St Michael's Church, Stretton en le Field
Encyclopedia
St Michael's Church, Stretton en le Field, is a redundant
Anglican
church in the village of Stretton en le Field
, Leicestershire
, England . It has been designated by English Heritage
as a Grade II* listed building, and is under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust
.
in the following century. More alterations were made in the following three centuries. The spire was rebuilt in 1889, and in 1911 a restoration was carried out by Christopher Spalding. After it was declared redundant, the church was vested
in the Churches Conservation Trust.
. Its plan consists of a nave
with a north aisle
and a south porch, a chancel
, and a west tower. The tower is in two stages. In the lower stage is a west Perpendicular window, and the upper stage contains a single-light bell opening on each side. The parapet
is battlement
ed, and on top of the tower is a recessed spire. The nave has a plain parapet and its arched windows have been divided by central mullion
s. The five windows in the clerestory are square-headed, and are also divided into two lights by mullions. The north aisle has windows, some of which are blocked, and a doorway, also blocked, under a Tudor arch. The chancel has a battlemented parapet with pinnacle
s, and a Perpendicular five-light east window.
arcade
. In the wall of the aisle are the remnants of a tomb recess with pinnacles. The church is floored with square brick tiles. All the windows contain leaded lights
. The timber roof has bosses
and carved grotesque
figures. The chancel arch appears to be made of stone, but it is in fact wooden and covered with stucco
, giving it the appearance of stone. The church contains a full set of 18th-century box pew
s, and a chancel rail with turned baluster
s from the same period. The font
dates from about 1662. The memorials include a carved alabaster
grave slab to Richard Savage who died in 1489, and his wife, Agnes.
Redundant church
A redundant church is a church building that is no longer required for regular public worship. The phrase is particularly used to refer to former Anglican buildings in the United Kingdom, but may refer to any disused church building around the world...
Anglican
Anglicanism
Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
church in the village of Stretton en le Field
Stretton en le Field
Stretton en le Field is a civil parish and hamlet in the North West Leicestershire district of Leicestershire, England. It is about seven miles south-west of Ashby de la Zouch, and according to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 36....
, Leicestershire
Leicestershire
Leicestershire is a landlocked county in the English Midlands. It takes its name from the heavily populated City of Leicester, traditionally its administrative centre, although the City of Leicester unitary authority is today administered separately from the rest of Leicestershire...
, England . It has been designated by English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
as a Grade II* listed building, and is under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust
Churches Conservation Trust
The Churches Conservation Trust, which was initially known as the Redundant Churches Fund, is a charity whose purpose is to protect historic churches at risk, those that have been made redundant by the Church of England. The Trust was established by the Pastoral Measure of 1968...
.
History
Most of the fabric in the church dates from the 14th century. The tower was added in the 15th century, and the clerestoryClerestory
Clerestory is an architectural term that historically denoted an upper level of a Roman basilica or of the nave of a Romanesque or Gothic church, the walls of which rise above the rooflines of the lower aisles and are pierced with windows. In modern usage, clerestory refers to any high windows...
in the following century. More alterations were made in the following three centuries. The spire was rebuilt in 1889, and in 1911 a restoration was carried out by Christopher Spalding. After it was declared redundant, the church was vested
Vesting
In law, vesting is to give an immediately secured right of present or future enjoyment. One has a vested right to an asset that cannot be taken away by any third party, even though one may not yet possess the asset. When the right, interest or title to the present or future possession of a legal...
in the Churches Conservation Trust.
