Church of St Michael the Greater, Stamford facts for kids
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The Church of St Michael the Greater is a historic church in Stamford, Lincolnshire. It was built in a style called Gothic Revival. This means it looked like older Gothic churches. The church stands on the south side of Stamford High Street. It is on the same spot where an even older, Medieval church once stood. This building is a special Grade II listed building. This means it is protected because of its history. The churchyard wall is also listed separately.
It was named St Michael the Greater to tell it apart from another church in Stamford. That church was called ‘St Michael in Cornstall’.
Contents
History of the Church Building
The church's location in the middle of the old Medieval town suggests it is very old. It might even have been built before the Normans arrived in England. We know for sure it existed by the mid-1100s. At that time, it was owned by Crowland Abbey, a powerful monastery. It's possible Crowland Abbey even founded the church.
The Medieval Church
The original Medieval church had a main hall called a nave. It also had side sections called aisles. There was a special area for the altar called a chancel. This area had smaller chapels on its sides. The church was often used for important meetings. These included church courts and town council meetings. The building was changed a lot in the 1400s and again in the 1600s. Its western tower was made of wood until 1761. Then, it was rebuilt using stone.
Sadly, the old church fell down in 1832. This happened after the church leader, Reverend Charles Swan, removed some pillars inside the main hall. He probably thought it would make the church look better.
The Current Building
The church you see today was designed by John Brown. He was an architect from Norwich. It was built between 1835 and 1836. The church was made from Ketton stone. It was built mostly in the same shape and size as the old church. The style was based on the Lady Chapel of Salisbury Cathedral. People at the time, like the Stamford Mercury newspaper, really liked it.
The new church had a square tower at the west end. It also had iron railings around its outside. Inside, there were large galleries and fancy seating areas. The builders were Woolston and Collins. The church was first expected to cost £2,800 in 1834. But by the time it opened in 1836, the total cost was £4,000. Not much is left from the old Medieval building. Only two old stone carvings from the 1200s can be found in a hidden room under the west tower.
Changes and New Uses
The church stopped being used for services in 1974. For several years, people discussed what to do with it. Some even thought about tearing it down. Finally, in 1982, it was changed into shops.
Converting the Church
The company that did the conversion was Arthur Mull Associates. A famous expert named Nikolaus Pevsner said it was "an appalling conversion." This means he thought it was a terrible change. The inside of the church was completely changed and divided up. Its old plasterwork and stained-glass windows were destroyed.
Some items from the church were moved or sold. A special font from the 1400s was sent to St Nicholas Church, Leicester.
Old bells from the 1700s and silver church plates from the 1600s were also moved. The organ, built in 1863, was sent to a church in Northern Ireland in 1967.
The Churchyard Today
Six large shop windows were put into the north wall of the building. The shops now extend to the back of the building on the ground floor. The rest of the space is used for storage. A car park and delivery area were added at the back. This flattened much of the old Medieval churchyard.
However, some old gravestones and memorials from the 1700s and 1800s still remain. There is also a special chest tomb from the late 1600s. Even so, the remaining churchyard has been threatened with new buildings many times.
The churchyard is still looked after by South Kesteven District Council. In the 2000s, a memorial for the Holocaust was added. In 2016, new gates with the Stamford town crest were put in place.
