Listed Building record MDR2660 - St Michael's Church, Church Lane, Sutton on the Hill

St Michael's Church, Church Lane, Sutton on the Hill, originally a 14th century building. 'Domesday Book records that the manor of Sutton then possessed a church and a priest. The present church, which id dedicated to St Michael, consists of chancel, nave, north aisle, and tower surmounted by a broached spire at the west end. The body of the church was entirely rebuilt in 1863 and a new vestry to the north of the chancel and a south porch were erected in the place of their predecessors. A sketch of circa 1820 shows that the south side of the church was then lighted by square-headed debased windows. 'The present walls stand on the old foundations, and there seems to have been little or nothing that the most rigid antiquarian need regret in that which was removed in 1863. The fabric had been thoroughly cleared out of almost every detail of interest many years before that date…'. There were plans to take down the steeple in 1813 but this did not take place, although the spire had to be rebuilt in 1841 after it had been struck by lightning. The four pointed arches between the nave and aisle belong to the old building and are 14th century. In the foundations of the north aisle, 13 silver coins of the reign of Henry III were found in 1863. The two two-light windows and the priest's door on the south side of the chancel are also of the 14th century.' (1) 'St Michael's Church, Sutton-on-the-Hill has a 14th century west tower but the spire and the rest of the church were rebuilt in 1863 except the 14th century aisle arcade.' (2) 'In normal use.' (3) 'Church of St Michael, Grade II* Listed building. Parish church. 14th century, 1841 and rebuilt 1863.' (4) 'A watching brief was carried out in 2006 inside the base of the tower during the installation of a toilet. It had been anticipated that excavation might reveal evidence of earlier activity, such as burials or bell-founding. In the event the only deposit encountered below the tile floor of 1863 was a layer of bedding sand at least 300mm thick. Exposure of the foundation for the west jamb of the south door showed that the floor level was unchanged. It was noted that the relative isolation of St Michael's raises the question of whether the village has migrated. However, it seems more likely that the church was intentionally sited on the highest point to make it conspicuous to the scattered rural community. Continuity in use of the site from the earlier period is also supported by the finding in 1863 of a number of 13th century coins which pre-date the existing fabric of the church.' (6) 'A bell in St Michael's is of historical significance. Dating to circa 1400, it was made by J de Colsale.' (7) From the National Heritage List for England: 'SK 23 SW PARISH OF SUTTON ON THE HILL CHURCH LANE 3/51 (North Side) 19.1.67 Church of St Michael GV II* Parish church. C14, 1841 and rebuilt 1863. Ashlar sandstone with stone dressings, plinth and continuous sill stringcourse to nave. Graduated slate roof with crested ridge tiles, ridge crosses and moulded stone coped gables on gableted kneelers. Western steeple, nave with north aisle and lower chancel, north vestry and south porch. Three stage western tower has stepped full height set back buttresses and deep chamfered plinth. Pointed chamfered doorcase to south and central 2-light pointed window with cusped tracery to west, both set under dark red, stone relieving arches. Above each opening is a single central trefoil window with hood under similar relieving arch, southern one with clockface over. Third stage, slightly recessed, with chamfered string to base and pairs of chamfered louvred lancets with tracery trefoils to tops, under hoods and relieving arches, to all sides. Above, a moulded corbel table and large broached spire with gableted lucarnes to four sides and ball finial to top. North elevation of tower has a projecting staircase turret. North aisle has four C19 2-light windows, with quatrefoils over trefoil headed lights, and hoodmoulds over, also buttresses to either end and between the windows. Beyond, to east, north vestry has two pairs of adjoining trefoil headed lancets with buttress between. East elevation has diagonal buttresses to either side of chancel and central 3-light window. South chancel elevation has central pointed chamfered C19 doorcase with adjoining buttress to east, and beyond a Cl9 2-light pointed traceried window with hood, Similar window to west of door. South wall of nave has two large pointed C19 3-light windows with large quatrefoils over trefoil headed lights and a single lancet with quatrefoil over trefoil headed light beyond south porch to west. South porch has deep moulded pointed arch on nook shafts with waterleaf capitals and simple double chamfered pointed inner door. Interior has much restored C14 four bay north arcade with double chamfered pointed arches on octagonal columns and moulded capitals, chamfered hoods with carved labelstops over. C19 pointed chancel arch with moulded soffit support by columnar corbels with waterleaf capitals. Tall narrow double chamfered tower arch, probably original, but much restored. Also double chamfered arch through from chancel to north organ bay. All roofs C19, as are the choir stalls with fleur de lys poppyheads, the octagonal stone font with decorated tracery to sides of bowl, the wooden screen across the tower arch and the nave pews. Marble pulpit with cusped panelling and the similar reredos are probably C20. To north side of chancel arch is a large stone statue of Joan of Arc, which is also C20. To north side of chancel is a magnificent re-set C17 wall tomb with segmental headed niche, topped by achievements, in which are various plaques and inscribed cartouches to the Sleigh family and to the base of which is a painted coffin. The base has semi-circular niches with painted coats of arms in and above two inscribed panels, dated 1634 and 1679. Nave has one marble and slate memorial to William Eaton of 1858 and various C20 memorials. East window and two south nave windows have stained glass of c1863. Listing NGR: SK2374434239.' (8)