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Description

TF 15 SE BILLINGHAY CHURCH STREET (south side) 5/2 Church of St Michael 1.2.67 GV I Parish church. C12, C13, C14, C15, tower and spire rebuilt 1787, north aisle rebuilt 1856, spire again rebuilt 1912. Coursed limestone rubble and ashlar with ashlar dressings, and slate roofs. West tower with spire, nave with aisles, chancel, north vestry and south porch. 3 stage tower has moulded plinth and diagonal buttresses with set-offs plus a chamfered band below the bell stage. Above a stone octagonal broached spire with 2 sets of alternating lacarnes and 4 crocketed pinnacles at the corners. The west face has a small chamfered lancet, and above a C19 metal clock face with above again a small plaque inscribed W:K. 1787. The north and south faces are blank. At the bell stage each face has a single round-headed bell opening in chamfered surround. The C19 north aisle has a chamfered plinth and a single 2 light triangular headed window in the west wall. To the north 3 buttresses with set offs and between them 4 single light ogee headed lancets. To the east a small C19 lean-to vestry with 2 ogee headed lancets in flat headed surrounds. Beyond a C20 boilerhouse. The chancel has a deeply chamfered plinth, gabled angle buttresses, and coped gables with kneelers and cross finials. To the east a large 4-light window in flowing tracery in a pointed chamfered surround with a hood. The south wall has an off-centre priests doorway in a chamfered pointed surround with hood and plank door. To the left a 2-light reticulated tracery window, and to the right a 3-light flowing tracery window, both in chamfered pointed surrounds. Above the nave, a 4 bay clerestory, with on each side 4 pairs of single round headed cusped lancets within a shallow pointed and chamfered arch, each with a Tudor hood. The clerestory is topped by a chamfered parapet pierced on each side by 3 gargoyles. The south aisle has gabled angle buttresses with set-offs, to the east a 4-light panel tracery window in a deeply chamfered and moulded segment headed surround. The south wall has similar 2-light and 3-light panel tracery windows to the east, plus another similar 2-light window to the west beyond the porch. To the west another similar 4-light window. The south porch has a coped gable with gabled kneelers and a cross finial, plus stone benches inside. The outer opening has a double, pointed arch with a moulded and chamfered outer arch, and an inner-moulded arch with single respond with moulded capitals and bases. The inner doorway has a cavetto moulded, chamfered and pointed arch, with a fine early C18 raised and fielded panel door. Within the porch are two wall monuments to Anne Jessop 1807 and William Petchel 1861. Interior: 4-bay nave arcades, with double chamfered pointed arches. The north arcade has octagonal piers and responds with moulded capitals and bases. The south arcade has keeled quatrefoil piers and responds with moulded capitals and bases. The tower arch is double chamfered and pointed with single shaft responds with moulded capitals and bases. Above are 2 C18 commandment boards with the Lords Prayer and the Creed. Above again the earlier nave roof line is visible. The nave has a very fine C16 wooden roof, with wooden carved bosses. The chancel arch is double chamfered and pointed with octagonal responds with moulded capitals and bases. The chancel has a Minton tile floor, a small ogee headed piscina, and a C19 wood and brass altar rail. The stone octagonal, bowl and stem, font is C14 with 2-light panel tracer to each face. C20 wooden pews. C19 wooden choir stalls, pulpit and organ. 1888 stained glass east window. Two monuments in the chancel. Mary Hewitt 1746 with columns supporting an open segmental pediment containing shield, and Robert Hewitt 1760 in a lugged surround with side scroll brackets, surmounted by a skull and cross bones. The south aisle is C17 and the north aisle C19. The south aisle also has a small ogee headed piscina. Listing NGR: TF1568254938

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