St Michael's Church, Stretton en le Field facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Michael's Church,Stretton en le Field |
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St Michael's Church, Stretton en le Field,
from the northwest |
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| OS grid reference | SK 303 119 |
| Location | Stretton en le Field, Leicestershire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | Churches Conservation Trust |
| History | |
| Dedication | Saint Michael |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Redundant |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* |
| Designated | 24 November 1965 |
| Architect(s) | Christopher Spalding (restoration) |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic |
| Groundbreaking | 14th century |
| Completed | 1889 |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Sandstone |
St Michael's Church is an old Anglican church in the village of Stretton en le Field, Leicestershire, England. It is no longer used for regular church services. This special building is protected as a Grade II* listed building. This means it is a very important historic place. The Churches Conservation Trust looks after it today.
Contents
History of St Michael's Church
Most of the church building was first put together in the 1300s. The tall tower was added later, in the 1400s. In the 1500s, the clerestory was built. These are the upper windows that let in more light.
Over the next 300 years, more changes were made to the church. The spire, which is the pointy top of the tower, was rebuilt in 1889. Then, in 1911, a man named Christopher Spalding helped fix up the church. After it stopped being used for regular services, the Churches Conservation Trust took over its care.
Looking at the Church's Design
Outside the Church: What You See
The church is built from local sandstone. It has a main area called a nave, with a north aisle (a side section) and a south porch. There is also a chancel, which is the part near the altar. At the west end, there is a tower.
The tower has two main parts. The lower part has a window facing west. The upper part has one opening on each side for bells. The top edge of the tower looks like a castle wall, with battlements. On top of the tower is a spire that goes inwards.
The nave has a simple top edge. Its arched windows are split into two parts by a central stone bar called a mullion. The five windows in the clerestory are square. They are also divided into two sections by mullions. The north aisle has some windows, but some are now blocked up. There's also a doorway that is blocked, with a Tudor arch shape. The chancel has a battlemented top with pointy decorations called pinnacles. It has a large window facing east with five sections.
Inside the Church: What's Inside
Between the nave and the north aisle, there is a row of three arches called an arcade. In the wall of the aisle, you can still see parts of an old tomb with pinnacles. The floor of the church is made of square brick tiles. All the windows have leaded glass, which means small pieces of glass are held together by lead strips.
The wooden roof has carved decorations called bosses. It also has strange, carved figures called grotesques. The arch leading to the chancel looks like stone, but it's actually made of wood covered in stucco. This makes it look like stone.
The church has a full set of box pews from the 1700s. These are like individual wooden boxes for people to sit in. There's also a chancel rail from the same time, with turned wooden posts called balusters. The font, used for baptisms, is from around 1662.
There are also important memorials inside. One is a carved alabaster grave slab for Richard Savage, who died in 1489, and his wife, Agnes. Another is a brass plaque. It thanks God that eleven men from the village went to the Great War (World War I) from 1914 to 1918, and all eleven came back home safely. This makes Stretton en le Field one of the special "Thankful Villages" in England.
See also
