St Michael and All Angels Church, Hawkshead facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St Michael and All Angels Church, Hawkshead
St Michael and All Angels Church, Hawkshead, from the northwest
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OS grid reference	SD 352 981
Location	Hawkshead, Cumbria
Country	England
Denomination	Anglican
Website	St Michael, Hawkshead
History
Status	Parish church
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Heritage designation	Grade I
Designated	22 March 1970
Architectural type	Church
Style	Gothic, Gothic Revival
Specifications
Materials	Stone, slate roofs
Administration
Parish	Hawkshead with Low Wray
Deanery	Windermere
Archdeaconry	Westmorland and Furness
Diocese	Carlisle
Province	York

St Michael and All Angels Church is a beautiful old church located in the village of Hawkshead, which is in Cumbria, England. It is an active Anglican church, meaning it belongs to the Church of England. This church is a special place for the local community.

It is known as a parish church, which means it serves a specific area or "parish." St Michael and All Angels is part of a larger group of churches in the area. It is also a very important historical building. It is listed as a Grade I building in the National Heritage List for England. This means it is considered to be of exceptional national interest. Experts have even called it "one of the best Lake District churches."

History of the Church

The story of St Michael and All Angels Church began a very long time ago. There was a small chapel on this spot way back in the 12th century. Around the year 1300, this chapel was made longer, reaching the size of the church we see today.

How the Church Grew

In the 1500s, more parts were added to the church. These included the north and south aisles, which are the side sections of the church. In 1578, the church became a full parish church, instead of just a small chapel. Many people believe this happened thanks to Edwin Sandys. He was born in Hawkshead and later became a very important church leader, the Archbishop of York.

In 1585, the roof of the main part of the church, called the nave, was made taller. This also created the clerestory, which is a row of windows high up on the walls. Around 1793, a vestry (a room for clergy and church items) and a hearse house were built.

Art and Changes Over Time

In 1680, an artist named James Addison was hired to decorate the inside of the church. He cleaned the walls and painted 26 Bible verses with fancy borders. He also added borders around the pillars and arches. These paintings were refreshed in 1711–12 by William Mackerath. He even added a list of the churchwardens (people who help manage the church) and a special message in the local dialect near the pulpit. These paintings were later restored again in 1875.

Towards the end of the 1800s, some changes were made to the outside of the church. The plaster-like coating was removed, and decorative battlements (like small castle walls) and pinnacles (pointed tops) were added to the tower. A new entrance porch was built on the south side in 1935. In 1965, a new pipe organ was put in, which allowed for a new chapel dedicated to St James to be created.

What Does the Church Look Like?

St Michael and All Angels Church is built from rough stone, and its roof is made of slate. It has a simple layout with a main hall (the nave and chancel) and side sections (aisles and chapels). It also has a tower at the west end and a porch on the south side.

Outside Features

The tower on the west side has a main door with a two-part window above it. On the south side of the tower, you can see a small window and a clock. The openings where the bells are located have wooden slats and flat tops. The top of the tower has a decorative wall with pointed decorations at the corners.

The side sections of the church have windows with stone bars, called mullions, that divide them into smaller parts. The north chapel, also known as the Sandys chapel, has a special window on its east side and a large five-part window on its north side. Above a doorway here, you can see the Sandys family's coat of arms and the year 1578. High up on the main walls, the clerestory has four three-part windows on each side. The large window at the east end of the church has five parts with beautiful stone patterns.

Inside the Church

The inside of the church is covered in a thick layer of whitewash, making it look bright. The main arches that separate the central part from the side aisles are rounded. They rest on round pillars that do not have fancy tops or bases.

The old wall paintings mentioned earlier are still visible inside the church. In the north chapel, there is a special stone tomb from 1578. It belongs to the parents of Archbishop Sandys and has stone figures lying on top. On the west wall, you can find impressive monuments that were moved here in 1878 from another church in London that was torn down.

The colorful stained glass window at the east end was made in 1894 by a company called Hardman. Other stained glass windows on the south side were made between 1884 and 1901 by H. W. Lonsdale. The church has a large pipe organ with two keyboards, built in 1965 by Rushworth and Dreaper.

The church also has a set of eight bells that can be rung. Five of these bells were made in 1765. One bell from 1810 might have been made by John Stevenson, and the last two were made in 1958 by John Taylor.

Outside the Church Building

In the churchyard, there is an old sundial with a metal plate dated 1693. This sundial is also a listed building, recognized for its historical importance.

See also

• Grade I listed churches in Cumbria
• Grade I listed buildings in Cumbria
• Listed buildings in Hawkshead