St Michael's Church is in Church Lane, Aughton, Lancashire, England. It is an active Anglican parish church in the deanery of Ormskirk, the archdeaconry of Wigan & West Lancashire, and the diocese of Liverpool. Its benefice is united with that of Holy Trinity, Bickerstaffe.[1] The church is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade I listed building.[2]
| St Michael's Church, Aughton | |
|---|---|
 St Michael's Church, Aughton, from the south | |
  St Michael's Church, Aughton Location in West Lancashire | |
| 53°32′31″N 2°55′11″W / 53.5419°N 2.9198°W | |
| OS grid reference | SD 392 054 |
| Location | Church Lane, Aughton, Lancashire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Churchmanship | Broad/Central |
| Website | St Michael, Aughton |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade I |
| Designated | 11 October 1968 |
| Architect(s) | W. and J. Hey (restoration) |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Norman, Gothic, Gothic Revival |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Sandstone, stone slate roofs |
| Administration | |
| Province | York |
| Diocese | Liverpool |
| Archdeaconry | Warrington |
| Deanery | Ormskirk |
| Parish | St Michael, Aughton |
| Clergy | |
| Rector | Revd Capt Andrew Housley CA |
| Laity | |
| Reader(s) | Bill Glennon |
| Parish administrator | James Parsons |
History
editThe oldest fabric in the church is a blocked Norman doorway, and an adjacent section of the wall. The nave and steeple date from the 14th century,[3] and a chancel was present in the 15th century.[2] In about 1545–48 the north aisle was rebuilt, replacing an earlier, narrower aisle.[3] The church was restored in 1876 by W. and J. Hey, during which the chancel and the west windows of the nave and aisle were rebuilt.[2][3] There was a further restoration in 1913–14 when the north vestry was enlarged.[3]
Architecture
editExterior
editThe church is constructed in local grey-brown sandstone,[3] with stone slate roofs.[2] Its plan consists of a nave with a south porch, a north aisle of similar width to the nave, a chancel with a north chapel and a vestry to the north of that, and a steeple in the east angle between the nave and the aisle. The tower broaches to an octagonal bell stage, and this is surmounted by a spire. The window at the west end of the nave and of the aisle each has four lights. In the south wall of the nave are three two-light windows and one window with three lights. To the east of the porch is a blocked Norman doorway, which is partly hidden by a buttress. There are three three-light windows in the south wall of the chancel, and at the east end of the chancel is a five-light window. The east end of the chapel contains a three-light window, with another three-light window above it. Along the wall of the aisle are four three-light windows, and there is a two-light window on the north side of the tower.[2]
Interior
editInside the church is a four-bay arcade, beyond which is the tower arch. In a recess in the north wall of the chancel is a 19th-century chest tomb. The chancel roof is supported by corbels carved with angels.[2] The octagonal font is in Decorated style. In a recess in the north wall of the church is part of an Anglo-Saxon cross-head, which has been dated to about 850. Under the tower is a medieval graveslab. A window on the north side of the church contains fragments of medieval glass.[3] There is a ring of six bells; four of these were cast in 1715 by Abraham Rudhall I, and the other two in 1935 by Gillett and Johnston.[4]
External features
editIn the churchyard, to the south of the church, is the sandstone base of a medieval cross, consisting of a square base containing a square socket.[5] The churchyard contains war graves of a Royal Army Medical Corps officer of World War I, and two airmen and an officer and sergeant of the Royal Artillery of World War II.[6]
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ St Michael, Aughton, Church of England, retrieved 15 June 2012
- ^ a b c d e f Historic England, "Church of St Michael, Aughton (1361837)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 15 June 2012
- ^ a b c d e f Pollard, Richard; Pevsner, Nikolaus (2006), Lancashire: Liverpool and the South-West, The Buildings of England, New Haven and London: Yale University Press, pp. 142–144, ISBN 0-300-10910-5
- ^ Aughton, S Michael, Dove's Guide for Church Bell Ringers, retrieved 15 June 2012
- ^ Historic England, "Cross base approximately 20 metres south of Church of St Michael, Aughton (1073130)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 15 June 2012
- ^ AUGHTON (ST. MICHAEL) CHURCHYARD, Commonwealth War Graves Commission, retrieved 12 February 2013