" Parish Church of St. Michael stands in the village. The walls are of local sandstone rubble with dressings of the same material; there is also some tufa; the roofs are covered with tiles. The extensive use of tufa perhaps indicates the existence of a 12th-century building on the site, but there are no surviving remains of it. The angles of an aisleless nave of not earlier than c. 1200, remain in the four corners of the existing Nave, Early in the 14th century the North and South Aisles were added to the nave, N. and S. arcades built, the chancel probably re-built, and the West Tower added. The aisles at this date had gabled roofs. Probably late in the 14th or early in the 15th century the E. bay of both aisles was raised and altered to form a transept, W. walls and arches being inserted and the E. bay of the main arcades heightened. The same heightening was applied to the rest of the main arcades at some uncertain period, but probably immediately after, the old arches being re-set; this alteration necessitated the substitution of pent roofs for the former gabled roofs of the aisles, with the addition of a very low clearstorey above them. About 1750 the chancel was re-built and shortened by a bay. The church was restored in 1835 and again in 1890–91 when the Chancel was re-built and the 14th-century Porch removed from the S. side and re-built on the N. The late 17th-century drawing of the church by T. Dingley shows the length of the original chancel and the porch in its old position.
The church is of some architectural interest, and among the fittings the 14th-century effigy is noteworthy.
Architectural Description—The Chancel (26 ft. by 16½ ft.) is modern, but has a re-set early 14th-century E. window of three trefoiled ogee lights with net-tracery in a two-centred head with a moulded label. In the S. wall is a re-set doorway probably of the same date and now blocked; it has chamfered jambs and two-centred head. The chancel-arch is modern.
The Nave (57½ ft. by 25¼ ft.) has, in the E. wall above the chancel-arch, two early 14th-century windows each of two trefoiled ogee lights with a quatrefoil in a two-centred head; S. of the chancel-arch are two single-light 14th-century windows, the lower some 3½ ft. above the floor and having a trefoiled ogee head, and the upper above the springing-level of the chancel-arch and now opening by a recess into the chancel; it also has a trefoiled ogee head; on the gable of the wall is an old sanctus bell-cote. The N. and S. arcades (Plate 85) are both of four bays with tall octagonal columns with moulded capitals and bases and two-centred arches of two chamfered orders; the responds have attached half-columns, but the base of the S.E. is modern and that of the N.W. respond is a moulded capital inverted; the materials and arches are of the 14th century, but both arcades have been considerably heightened at a subsequent date. E. of the N. arcade is an opening connected with the former rood-loft; it has an ogee head on the S. face. The clearstorey has, in the three W. bays of each wall, a window of two square-headed lights.
The North Transept (15¼ ft. by 14¼ ft.), formerly the E. bay of the N. aisle, was altered late in the 14th or early in the 15th century to form a transept, the former gabled E. wall being raised and a new gable added to the N. wall. In the E. wall is an early to mid 14th-century window of three trefoiled ogee lights with tracery above the side-lights in a two-centred head with a moulded label. In the N. wall is a late 14th or early 15th-century transomed window of three trefoiled ogee lights with vertical tracery in a two-centred head with a moulded label. In the W. wall is an arch of the same date, two-centred and of two chamfered orders, the outer continuous and the inner dying on to the responds; S. of the arch is a squint with splayed jambs and trefoiled ogee head.
The South Transept (15¼ ft. by 14¼ ft.) is of similar construction and date to the N. transept. In the E. wall is an early 14th-century window of three-trefoiled ogee lights with net-tracery in a two-centred head. The window in the S. wall and the arch in the W. wall are similar to the corresponding features in the N. transept; the squint, N. of the arch, has an ogee head.
The North Aisle (15¼ ft. wide) has, in the N. wall, two early 14th-century windows, each of two pointed lights with a plain spandrel in a two-centred head; the early 14th-century N. doorway has moulded jambs, segmental-pointed arch and label; the outer member of the arch has ball-flower ornament. In the W. wall is a window of the same date and of three lights, the side ones pointed and with mullions carried up to the two-centred head to form the middle light.
The South Aisle (15¼ ft. wide) has, in the S. wall, two windows, the eastern similar to the N. windows of the N. aisle, and the western similar but with cinque-foiled lights and cusped spandrel; the S. doorway is uniform with the N. doorway. In the W. wall is a window uniform with the N. windows in the N. aisle.
The West Tower (13 ft. square) is of early 14th-century date, ashlar-faced and of three stages with a plain parapet and square pinnacles at the angles. The two-centred tower-arch is of three continuous chamfered orders; above it are the marks of the lower and earlier roof of the nave; above the rake of this roof-line are straight joints showing that the nave was heightened subsequent to the building of the tower. The W. doorway is modern or completely restored; the W. window is of two trefoiled lights with a quatre-foiled spandrel in a two-centred head with a moulded label. The turret-staircase has a blocked doorway leading to a former gallery. The second stage has a window of one trefoiled light in the N., S. and W. walls. In the E. wall is a doorway leading into the earlier roof of the nave. The upper storey of this stage has a plain loop in the E., N. and S. walls. The bell-chamber has, in each wall, a window of two pointed lights with a plain spandrel in a two-centred head. The octagonal stone spire is said never to have been completed; the existing part extends some distance above the spire-lights and has a pyramidal roof; the spire-lights, in the cardinal faces, are each of two trefoiled ogee lights with a quatrefoil in a two-centred head under a gable with the stumps of side-pinnacles.
The North Porch, formerly on the S. and reconstructed, is of 14th-century date. The outer archway has jambs and two-centred arch of two chamfered orders.
The Roof of the nave is of trussed-rafter type with moulded wall-plates partly renewed; it is perhaps of the 15th century. The transept-roofs are of the same type with largely renewed wall-plates. The aisles have pent-roofs of three bays with curved braces to the trusses and moulded wall-plates largely renewed, probably 15th-century except the modern rafters. The porch has a roof with curved braces to the two trusses, curved wind-braces and some modern timbers.
Fittings—Bells: six; 3rd, 4th and 5th by John Martin, 1665. Chairs: two, modern, incorporate small pieces of 17th-century carving. Chest: In N. annexe—framed chest with plain panels, three locks and inscription in nail-heads on front, "1684 Ex do. H.B." Churchyard Cross: S. of chancel— platform of three steps, base and shaft destroyed; on platform, perished gable-stone and cross. Font: octagonal bowl with moulded rim and under side, trefoil-headed panel in each face, plain stem and moulded base, 14th-century. Monuments and Floor-slab. Monuments: In chancel—in N. wall, (1) stone effigy of woman (Plate 83) with coif, wimple, long cloak, right hand on small figure of child in folds of cloak, head on cushions, feet on defaced beast, early 14th-century, partly defaced; on S. wall, (2) to John Pember, B.D., Prebendary of Hereford and vicar of the parish, 1677, enriched stone tablet enclosing brass inscription with shield-of-arms. Floor-slab: In N. porch—to . . . Lily (?), 1701–2, and others later. Piscinæ: In N. transept—in E. wall, recess with moulded jambs and segmental-pointed head, projecting drain partly destroyed, 14th-century. In E. respond of S. arcade— recess with trefoiled ogee head and gable, round projecting drain partly cut away, 14th-century. Plate: includes cup of 1662 and small paten of the same date. Scratchings: On lower parts of nave piers, various masons' marks, indicating the extent of the earlier work."
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