St Michael's Church, Beetham
Encyclopedia
St Michael's Church, Beetham, stands in the village of Beetham
, Cumbria
, England. It is an active Anglican
parish church
in the deanery of Kendal, the archdeaconry of Westmoreland and Furness, and the diocese of Carlisle
. The church has been designated by English Heritage
as a Grade I listed building.
was added in about 1200, and the chancel
was extended during the 13th century. In the following century the Beetham chapel was added, the south aisle was widened in the 15th century, and in the 16th century the top stage of the tower was built. In the 1870s the church was restored
and a south porch was added. In the Buildings of England
series, Hyde and Pevsner
state that this was carried out by Joseph Bintley, whereas Price attributes it to the Lancaster
architects Paley and Austin.
, mainly limestone
, with sandstone
dressings. It is roofed in lead. The plan is rectangular, incorporating a nave
and chancel with a clerestory
, north and south aisles, a north vestry
and a south chapel. The church also has a south porch, and a west tower in two stages. The lower stage of the tower contains a west doorway dating from the 14th century, above which is a two-light window. The upper stage is slightly corbel
led-out and contains three-light bell openings. At the top is a battlement
ed parapet
with crocket
ted pinnacle
s and a 20th-century weathervane. At the east end of the church, the chancel has a 19th-century five-light window, and both aisles contain a 15th-century three-light window. At the west end is a 15th-century three-light window to the left of the tower, and a late 14th-century two-light window to the right. On the south side of the church is a gable
d porch, and two- or three-light windows. On the north side is a doorway and five 15th-century three-light windows. All the windows are in Perpendicular style.
is in Norman
style with cylindrical piers
and round arches. The north arcade dates from the 15th century, with octagonal piers and pointed arches. The octagonal font
cover dates from 1636. Most of the other furnishings date from the 19th and 20th centuries. The south window in the southeast chapel contains fragments of medieval
and 17th-century stained glass. These were re-set in the 1870s by Frederick Burrow, who also worked on other windows. The east window dates from 1881 and is by Heaton, Butler and Bayne
. Some of the windows in the nave were designed by Shrigley and Hunt
. The oldest monument is in the southeast chapel, a tomb with effigies
dating from about 1490, which was damaged in 1647.
-style cross standing on sandstone steps, and surrounded by limestone walls. A plaque has been added to commemorate the Second World War. It has been designated as a Grade II listed building.
Beetham
Beetham is a village and civil parish in Cumbria, England, situated on the border with Lancashire. It is part of the Arnside and Silverdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.-Demography:The parish had a population of 1,724 recorded in the 2001 census,...
, Cumbria
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
, England. It is an active 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...
parish church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
in the deanery of Kendal, the archdeaconry of Westmoreland and Furness, and the diocese of Carlisle
Diocese of Carlisle
The Diocese of Carlisle was created in 1133 by Henry I out of part of the Diocese of Durham, although many people of Celtic descent in the area looked to Glasgow for spiritual leadership. The first bishop was Æthelwold, formerly the king's confessor and now prior of the Augustinian priory at...
. The church 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 I listed building.
History
It is possible that the oldest existing part of the church, the lower part of the tower, dates from the Anglo-Saxon era. The south aisleAisle
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...
was added in about 1200, and the 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...
was extended during the 13th century. In the following century the Beetham chapel was added, the south aisle was widened in the 15th century, and in the 16th century the top stage of the tower was built. In the 1870s the church was restored
Victorian restoration
Victorian restoration is the term commonly used to refer to the widespread and extensive refurbishment and rebuilding of Church of England churches and cathedrals that took place in England and Wales during the 19th-century reign of Queen Victoria...
and a south porch was added. In the Buildings of England
Pevsner Architectural Guides
The Pevsner Architectural Guides are a series of guide books to the architecture of the British Isles. Begun in the 1940s by art historian Sir Nikolaus Pevsner, the 46 volumes of the Buildings of England series were published between 1951 and 1975. The series was then extended to Scotland and...
series, Hyde and Pevsner
Nikolaus Pevsner
Sir Nikolaus Bernhard Leon Pevsner, CBE, FBA was a German-born British scholar of history of art and, especially, of history of architecture...
state that this was carried out by Joseph Bintley, whereas Price attributes it to the Lancaster
Lancaster, Lancashire
Lancaster is the county town of Lancashire, England. It is situated on the River Lune and has a population of 45,952. Lancaster is a constituent settlement of the wider City of Lancaster, local government district which has a population of 133,914 and encompasses several outlying towns, including...
architects Paley and Austin.
