kids encyclopedia robot

St Michael's Church, Bowness-on-Solway facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
St Michael's Church
St Michael's Church, Bowness-on-Solway.jpeg
St Michael's Church from the southwest
Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
OS grid reference NY 224,627
Location Bowness-on-Solway, Cumbria
Country England
Denomination Anglican
Website St Michael, Bowness-on-Solway
History
Status Parish church
Dedication Saint Michael
Architecture
Functional status Active
Heritage designation Grade II*
Designated 11 April 1967
Architect(s) Paley, Austin and Paley
(north transept)
Style Norman, English Gothic architecture, Gothic Revival
Groundbreaking 12th century
Specifications
Diameter 1891
Materials Sandstone, slate roofs
Administration
Parish Bowness
Deanery Carlisle
Archdeaconry Carlisle
Diocese Carlisle
Province York

St Michael's Church is a historic church located in the small village of Bowness-on-Solway, in Cumbria, England. It is a working Anglican church, meaning it's part of the Church of England. This church is very special because it's listed as a Grade II* building on the National Heritage List for England. This means it's an important historical building that needs to be protected.

History of St Michael's Church

St Michael's Church is very old, first built in the 12th century. That's over 800 years ago! The church was repaired and updated in the 1700s. Later, in 1891, a new part called a north transept was added. This new section was designed by famous architects from Lancaster named Paley, Austin and Paley.

Architecture and Design

What is St Michael's Church Made Of?

St Michael's Church is built using red and light-colored sandstone. Much of this stone actually came from the famous Hadrian's Wall, which is very close by. The roof of the church is made from green slate.

How is the Church Designed?

The church has a main area called a nave, which has four sections. There's also a small entrance on the south side called a porch. On the north side, you'll find the transept, which is like a wing of the church. The front part of the church, where the altar is, is called the chancel. It has a small room next to it called a vestry.

At the west end of the church, there's a special double bell tower called a bellcote. It stands on a large support called a buttress. This bellcote has arched openings and a pyramid-shaped roof.

Doors and Windows

The church has two old doorways, one on the north side and one on the south. Both of these doors are from the original Norman style, which was popular in the 12th century. They are a bit damaged but still show their ancient design.

There is also one Norman window on the north side of the chancel. The other windows in the church were added later, during the Victorian times. Most of these are tall, narrow windows called lancet windows. However, the windows at the very front (east) and south sides of the chancel are larger, with three sections of glass.

Inside the Church

The font, which is used for baptisms, is also very old and dates back to the Norman period. Its base was added in 1848.

The beautiful stained glass in the east window was made in 1891 by an artist named Daniel Bell. Other stained glass windows were added in the 20th century. For example, in the north transept, there are windows from 1900 by Clayton and Bell and from 1918 by Powells.

On the west side of the church, you can see two windows from 1954 by Millican, Baguley and Atkinson. On the south side, there's a window from 1957 by A. E. Buss that shows the story of the Good Samaritan. You'll also find windows from 1990 by R. R. Nichol, showing Jesus with young people, and a window from 1999 by Alex Haynes, which shows Saint Michael, the church's patron saint.

Images for kids

See also

  • Grade II* listed buildings in Allerdale
  • Listed buildings in Bowness
  • List of works by Paley, Austin and Paley
kids search engine
St Michael's Church, Bowness-on-Solway Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.