Nominal: 879 Hz Weight: 896 lbs Diameter: 35.5" Bell 1 of 4
Founded by John Briant 1814
Dove Bell ID: 3027 Tower ID: 10277 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Turnings: quarter Cracked: No
Halton: St Michael & All Angels
Diocese of Oxford
Church, 627784
http://www.stmaryswendover.org/Overview
Grid reference: SP 874 101
There has been a church on the site since at least the 13th century, and late medieval monuments and fittings survive within the present building. An attractive building in a simple and pleasingly naïve lancet style. The slim tall west tower is of three stages topped by a parapet with broken coping, with diagonal west buttresses of two weatherings and a small round stair turret on the south side.
Visiting and facilities
Building is open for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
4-bay aisled nave and short chancel, west tower, south porch.
Dimensions:
Nave c 13m (43 feet) x 4m (13 feet).
Footprint of Church buildings: 158 m²
Description of Archaeology and History
There has been a church on the site since at least the 13th century, and late medieval monuments and fittings survive within the present building. A stone foundation east of the chancel is said to mark the original chancel, a more likely explanation perhaps than the other theory expounded, a plague pit. The site is therefore of considerable archaeological potential.
The tower at least, perhaps the whole church, was rebuilt in 1813 for the patron Sir John Dashwood-King to a design by Henry Rhodes (died 1846), an architect who also worked at nearby Chequers which he also gave the Gothick treatment. The rest of the church was radically remodelled in 1886-7, whereby the side galleries were removed and narrow aisles added within the footprint of the nave, involving therefore the replacement of the nave and aisle fenestration.
Exterior Description
An attractive building in a simple and pleasingly naïve lancet style. The slim tall west tower is of three stages topped by a parapet with broken coping, with diagonal west buttresses of two weatherings and a small round stair turret on the south side. The belfry openings are simple pointed lancets with cusped heads over louvres, there are also louvred slits in the west and south faces under these. The west wall is pierced by a 2-light window of paired lancets within a depressed-arched head over a rectangular chamfered surround to a pointed doorway. The north wall has a low single lancet. All in all, an odd, very “gothick” arrangement.
The nave and aisles are perhaps even odder following their late Victorian remodelling, with plain single rectangular windows in the clearstorey and tall lancets in the aisles. The chancel east window is a 3-light of stepped lancets. The nave, aisle and chancel roofs all have the same quite shallow pitch, the aisle roofs almost in the same plane as the roof of the short tall chancel. The south porch has a chamfered pointed doorway under a depressed-arched gable with plain parapet and head finial. The overall impression is almost that of a 1930’s church in its stark simplicity.
Building Materials
Sarsen Stone
Built from squared blocks of grey sarsen stone, probably from near High Wycombe
Flint
Joints galletted with pieces of flint
Slate
Roof
Interior
Interior Description
. The walls and arcades are whitewashed, making the colourful chancel positively glow, the clear glazing making the most of the light afforded by the tall windows. Looking up and west, the organ is set in a small west gallery with a projecting (almost theatrical) front over a triple-arched partly glazed wooden screen. The tower arch is tall, pointed, chamfered.
The arcades have tall pointed arches with dogtooth ornament on high slender cylindrical piers with stiff-leaf ornament to the capitals, the square bases also ornamented. The nave roof has curved braces and pendants and cusped spandrels, carried on angel corbels, the angels playing musical instruments. The pulpit is located against the second pier from the east in the north aisle, behind this a wooden screen demarcates a vestry in the corner.
The chancel arch is of two orders, the inner on carved corbel heads, the outer with dogtooth and hoodmoulds with circular label stops. The chancel roof is coffered and painted and gilded with an enriched cornice and three bosses. The nave and chancel floors are of encaustic tiles, very elaborate in the chancel. There are small pointed arched niches each side of the east window.
The church has its late 19th-century liturgical arrangements, the nave is fully pewed with plain pitched pine benches, the chancel two rows of choir stalls each side with poppy heads. The High altar has a brass cross on a wooden shelf behind as a focus.
Fixtures and fittings
Altar
1923
Oak table with blind tracery
Pulpit
1890
Circular oak pulpit on north side of the nave, carved decoration, Georgian in style.
Lectern
1890
Brass eagle
Font (object)
1890
Octagonal limestone font, with square fluted bowl on spiral stem and carved base.
Organ (object)
1865
Small pipe organ by Bishop & Son, built 1865. Much altered, now with electric action, detached console (from RAF Biggin Hill) and extensions. Attractively painted pipes.
Bells
Nominal: 1209 Hz Weight: 532 lbs Diameter: 29.75" Bell 2 of 4
Founded by John Briant 1815
Dove Bell ID: 23310 Tower ID: 10277 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Turnings: quarter Cracked: No
Nominal: 1148 Hz Weight: 588 lbs Diameter: 30.75" Bell 3 of 4
Founded by John Briant 1814
Dove Bell ID: 23311 Tower ID: 10277 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Turnings: quarter Cracked: No
Nominal: 1054 Hz Weight: 700 lbs Diameter: 32.25" Bell 4 of 4
Founded by John Briant 1814
Dove Bell ID: 23312 Tower ID: 10277 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Turnings: quarter Cracked: No
Churchyard
Grid reference: SP 874 101
Burial and War Grave Information
It is unknown whether the building is consecrated.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has been used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard is used for burial.
The churchyard has war graves.
National Heritage record for England designations
There are no records of National Heritage assets within the curtilage of this site.
Environment
Ancient, Veteran & Notable Trees
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
There are no records of Ancient, Veteran or Notable Trees within the curtilage of this site.
Renewables
| Renewable | Installed |
|---|---|
| Solar PV Panels | No |
| Solar Thermal Panels | No |
| Biomass | No |
| Wind Turbine | No |
| Air Source Heat Pump | No |
| Ground Source Heat Pump | No |
| Ev Charging | No |
Species summary
There are no records of species within the curtilage of this site.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
'Seek advice' Species
More information on species and action to be taken upon discovery.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
Further information
Sources
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