HistoryThe Plan of St Michael and All Angels is that of a typical small parish church with a west tower. Three contrasting building materials are evident with ironstone being used for the chancel, grey limestone for the tower and red Mountsorrel granite for the facing of the nave and clerestory walls.
Nave The South arcade of four bays is of the thirteenth century and comprises circular piers with octagonal capitals. The capitals are irregular and of poor quality. The eastern respond has damaged remains of a different type of capital, possibly of the volute style. The arches have double chamfers. In the south wall are three two-light windows with Decorated* style tracery comprising elongated cusped trefoils with a single cusped quatrefoil. One of the windows has some stained glass with a statuette of St Michael positioned on the mullion. The window in the east wall of the aisle has three lights with elongated trefoils including some dagger style. The centre light has remnants of medieval glass, which were taken from the north window of the chancel when both were reglazed. The north arcade appears to be later than the south, being typical of the fourteenth century. The piers are octagonal and the capitals are moulded and of better quality with bases of the piers being quite different from their southern counterparts. The north door was sealed and has been reopened as access to the toilet. It would have been used for processions around the church, which took place during important religious festivals. The mouldings on the exterior of the door, a chamfer and roll, are thirteenth century in origin. The windows in the north wall are square headed with Perpendicular style tracery, including ogee curves. The widows in the east and west walls have Decorated style tracery with elongated trefoils surrounded by quatrefoils; the one in the west wall was inserted during the 1891/2 restoration. Chancel The chancel is dominated by the three Perpendicular* style windows with their four centred arches. The east window is of five lights with cusped heads. In the south wall are situated the piscina and sedilia with simple hood mouldings and label stops. The style is of the fourteenth century and the later insertion of the windows is illustrated by the manner in which the arch of the sedilia penetrates the base of the window. Externally the chancel is supported by two French buttresses typical of the fourteenth century. Font The thirteenth century font is the most interesting part of the church. It is of an unusual drum shape with four triple shafts attached. the ornamentation surrounding the rim has unfortunately been damaged but it is suggested that it resembles wheat sheaves. the base is modern. West Tower The Perpendicular style tower was the final part of the church to be completed; it is battlemented with four crocheted pinnacles. On the west face is a two light window with cusped quatrefoils and trefoils. This pattern being repeated in the belfry lights positioned on each of the tower faces. Clasping buttresses support the tower at its external angles. The tower survived without major restoration during the Victorian period and various archdeacons' reports, during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, describe it as being in perfect order, although comment is made about the need for it to be fresh pointed. The tower arch into the nave was thrown open in 1858 when the old singing loft, which had previously been positioned on the west wall, was removed. The Bells There are three bells. The smallest bell was cast in 1607 by Hugh Watts of Leicester. It is termed an "Alphabet" bell as it has the inscription "ABC DEF GH 1607." It weighs 4-0-11 (4069kg) and it's note is C The second bell wast cast in 1652 by George Oldfield of Nottingham. It has the inscription "GOD DAVE HIS CHVRCH." It weighs 5-0-3 (5081kg) and has the note B The largest (tenor) bell was cast circa 1520 and, from its style, probably from Leicester. It has the inscription "CLEMENS ATQUE PIA MISERIS SUCCURRE MARIA" which translate to "Mary merciful and loving, succour the afflicted." It weighs 7-3-11 (7270kg) and has the note A Victorian Restorations. the church underwent major restoration in 1858 and 1891, the cost of the work being £1400 and £1539 respectively. Funds were raised by the traditional means of bazaars, concerts, etc., whilst personal gifts were particularly significant. Mr J Rollingsworth of Church Leys paid for the reroofing of the south aisle at a cost of £176 4s 7d during the second restoration. In 1858 the wall of the north aisle was taken down and rebuilt, the floor was relaid and the font was repositioned, whilst new seating was installed. * For explanations of the styles of gothic architecture, go to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_Gothic_architecture |