Weight: 672 lbs Diameter: 33.13" Bell 1 of 2
Founded by Anthony Chandler 1679
Dove Bell ID: 65644 Tower ID: 25800 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Walton St Michael
Overview
Grid reference: SP 884 368
There are no records of the building of any part of the church, but the details would suggest fourteenth century Decorated, with the tower possibly rather later. The nave roof has been rebuilt at a much flatter pitch than the original, evidence of which can be seen on the east wall of the tower. This looks like late fifteenth century work.
Visiting and facilities
Building is closed for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
Nave with western tower and south porch; chancel with vestry to the north.
Description of Archaeology and History
There are no records of the building of any part of the church, but the details would suggest fourteenth century Decorated, with the tower possibly rather later. The nave roof has been rebuilt at a much flatter pitch than the original, evidence of which can be seen on the east wall of the tower. This looks like late fifteenth century work.
Exterior Description
The church is built of warm ironstone and limestone, in places overlaid with roughcast. The porch at the main entrance to the church is in the south wall, with a a tiled roof and two small Decorated windows. The arched entrance has a dripstone with label-stops carved as heads. The whole building is made lively with heads at each window and at unequal intervals along the nave corbel-table. There is another door in the correseonding position on the north side of the nave, but without a porch. Each of the two bays of the nave further east has a two-light Decorated winded on both sides of the church, the bays being marked by very solid buttresses. The angle buttress of the nave terminates in a rough octagonal pinnacle. The roof of the nave is very low-pitched and, being hidden behind a stall parapet, gives the church a roofless look. The chancel has two windows in the south wall, with a small priest's door, and, low down in the corner by the east wall of the nave is a small squareheaded window of cinquefoil-headed lights. The roof is tiled, and has a much steeper slope than the nave, more like the old leave pitch which is indicated on the tower wall. The east window is quite large, of three lights, and has simple curvilnear tracery. Projecting from the north side of the chancel is a small vestry, probably late nineteenth century. Like the chancel it has a tiled roof and a little two - light window of similar style to those in the porch.
Beside this vestry is a much older projection - an awkward construction like an overgrown buttress. It has a small tre-foil headed window and contains the rood stair. The windows on the north side also have carved heads, but much more deteriorated than their colleagues on the south. The tower at the west end of the church is large and solid by comparison with the rest of the building (it is little narrower than the nave). About half way up is a bold stringcourse where the tower narrows slightly, and the only window below this is a perpendicular one with renewediracery in the west wal. It is of a common design. Above the stringcourse, the first stage contains the ringers' chamber which has tiny square louvred openings to north and south with disproportionately large dripstones. The belfry stage above has two-light openings on all four faces with simple Y-tracery. The tower has angle buttresses at the two western corners and is crowned with a battlemented parapet.
Interior
Interior Description
The interior of the church has considerable country charm. There is perhaps nothing really outstanding,but its architecture and fittings together make a pleasing ensemble. The walls are all white-washed, except for the cast wall which is decorated with a strange flutter of angels' wings, with vague features interspersed. This was done in 1949 by a Mrs. Codington. The absence of stained glass in all but the east window makes the church light although the windows are not large or very numerous. The east window has little diamond panes filled with a repeating pattern. In the cusped quatrefoils above are Alpha and Omega and a small representation of the Paschal Lamb.
The chancel arch is tall and narrow with elegant half-octagonal pilasters supporting the innermost arch. The rood stair still remains in the wall to the north, with an ogee—headed arch opening high to the left of the chancel arch. When in place, the rood screen must have had a detrimental effect on the proportions of the arch and the east window beyond,which now complement each other most attractively. The proportions of the nave are misleadingly eighteenth century in feeling, for it is almost a double cube, and this is made even more noticeable by the horizontal transversebeams of the roof. These beams are, however, obviously mediaeval, and have a few leaves carved at the major intersections. The floor is stone flagged, and the pews are rather heavy, but not out of place in these surroundings. The choirstalls are slightly more ornamented with stylized foliage forming rudimentary poppyheads. The chancel is divided from the nave by a single step and, beyond this, the floor is of encaustic tiles. The roof retains its original high pitch, and is plastered between the rafters.
Fixtures and fittings
Chest
17th Century
In the tower is a seventeenth century chest with panelled front, moulded rails and plain lid.
Font (object)
19th Century
The font is a heavy octagonal nineteenth century design.
Organ (object)
The organ is a wall pipe instrument of two stops (no pedals) incorporated in the north choir stalls, with the pipes on the wall above.
Pulpit
c. 19th Century
Lectern
c. 19th Century
Bells
Weight: 1120 lbs Diameter: 38.38" Bell 2 of 2
Founded by Richard III Chandler and George Chandler 1709
Dove Bell ID: 65645 Tower ID: 25800 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Churchyard
Grid reference: SP 884 368
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.
It is unknown whether 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 | N/A |
| Solar Thermal Panels | N/A |
| Biomass | N/A |
| Wind Turbine | N/A |
| Air Source Heat Pump | N/A |
| Ground Source Heat Pump | N/A |
| Ev Charging | N/A |
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
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