St. Michael's Church at Stoke Gifford is still an active and growing parish. Although they have moved their main worship activities to a new parish centre downtown, they still retain and revere their old medieval church, which dates from the 14th century. The church is opened once or twice a year to tours.
From the St. Michael's website: (
visit link)
"History of the church
St Michael’s through the centuries
History of the church
Our church building originates from the fourteenth century, having been built by the Berkeley family. The presence of the Norman font suggests that there was an earlier Church (although this was reputedly partially built into the North wall in the eighteenth century – reference Pevsners Gloucester). There was certainly a Saxon Church, as the Doomsday Book states “Stoche hath one priest”. This was probably a wooden building, and there would have been some sort of priest’s dwelling. Archaeological excavations have revealed Roman occupation in the parish. Coins found on the site suggest that this occupation was from about AD270-350. This covers the time that the Christian Constantine was emperor, so it is possible that there was Christian worship in the Parish at that time, and almost certain by the time St Augustine came to England.
In the 1930’s Arthur Mee in his ‘Gloucestershire – The King’s England’ described the village as ‘One of the little places around Bristol, with a mediaeval Church between its green and busy railway junction. A quaint red-roofed building, with many gables, the Church has an embattled tower on the south side, opening with a plain massive arch with a pinnacled leafy hood, and in the simple inner doorway hangs an old studded door. Inside, the walls are cream, the roofs white and some of the walls are leaning. Square fluted pillars divide the Nave and the Aisle, and the Norman font, with a bowl like a great cushion capital, is partly built into a wall. The low altar rails are Jacobean. A l3th century window has a face among old fragments.’
. . .
Beyond the wall at the tower end of the churchyard there was a building for a private Sunday School. This was started in 1786, six years after Robert Raikes’ first Sunday School. . . .
Most Churches dedicated to St. Michael are situated on higher ground, and Stoke Gifford is no exception. The railway embankment makes it seem less obvious now, but the Church can be seen from most parts of the Parish. Old photographs show the Church to be almost completely covered by ivy. It was partly removed during the nineteenth century alterations, and again in 1922, to prevent damage to the walls. At the nave end of the South wall is a blocked arched doorway. This would have been the most public view of the Church from Church Road before the coming of the railway.
The Tower
To the side of this archway was a Rose window. This was removed during the nineteenth century alterations after much consternation and debate by the parishioners. It was replaced by a perpendicular window of the same design as the two already there. It was described by the architect Lingen Barker as a “Bull’s Eye.” Windows (including stained glass) had been vandalised many times so that in 1990 permanent plastic covers were put over them.
It is pennant and limestone (not a good mixture) with flush ashlar quoins, a perpendicular parapet and gargoyles. On the South wall is what was thought to be a scratch sundial with a style hole and a circle of small holes but could be a stonemason’s mark. On the East wall near the ground another blocked doorway can be seen. This led down stone steps to the coke boiler.
The tower is a triangulation point for Ordnance Survey and is marked on the Ordnance Survey map. The reference point is checked regularly. A triangular block is on the roof as a marker. The RAF also probably used the tower as a landmark during the Second World War. The floodlit tower can be seen as a beacon and inspiration to all who see it. . . .
The Porch
Inside the porch are stone benches and the remains of a Holy Water Stoupe. Parishioners on entering would dip their fingers in the water and make the sign of the cross, remembering their baptism. Small loaves were placed on the benches every week, being given by Webbs Charity for the poor and needy of the parish, also perhaps for the communion bread. . .
It has a distinctive O-Gee arch, with crocketed finial and pinnacles and is probably l4th century, however being made in sandstone makes its date uncertain. The pattern had almost disappeared by 1986 when it was expertly recarved by stone masons who were called in to repair the deteriorating state of the porch. . . .
The Church Building
The heavy oak studded door might have been used in bygone days by some people knocking and claiming sanctuary. Above the door is the Georgian Coat of Arms, with the White Horse of Hanover. The Ten Commandments are on the West wall of the North aisle. They may have been moved at some time from the Chancel. . . .
The Belfry
In the bell chamber there were once four bells; the original no.2 bell was removed long ago but the three which remain are of considerable historical interest. Although the bells themselves are excellent castings of good tone, the condition of their fittings has progressively deteriorated so that it is no longer possible safely to use them in any way.
. . . Parts of the bellframe are of medieval origin, further alterations being made probably in 1620 when the tenor bell was cast. . . .
The Chancel
The Arch is eighteenth century. On the North side is the Vestry. This used to be known as the Duchess’s Room and was open to the Chancel. It was used by the Duchess of Beaufort, where she would sit by the eighteenth century fireplace and take part in the service. She is reputed to have made quite a noise rattling the fire with the poker when she thought the sermon should end. So that she could see the Vicar the pulpit was placed in the lower part of the Chancel next to the Belfry. From this position it was very difficult for the rest of the congregation to hear the sermon, and the Vicar no doubt found it hard to make himself heard. Perhaps because of this, or his Welsh oratory, Vicar Railton Jones in the 1930’s was apt to gesticulate and thump the pulpit to press points in his sermon, One day he
was shocked to be interrupted by a young lady Lily Wicks shouting “Vicar you’re on fire.” The candles then used for illumination had set his sleeves alight.
The old altar rails are Jacobean. . . . . Also in the Chancel is the old bible, given to the church by Admiral Close towards the end of the nineteenth century, which is now housed in a typical bible box (given by Rita Southgate) of approximately the same date.
. . . The stained glass window at the East End was made by Joseph Bell of Bristol in 1900. The figures bear a close resemblance to Admiral and Lady Close. . . . Church records, dating from 1588 – the year of the Armada, which used to be kept in the Vestry are now in the safe keeping of the City Archives in Bristol. Records for Poor Law Relief, administered by the Church Wardens and overseers which were in the Muniments Room at Badminton are now with the Gloucester Records office.
. . .
The fourteenth century East window with its “face among the fragments” is the only piece of old stained glass left after Cromwell’s men came during the Civil War and can be seen above the 1914-18 war memorial window.
The Font, partly built into the North wall, is Norman. Its dog-toothed pattern was discovered by the Vicar’s wife in the 1920’s and was later restored. . . .
Maintenance and Preservation
The church was restored in 1894 by Lingen Barker, the Duke of Beaufort’s architect. A new roof was put on the nave, the old oak box pews were removed, and a new pulpit, vicar’s stall, lectern and pews were installed. Some eighteenth century panelling was discovered at the West end, but there is now no trace of this.
The belfry and tower needed major repairs in the late 1920’s and 1960’s. The Church has a fabric committee whose task is to maintain and preserve the structure and its contents in a safe and usable condition and to undertake to complete as many tasks as possible identified in the Quinquennial Report (Paul Smith 1996). Every five years an inspection, funded by the diocese, is undertaken by the church architect. His report is sent to the church and diocese. It indicates the work that needs to be carried out under three categories – urgent, essential and if possible. . . .
Until the twentieth century the Lords of the Manor bore the brunt of the responsibility for maintenance, but especially during recent years the parishioners alone have met each crisis with tremendous money raising efforts. As time goes on, the building has become much more expensive to preserve. It has stood the test of time since the Wars of the Roses to the present time and always it has been the House of God for the faithful, to meet and pray and worship.
Reproduced with the kind permission of the author ©1997 Ros Broomhead"