About Us

A little gem - Grade 1 listed - nestling on the Northern Border of the Parish, abutting Scotland - near the source of the river Aln. 

The site of St Michael's has been a place where people have congregated for many years, and it is believed that the original church was built on the site of a small Roman camp. The church is of Saxon foundation. The present building dates largely from the late 12th- early 13th centuries. The earliest written records of a place of worship on the site is 1135. The church was restored in 1870 and in 1953.

St Michael's has had a new lease of life following the work and investment into the building in 2018/19 made possible by a major Heritage Lottery grant, donations and fundraising making it a more welcoming and usable space. It now has a kitchen, WC, heating and internet. It is licensed for weddings, baptisms and funerals and is open 24/7. During the refurbishment the pews were taken out and replaced by chairs which can be moved to create an open space or different seating configurations. The church is essentially a multi-function community asset. However, primarily, it is still a place of worship.

It has an open churchyard maintained by the congregation with a little help from the sheep that regularly graze in the churchyard to keep the grass down! We follow set services without too much formality. There is a monthly Eucharistic service on the first Sunday attended by on average 12 people, followed by 'get together over coffee. The majority of attendees live in Alnham, with regular worshippers also coming from Netherton. Since the pandemic, there has been a degree of revitalisation within the congregation and we see ourselves building on this in the future.

Alnham Church and hosting Bailiffgate Museum Out of Town Project

There is a long-standing association with the Kings Priory School in Tynemouth whose choirs come toSt Michael's bringing their music and participation to special services such as Remembrance Sunday and at Christmas. A highlight of our year is our Christmas Eve service which attracts people from far and wide. Normally standing room only!The village has a mix of ages and social groups. As part of our community activities, we host an annual village summer lunch. Whilst it is a key fund-raising event, it is also an important social occasion when adults and children can come together to celebrate the life in Alnham and be reminded that the church is always there. In 2023 we hosted over 100 people (big and small). We have also hosted various talks; exhibitions; bat, bird and dark sky watches, and held commemorative services for two local shepherds who died during a blizzard in 1962.

Members from St Michael's regularly worship at St Michael &Al Angels, Alwinton and St Mary the Virgin, Holystone and there is mutual support for fund raising activities.