Description

BURWELL CHURCH LANE
TF 37 NE (north side)

8/8 Church of
St. Michael
9.3.67

I

Parish church. Early C12, late C15, early C16, late C18, C19,
C20. Green sandstone rubble blocks, limestone ashlar dressings,
some red brick. Lead roofs with some slate. West tower, nave
with south porch and chancel. Early C16 3 stage west tower with
3 stage clasping buttresses and plinth, sundial above south-west
buttress. West doorway with flattened triangular head,
continuous bowtell moulded surround, hood mould and plank door.
Moulded string courses define the second stage with pointed
window with bowtell moulded surround, 3 pointed cusped lights,
panel tracery and hood mould. Clock above. South side upper
part of second stage of late C18 brick with small lancet. Bell
openings on all 4 sides, the upper parts of bell stage of C18
brick; all the openings with pointed heads, bowtell moulded
surrounds and shuttering. Stone coped battlements with moulded
ashlar eaves and corner gargoyles. Nave with brick patched
eaves. North side with single late C15 rectangular window with 3
cusped ogee headed lights. Masonry breaks to left and right with
some brick patching. C20 2 light wooden casement beyond. C13
chancel with single lancet in north side with hood mould. C20
brick patching to left. East end with early C16 window inserted
with four centred head, bowtell moulded surround, 3 pointed
cusped lights and hood mould. South side of chancel with large
late C15 rectangular window with 3 ogee headed cusped lights and
hood mould. Early C18 table tomb set below against wall with
skull and laurels decorating the east and west ends, and looped
draperies, the south side; inscription illegible. C20 2 and 3
stage buttresses help support south wall of nave with outline of
2 pointed blocked arcade bays with 2 narrower, lower pointed
blocked arcade bays to west. Late C15 window inserted to east
with 3 cusped ogee headed lights, hood mould and crude head label
stops. C16 rectangular window to left with 3 rectangular lights,
hood mould and crude head label stops. Late C18 gabled porch to
west with re-used C15 semi-circular headed doorway with
continuous moulded surround, tumbled gables and inner C15 doorway
with barely pointed head, continuous double chamfered surround,
hood mould, single head label stop and double plank doors. Late
C15 interior tower arch with double chamfered, pointed head,
polygonal responds and moulded imposts. Early C12 chancel arch
of 4 orders and with semi-circular head; inner order of arch
with triangular sub chip-star decoration, 2 roll moulded orders
and outer billeted order, outer rectangular jambs with sub chip-
star decorated imposts; inner single shaft with moulded
capitals, one with dancing stags, the other crude volutes.
Fragment of C12 wall painting with crowned head and initial "M"
above arch to north. In tower roof 3 elongated wingless angels
re-set, probably from original roof. Ornate late C19 oak altar
rail of bold grapes and vineleaves. C19 reredos with 5 arched
panels containing tracery and ornate piers. Early C15 flowered
statue bracket. C15 octagonal font with shields contained in
cusped panels, traceried pedestal and plinth with inscription
saying it was the gift of Thomas Fitzwilliam. C17 pine pulpit
with 4 sides with blank arches, panelled sides and geometric
decoration. C19 tie beam roofs and pews. C19 dado rail and
piscina. Monuments include one to Hugh Allington, died 1674, in
white, grey and yellow streaked marble with segmental pediment,
festoons, cartouche, cherubs and draperies. One to Matthew
Dymoke, died 1792, in grey and white marble with urn and
draperies. One of white and grey marble to Charles Bancroft,
died 1808; and another to Matthew Bancroft-Lister, died 1842.
Another white marble monument to Elizabeth Yorke, died 1845.

Listing NGR: TF3557279697

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• St Michael's Church, Burwell at Wikipedia
• St Michael's Church, Burwell official website
• Wikidata Q7594749

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Sussex: East with Brighton and Hove (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990
• 
  Specifications for Building Conservation: Volume 1: External Structure: Practical Examples v. 2
• 
  Northumberland (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  The green guide for historic buildings: how to improve the environmental performance of listed and historic buildings
• 
  Somerset: North and Bristol: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)