or north side with large stone gargoyle in the angle of the
projection. Single ogee-headed bell opening to each side with louvres. Single
straight headed light window to north side with chamfered surround to top of 1st
stage and a semi-circular headed single light window on south side with louvres. 3
undecorated shields to south side. Perpendicular 4-light pointed arched west
window with label hoodmould above virtually round-arched doorway with moulded
surround and hoodmould with label stops. Old, weathered plank door with elbow
struts to the arch and moulded central rib.
Nave south window to left of porch has pointed arch and 2 ogee lights with
quatrefoil tracery and hoodmould. Unmoulded pointed arch to south porch doorway
with cusped headed niche above containing carved figure. 2 old timber benches to
each side of porch. Pointed arched inner doorway with chamfered surround and old 5
plank framed and ledged studded door with wrought iron strap hinges and small
wooden shield bearing initials of churchwarden and dated 1669. 2 late
Perpendicular straight-headed nave south windows to right of porch each with three
4-centred arched lights with foliated label stops to the hoodmould. 4-centred
arched priest's doorway with moulded surround and foliated label stops to the
hoodmould. 2 Perpendicular pointed arched windows of 3 lights to east end of
chancel and north aisle with hoodmoulds. North aisle has 3 straight-headed later
Perpendicular north windows of 3 cusped-headed lights with hoodmoulds. 3-light
Perpendicular window at west end of north aisle.
Interior: tall unmoulded semi-circular headed tower arch. North arcade of 5
continuous bays with Pevsner 'B' type piers and foliated capitals, the second pier
from east end with shields to the top of the shafts with mythical beasts and angels
to the capitals, and the third from east end with human heads flanking shields.
Unceiled C15 waggon roofs throughout, with much of the timber renewed to nave roof.
Moulded ridge member to chancel. North aisle roof has every fourth rib moulded
with variously carved bosses at the intersections and richly carved wall plate.
Carved lintels, possibly sections of reset wall plates to nave windows and to wide
niches behind the pulpit. Horn-shaped piscina to chancel and ogee-headed piscina
to north aisle. C19 tiled alter step with considerable number of Cl7 Barnstaple
tiles to chancel and east end of north aisle. Cl7 communion rail with thick turned
balusters and moulded handrail to chancel chapel. Polygonal pulpit with semi-
circular headed blind panels, dated 1635 with initials HF, HB, CM inside the
lozenges to the frieze. Reused dado panels, 2 panels high to front pew on south
side. Set of 5 early C16 carved bench ends to north side of nave with moulded top
rails to the pews. The front bench also acts as coffers with 2 iron locks and 8
foliated panels. Low north aisle pews, late C16 or early C17 with undecorated
bench ends with moulded surrounds. The third bench from east end has part of
probably reused carved wall plate to book rail. Square Norman font with scalloped
base on round stem and marble bowl. Demi-bell-wheel dated 1664 hangs on north
aisle north wall and old clapper on west wall. C17 carved table to north aisle, 3
panels to front with old locks. North aisle contains a number of late C16/early
C17 stone and slate memorial stones including 2 to Pollard family, and 2 with
incised crosses. Mid C15 recumbent effigy to a lady with horned headress and small
figures of children under cloak. Early C17 wall monument to Arthur Pollard and
wife in splay of north aisle window with shield above strapwork frieze supported on
fluted columns. Slate tablet on north chancel wall to Robert Brian, d.1634. C15
stained glass to tracery of north aisle east window. C19 stained glass to west
window, 1889 to Downing family and to chancel south window by Mayer and Co to
Richard Dene, d.1863. 2 of the north aisle windows contain glass by A L Moore.

Listing NGR: SS5022027688

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17526776

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

• 
  Specifications for Building Conservation: Volume 1: External Structure: Practical Examples v. 2
• 
  County Durham (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England) by Elizabeth Williamson Nikolaus Pevsner(1983-03-11)
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair
• 
  Gloucestershire 1: The Cotswolds: Cotswolds Pt. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Sussex: East with Brighton and Hove (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)