Exterior
The church is constructed in rubbleRubble
Rubble is broken stone, of irregular size, shape and texture. This word is closely connected in derivation with "rubbish", which was formerly also applied to what we now call "rubble". Rubble naturally found in the soil is known also as brash...
, mainly limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
, with sandstone
Sandstone
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,...
dressings. It is roofed in lead. The plan is rectangular, incorporating 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...
and chancel with a clerestory
Clerestory
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...
, north and south aisles, a north vestry
Vestry
A vestry is a room in or attached to a church or synagogue in which the vestments, vessels, records, etc., are kept , and in which the clergy and choir robe or don their vestments for divine service....
and a south chapel. The church also has a south porch, and a west tower in two stages. The lower stage of the tower contains a west doorway dating from the 14th century, above which is a two-light window. The upper stage is slightly corbel
Corbel
In architecture a corbel is a piece of stone jutting out of a wall to carry any superincumbent weight. A piece of timber projecting in the same way was called a "tassel" or a "bragger". The technique of corbelling, where rows of corbels deeply keyed inside a wall support a projecting wall or...
led-out and contains three-light bell openings. At the top is a 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 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...
with crocket
Crocket
A crocket is a hook-shaped decorative element common in Gothic architecture. It is in the form of a stylised carving of curled leaves, buds or flowers which is used at regular intervals to decorate the sloping edges of spires, finials, pinnacles, and wimpergs....
ted 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 20th-century weathervane. At the east end of the church, the chancel has a 19th-century five-light window, and both aisles contain a 15th-century three-light window. At the west end is a 15th-century three-light window to the left of the tower, and a late 14th-century two-light window to the right. On the south side of the church is a gable
Gable
A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of a sloping roof. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system being used and aesthetic concerns. Thus the type of roof enclosing the volume dictates the shape of the gable...
d porch, and two- or three-light windows. On the north side is a doorway and five 15th-century three-light windows. All the windows are in Perpendicular style.
Interior
The south arcadeArcade (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....
is in Norman
Norman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
style with cylindrical piers
Pier (architecture)
In architecture, a pier is an upright support for a superstructure, such as an arch or bridge. Sections of wall between openings function as piers. The simplest cross section of the pier is square, or rectangular, although other shapes are also common, such as the richly articulated piers of Donato...
and round arches. The north arcade dates from the 15th century, with octagonal piers and pointed arches. The octagonal 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:...
cover dates from 1636. Most of the other furnishings date from the 19th and 20th centuries. The south window in the southeast chapel contains fragments of medieval
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
and 17th-century stained glass. These were re-set in the 1870s by Frederick Burrow, who also worked on other windows. The east window dates from 1881 and is by Heaton, Butler and Bayne
Heaton, Butler and Bayne
Heaton, Butler and Bayne is the name of an English firm who produced stained glass windows from 1855 onwards.-History:Clement Heaton originally founded his own stained glass firm in 1852, joined by James Butler in 1855. Between 1859-61 they worked alongside Clayton and Bell and were joined by...
. Some of the windows in the nave were designed by Shrigley and Hunt
Shrigley and Hunt
Shrigley and Hunt was the name of an English firm which produced stained glass windows and art tiles.The business began in the 1750s when Shrigley's was a painting, carving and gilding firm in Lancaster, Lancashire....
. The oldest monument is in the southeast chapel, a tomb with effigies
Effigy
An effigy is a representation of a person, especially in the form of sculpture or some other three-dimensional form.The term is usually associated with full-length figures of a deceased person depicted in stone or wood on church monuments. These most often lie supine with hands together in prayer,...
dating from about 1490, which was damaged in 1647.
External features
In the churchyard is a war memorial to the First World War, consisting of a sandstone CelticCeltic cross
A Celtic cross is a symbol that combines a cross with a ring surrounding the intersection. In the Celtic Christian world it was combined with the Christian cross and this design was often used for high crosses – a free-standing cross made of stone and often richly decorated...
-style cross standing on sandstone steps, and surrounded by limestone walls. A plaque has been added to commemorate the Second World War. It has been designated as a Grade II listed building.
See also
- Grade I listed buildings in Cumbria
- List of ecclesiastical works by Paley and Austin