Bell 1 of 1
Dove Bell ID: 65489 Tower ID: 25747 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Summertown: St Michael & All Angels
Diocese of Oxford
Church, 627229
http://www.stmichaels-summertown.org.ukOverview
Grid reference: SP 508 92
By Alfred Marden Mowbray, a pupil of Charles Buckeridge and then with Street, thus well-disciplined in the ecclesiastical architecture of the Oxford Diocese. He was architect to the sisterhoods of Clewer and Wantage and laid out part of Eastbourne. For the most part his work was ecclesiastical. The church was built by Wooldridge and Simpson of Oxford. The foundation stone was laid on 11th February 1909 and the church was consecrated on Michaelmas day of the same year.
Visiting and facilities
Building is open for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
The church is an unfinished fragment representing about two-thirds of the proposed building. Work started at the east, and there exists a chancel of three bays with passage aisles separatingit from the Lady Chapel on the south and a vestry on the north with a chapel and organ chamber above approached by a stair from the north transept. Three bays of the nave were built, the eastern two opening into wide transepts. The west bay begins the plan proposed for the three unbuilt bays with aisles and clerestory.
Footprint of Church buildings: 812 m²
Description of Archaeology and History
By Alfred Marden Mowbray, a pupil of Charles Buckeridge and then with Street, thus well-disciplined in the ecclesiastical architecture of the Oxford Diocese. He was architect to the sisterhoods of Clewer and Wantage and laid out part of Eastbourne. For the most part his work was ecclesiastical. The church was built by Wooldridge and simpson of Oxford. The foundation stone was laid on 11th February 1909 and the church was consecrated on Michaelmas day of the same year.
Exterior Description
The walls are of Hanbrough stone with Box Ground dressings. The west wall is of brick. The roofs are tiled.
The style in which the church is built is old-fashioned for the date, being Early English of the type favoured a generation earlier, without even a hint of the Arts and Crafts movement which in 1909 was well into its heyday. The only slight indication of an acquaintance with the movement are a few quirks in the plan, such as the double width transepts and uncommonly wide aisles.
The church is faced with machine-cut stone which gives a severe aspect, especially when seen together with the machine-made tiles on the roofs. The usual approach is from the south west through a lych gate, and from this point the brick west wall of the nave is a reminder of the unfinished state of the building. One bay of the nave is complete with three lancet lights in the aisle and a triple light in the clerestory.
The south wall of the south transept has two large four-light windows with identical geometrical tracery in the unusually wide gable. Between them is a circlet containing a quatrefoil and high in the gable a tiny lancet.
The Lady Chapel, on the south side of the chancel, has two and a half bays, the two full bays with three lancets in each, and the smaller east bay blind. The east wall has triple lancets under a continuous hood-mould.
The east wall of the chancel, overlooking the Vicarage garden is, like the transept, very tall, with a five-light window incorporating two trefoils and cinquefoil.
The north wall of the chancel is visible because the vestry does not obstruct it as much as the Lady Chapel on the south. It is seen to have clerestory lights of the same pattern as those in the single nave bay.
Apart from the vestry, the north side of the building corresponds closely to the south. The whole composition is crowned by a small bell-cote of stone on the east gable of the nave, with a single bell hanging in a arch above which is a pierced quatrefoil.
Building Fabric and Features
Stained Glass
In the two-light windows of the chancel aisles are four Clayton and Bell figures, deprived of their backgrounds when moved from St. John's.
Stained Glass
Mid 19th Century
In the trefoil above on the south is a piece of earlier glass (c.Mid-19th Century) of Christ Washing the Disciples' Feet.
Stained Glass
The east window is a 1918 'victory' window by J.C. Bowsey, depicting in five lights Christ the King flanked by the Four Evangelists. with St. Michael below flanked by four militant saints including St. George and Joan of Arc.
Stained Glass
1934
The east window of the Lady Chapel is by Geoffrey Webb, 1934, commemorating Charles Burrough, Vicar 1908-1914. It is of three lights.
Stained Glass
South wall, eastern window: also by Geoffrey Webb.
Stained Glass
1933
South wall, western window: to Professor Ramsay Wright, 1933, but the maker unidentified.
Interior
Interior Description
The single aisled bay of the nave has a tall arcade which embraces the clerestory, much as Tapper might have done, the actual arch of the arcade being reduced to secondary place within this. The reason is that the arcade continues right across the transepts, giving internally three bays to the nave, and resolving the awkwardness which can arise from large transepts which do not have a crossing space in which to join the nave.
The unification of arcade and clerestory within one unit is Camemphasized by an attached shaft which runs almost to the wall-head between each bay, having the same moulded capitals as are to be found throughout the interior of the building. The roof of the nave is a pine panelled wagon vault.
The transepts are wide, with similar panelled roofs, and are identical except for slight variations in the tracery. The north transept has a stair on the east wall which leads up to a small chapel over the vestry and an organ chamber facing into the chancel. The south transept in the corresponding position opens into the Lady Chapel through an ample arch. The windows in the south wall are set within arcades, an interesting feature, but one which makes the chapel dark. The east bay, which is narrower, has a stone credence shelf. The triple lights of the east window are also within an arcade carried on two large corbels carved as angels with scrolls. A reredos was evidently intended.
The chancel continues the rhythm of the nave, the two parts only minimally separated by the tall chancel arch which, if the hanging rood is excepted, hardly defines the change. The three bays of the side walls follow the example of the nave in having arches embracing the clerestory, the proportions being slightly changed by the taller clerestory windows which push the horizontal division lower than the nave. The arches open on north and south into the arcades mentioned above, except for the east bay where the rhythm is broken and there are four arches, four sedilia on the north and three sodilia and a piscina on the south.
Fixtures and fittings
Rail
The altar rails in the Lady Chapel are in Renaissance style by H.S. Rogers, in memory of Annie Alexandra Fisher who died in 1924. The uprights are turned balusters and plain panels, all in dark oak, of good quality.
Stall
The choirstalls are heavily designed, with fleur-de-lys finials.
Lectern
The lectern is a wooden eagle on a pedestal.
Rail
The plain traceried oak altar rails are in memory of someone who died in 1930.
Pulpit
Of oak.
Rail
The communion rails in the chapel of St. John may be old.
Font (object)
The font comes from the demolished church of St. John, and is therefore presumably by Street. It is a routine design, an octagonal bowl on short shafts with stiff leaf capitals.
Bells
Churchyard
Grid reference: SP 508 92
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 | 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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