Exterior
The church is constructed in local sandstoneSandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
. Its plan consists of a nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
with a north aisle
Aisle
An aisle is, in general, a space for walking with rows of seats on both sides or with rows of seats on one side and a wall on the other...
and a south porch, a chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
, and a west tower. The tower is in two stages. In the lower stage is a west Perpendicular window, and the upper stage contains a single-light bell opening on each side. The parapet
Parapet
A parapet is a wall-like barrier at the edge of a roof, terrace, balcony or other structure. Where extending above a roof, it may simply be the portion of an exterior wall that continues above the line of the roof surface, or may be a continuation of a vertical feature beneath the roof such as a...
is battlement
Battlement
A battlement in defensive architecture, such as that of city walls or castles, comprises a parapet , in which portions have been cut out at intervals to allow the discharge of arrows or other missiles. These cut-out portions form crenels...
ed, and on top of the tower is a recessed spire. The nave has a plain parapet and its arched windows have been divided by central mullion
Mullion
A mullion is a vertical structural element which divides adjacent window units. The primary purpose of the mullion is as a structural support to an arch or lintel above the window opening. Its secondary purpose may be as a rigid support to the glazing of the window...
s. The five windows in the clerestory are square-headed, and are also divided into two lights by mullions. The north aisle has windows, some of which are blocked, and a doorway, also blocked, under a Tudor arch. The chancel has a battlemented parapet with pinnacle
Pinnacle
A pinnacle is an architectural ornament originally forming the cap or crown of a buttress or small turret, but afterwards used on parapets at the corners of towers and in many other situations. The pinnacle looks like a small spire...
s, and a Perpendicular five-light east window.
Interior
Between the nave and the north aisle is a three-bayBay (architecture)
A bay is a unit of form in architecture. This unit is defined as the zone between the outer edges of an engaged column, pilaster, or post; or within a window frame, doorframe, or vertical 'bas relief' wall form.-Defining elements:...
arcade
Arcade (architecture)
An arcade is a succession of arches, each counterthrusting the next, supported by columns or piers or a covered walk enclosed by a line of such arches on one or both sides. In warmer or wet climates, exterior arcades provide shelter for pedestrians....
. In the wall of the aisle are the remnants of a tomb recess with pinnacles. The church is floored with square brick tiles. All the windows contain leaded lights
Leadlight
Leadlights or leaded lights are decorative windows made of small sections of glass supported in lead cames. The technique of creating windows using glass and lead came is discussed at lead came and copper foil glasswork...
. The timber roof has bosses
Boss (architecture)
In architecture, a boss is a knob or protrusion of stone or wood.Bosses can often be found in the ceilings of buildings, particularly at the intersection of a vault. In Gothic architecture, such roof bosses are often intricately carved with foliage, heraldic devices or other decorations...
and carved grotesque
Grotesque
The word grotesque comes from the same Latin root as "Grotto", meaning a small cave or hollow. The original meaning was restricted to an extravagant style of Ancient Roman decorative art rediscovered and then copied in Rome at the end of the 15th century...
figures. The chancel arch appears to be made of stone, but it is in fact wooden and covered with stucco
Stucco
Stucco or render is a material made of an aggregate, a binder, and water. Stucco is applied wet and hardens to a very dense solid. It is used as decorative coating for walls and ceilings and as a sculptural and artistic material in architecture...
, giving it the appearance of stone. The church contains a full set of 18th-century box pew
Box pew
Box pew is a type of church pew that is encased in panelling and was prevalent in England and other Protestant countries from the 16th to early 19th century.-History in England:...
s, and a chancel rail with turned baluster
Baluster
A baluster is a moulded shaft, square or of lathe-turned form, one of various forms of spindle in woodwork, made of stone or wood and sometimes of metal, standing on a unifying footing, and supporting the coping of a parapet or the handrail of a staircase. Multiplied in this way, they form a...
s from the same period. The font
Baptismal font
A baptismal font is an article of church furniture or a fixture used for the baptism of children and adults.-Aspersion and affusion fonts:...
dates from about 1662. The memorials include a carved alabaster
Alabaster
Alabaster is a name applied to varieties of two distinct minerals, when used as a material: gypsum and calcite . The former is the alabaster of the present day; generally, the latter is the alabaster of the ancients...
grave slab to Richard Savage who died in 1489, and his wife, Agnes.