Nominal: 618 Hz Weight: 2520 lbs Diameter: 49.25" Bell 1 of 6
Founded by Thomas I Bilbie 1749
Dove Bell ID: 3404 Tower ID: 14650 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Turnings: unturned Cracked: No
Honiton: St Michael
Diocese of Exeter
Closed Church, 615137
This church is on the Heritage at Risk Register (verified 2025-11-06)
View more information about this church on the Heritage at Risk website
Overview
Grid reference: SY 166 999
Late C15; interior destroyed by fire and rebuilt 1912 by C E Ponting.
Visiting and facilities
Building is closed for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
Rectangular plan. West tower (with kitchen and WCs in base). 2-bay aisled nave with clerestory and north porch. Shallow north and south transepts. 2-bay chancel with chapels to north and south.
Dimensions:
[Approximate] Nave 15m (50ft) long x 7m wide (23ft), aisles 3m (10ft) wide chancel 7½ m long (25ft)
Footprint of Church buildings: 431 m²
Description of Archaeology and History
Honiton is a historic market town which grew up around the Roman road, the Fosse Way, and is now famed for its lace. The settlement recorded in the Domesday book is understood to have been near to the site of St Michael’s rather than in the valley where the town is today.
The first record of a church on the site was of a small chapel in 1406. St Michael’s was built by Peter de Courtenay the Bishop of Exeter and Lord of the Manor of Honiton c.1480. John Takell, a resident who died in 1529, is supposed to have rebuilt and enlarged the chancel, text engraved on the easternmost chancel capitals is a prayer to him and his wife. Aisles and porch are thought to have been added around this time. The church was reseated in the 18th Century and galleries were erected in the early 19th Century. These and the pews were removed when the church was restored in 1895-96 by E H Harbottle. New pews were installed. A lanterned tower may at one time have risen from the crossing.
St Michael was the parish church of Honiton until a new parish church, St Paul’s, was built in 1837-38 in the centre of the ‘modern’ town leaving St Michael’s as a chapel of ease.
A fire in March 1911 destroyed much of the interior including an ornate 15th-century 11-bay carved oak rood screen (a 4-bay section survives substantially reduced), barrel vaulted ceiling, pulpit, pews and stained glass. C E Ponting restored the church, work was completed the following year. New screens have subsequently been erected. In 2000 the south chapel was furnished with war memorials from the former Allhallows School which once occupied the site of St Paul’s (Honiton museum building is the only surviving building on the site).
A number of Roman and Middle Bronze age and Roman finds have been recorded in the locality and the Devon and Dartmoor Historic Environment Record should be consulted prior to any development of the site. In 1894 during the construction of the heating chamber on the north side foundations of a previous church were found. Excavations at the east end are also understood to have identified the 15th Century floor level. The archaeological potential of the site is high. There are no known designations relating to the ecology of the plot, though it contains many mature trees and is situated within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Exterior Description
Though the list description is only three sentences long, there is a great deal to note at St Michael’s. It is a stone, late perpendicular gothic style church in a large churchyard. The west tower has 3-tier clasping angle buttresses and a crenellated parapet. There are gargoyles at each corner and 2-light louvred windows on each side of the belfry. In the south-east corner a square plan stair turret accessed from an external south door extends beyond the height of the parapet. In the west elevation there is a door (not in use) bordered by a carved vine frieze with a 4-light window situated above.
The crenellated parapet repeats along the north and south elevations of the church, interrupted only by the porch and transepts. The west ends of both aisles have 3-light windows with square-headed two-light windows above set beneath a small gable. At the east end the aisle windows are of 4-lights. The width of the aisles is virtually equal to the nave which has a 5-light window. The roofs of the chancel and east chapels are marginally lower than the nave and aisles.
North and south transepts are flush with the nave walls, differentiation is provided by their roof-line and larger window size. The south wall is rendered and has 2-tier buttresses placed between each bay. 3-light perpendicular tracery windows light both aisles, an exception in the north-west corner where there is a 4-light window matching the transepts. The north wall has greater movement than the south with a door into the north chapel at the east end, and a projecting 3-sided bay with blocked door which would once have provided access into a private pew and the rood-loft. The projecting buttressed north porch is gabled with crenellation along the east and west sides. A single open lancet in the apex lights the porch. Ornate wrought-iron gates screen the entrance (understood to be the remainder of a memorial to Sir James Shepherd which was damaged in the fire). There are stone benches built into the porch on either side. The main studded oak door is set within a moulded surround.
Building Fabric and Features
Tower (component)
15th century west tower with kitchen and WCs in base
Nave
15th century 2 bay aisled nave
Clerestory
15th century
Porch
16th century north
Transept
15th century shallow north and south transepts
Chancel
16th century 2-bay
Chapel (component)
15th century x2 (north and south)
Building Materials
Limestone
15th century random coursed limestone
Ashlar
15th century dressings
Slate
15th century roof tiles
Interior
Interior Description
The interior is wide, spacious and light on account of large windows and predominantly clear glass (discrete modern spotlights along the wall-plates). Pointed arcades are carried on clustered pilasters with shallow capitals carved with a vine motif which is repeated throughout the interior. Above the nave arcades are octafoil clerestory windows hidden from the outside by their position in the roof valleys.
The space which has a wood-block floor is clear of seats. The pews were destroyed in the fire and replacement wooden chairs have since been swapped for plastic stacking chairs now stacked against the south wall. There are some inlaid ledger stones at the west end and several redundant cast iron heating grilles. The floor level rises from west to east with a step in the north-west corner between the nave and aisle. The walls are plastered and white washed, stone surrounds remain exposed.
