Church History

The Church of St. Michaels and All Angels

Formerly dedicated to St. Michael alone, stands at the eastern end of the Parish, set back well above the road. It is built of ashlar and has a chancel with north vestry, nave with north aisle and south porch, and west tower.

The body of the church was rebuilt to the designs of J. M. Allen in 1859, the north vestry added in 1877, and the tower largely reconstructed in 1882.

The nave and chancel of the old church were probably 14th century or earlier, and the three-stage tower was added in the early 16th century.

The new church may have followed the plan of its predecessor but the features were not copied and are now in a plain 15th-century style.

The stained glass windows in the north aisle with the figures of the Good Shepherd, St. Peter and St. Paul are by Philip Palmer of London, and are part of the glass originally installed in the east window following the rebuilding of 1859

The tower west window was also by Palmer in simply patterned glass, but only the tracery lights now survive.

The present east window, installed as a memorial to the Rev. C H Norwood (ob. 1888) was designed by John Hardman Powell and the World War 1 memorial window in the south nave is by Powells of Whitefriars, London. ( Almost identical figures occur in a window at St. Eustace, Tavistock ).

The font is a plain Norman pedestal type seemingly reworked and tidied up in the 19th century.

The altar rail dates from the late 17th century and the pulpit may be of similar date, but probably considerably later.

The plate includes a cup of 1574 by ‘M.H.’

The registers date from 1678 and are complete from 1681.

There are six bells; (i) 1970, Whitechapel foundry; (ii and iii) 1898, Mears & Stainbank; (iv) 1921, Mears & Stainbank; (v)15th century – medieval, Exeter foundry; (vi) 1733, William Knight of Closworth.