Beneath a high pointed arch at the west end, the inside of which is decorated with tracery panels, the base of the tower is separated from the nave by the remains of the medieval chancel screen and a curtain. These hide a small kitchenette and WCs within the base. There is an internal porch to the west behind a panelled oak partition. Above is a large stained glass window.
On a plinth above the north door is a gilded angel, believed to have once stood over a pulpit sounding board. East of the door is the Marwood tomb. High in the wall on the west side of the arch between the north transept and chapel is an opening which would have provided access into the rood loft. A door is placed to its east. A piscina is set within the south transept wall. The font is positioned between the south aisle and transept.
A fine timber wagon roof with chamfered ribs and carved wooden bosses ceils the space. Particularly pleasing is the crossing of the nave, chancel and transepts which Pevsner compares to the 14th-century roof at Luppitt, St Mary’s, situated north of Honiton. The weight is borne by corbels on three sides and to the south-west by a pilaster which extends the height of the pier. Each pier is slightly different. Those to the west are much larger than the others in the church. That to the north-west has two square sides facing the crossing, those to the chancel are clustered like most in the church.
Chapels either side of the chancel are separated by ornate carved oak screens made by Herbert Read in 1926. Stone slab floors are inlaid with ledger stones. That to the north has no furniture but a number of memorials, that to the south is furnished with war memorials relocated from Allhallows School with a stained glass window to the south. Low unfixed screens (war memorials) separate the south chapel from the south transept. A piscina is positioned in the south-east corner and a figurative corbel with bulbous caricature-like face projects from the east wall.
The chancel and its adjacent chapels are raised by a single step from the nave. A solid timber beam spans the pointed chancel arch resting on corbels below the springing point. The chancel is paved in black and white marble squares. Either side of the chancel are oak choir stalls with ornate ends on raised fixed platforms (either 1895 or re-made to pre-fire design). The capitals of the easternmost piers are carved with text. There is a step up to the sanctuary where the direction of the tiles changes providing a contrast. The altar is raised by a further step. An ornate carved oak screen with gold embellishment covers the east wall beneath the stained glass window.
Fixtures and fittings
Bell Frame
1901
Maker
Hary Stokes
Pickford
Date
1901
Visit
Description
The last large oak eight bell frame. A fine example of its type.
OFJ
Jurisdiction
Number of Bells
Material
Altar
20th century modern limed oak altar in sanctuary with three panels engraved with alpha, cross in a circle and omega, c 1912
Reredos
20th century ornate modern oak carved reredos behind altar with vine borders, gold embellishment c 1912, chapel reredos ornate carved oak with figures in canopied niches and a vine border
Pulpit
20th century free-standing ornately carved oak pulpit with figure of St Michael spearing a dragon c 1912
Lectern
19th century free-standing oak, below on a plinth is a plaque in memory of William James and his daughter, 1896
Font (component)
20th century ancient base with octagonal stone basin and wooden cover, an inscription around the rim records its restoration in 1912
Rail
20th century unfixed oak rails, c 1930s
Stained Glass (window)
19th / 20th century All but tower by Burlison & Grylls (London) and good for their type. • 5-light east window – 2 angels with 6 angels below, 5 separate panels below that with St James, St Thomas Cantua, Our Lord, St George and St Margaret, c.1912. Attributed to Burlison & Grylls (of London) by Dr Neil Moat. • 3-light south window in Allhallows Chapel – St Alban, St Anne teaching the Blessed Virgin and St Boniface, 1912. Attributed as above. • 4-light west window – 2 panels of 4 figures – St Michael, St Gabriel, St Oriel, St Raphael and the 4 Evangelists, c.1899. Attributed to Fouracre & Watson (of Plymouth) by Dr Neil Moat who considered it attractive and potentially unusual.
Plaque (component)
Various many plaques dating back to 1529
Organ (component)
21st century Allen electronic organ donated in 2002 with brass plaque inscribed in memory of John MacGregor Scott 1905-1999
Bells
Nominal: 1076.5 Hz Weight: 796 lbs Diameter: 33.75" Bell 2 of 6
Founded by Mears & Stainbank 1901
Dove Bell ID: 25275 Tower ID: 14650 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Turnings: quarter Cracked: No
Nominal: 937 Hz Weight: 952 lbs Diameter: 35.88" Bell 3 of 6
Founded by Thomas I Bilbie 1749
Dove Bell ID: 25276 Tower ID: 14650 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Turnings: quarter Cracked: No
Nominal: 829.5 Hz Weight: 896 lbs Diameter: 36.25" Bell 4 of 6
Founded by Thomas I Wroth 1719
Dove Bell ID: 25277 Tower ID: 14650 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Turnings: unturned Cracked: No
Nominal: 779 Hz Weight: 1176 lbs Diameter: 39.5" Bell 5 of 6
Founded by Bayley & Street 1753
Dove Bell ID: 25278 Tower ID: 14650 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Turnings: unturned Cracked: No
Nominal: 704 Hz Weight: 1764 lbs Diameter: 44.88" Bell 6 of 6
Founded by Thomas Bayley 1761
Dove Bell ID: 25279 Tower ID: 14650 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Turnings: unturned Cracked: No
Portable Furnishings and Artworks
Registers dating from 1562, not held at church
Churchyard
Grid reference: SY 166 999
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.
| Name | Status | Number found in this site |
|---|---|---|
| Common sycamore | Notabletree | 1 |
| Sawara cypress | Notabletree | 1 |
| Common yew | Veterantree | 2 |
| Western red cedar | Veterantree | 1 |
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
Showing 10 entries of 10 View All
Submit a change
If you notice something incorrect or missing, please explain it in the form below and submit it to our team for review.