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Listing Description

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Halam St Michael

Official Listing Description

Parish church. C12, C13, C14, C15, C16, C19, restored 1884-9. Dressed coursed rubble and ashlar. Slate roof to all but south aisle and chapel which are lead. Coped gables the east nave and east chancel with single decorative ridge crosses. Single rendered red brick stack to east side of tower. Tower, nave, north porch, south aisle, south chapel and chancel. C13 tower set on a chamfered plinth of 2 stages, the lower stage slightly projects. Pyramidal roof topped with single weathervane, single gargoyles at each angle, also single C19 crocketed pinnacle. West wall with chamfered pointed arched C13 doorway with imposts, hood mould, human head label stops and C17 door. Above is a single chamfered arched C16 window. Bell chamber openings to north, south and east sides each with a single pair of C13 pointed arched lights, the west side now blocked and with single clock face. The north nave is set on a shallow plinth. Single C13 lancet. To the left is the gabled C19 porch on a chamfered plinth with moulded arched entrance, hood mould and label stops. Inner C13 pointed chamfered arched doorway with imposts and hood mould. To the left is a single arched restored C14 2 light window with cusped tracery. Further left is a single arched restored C14 3 light window with cusped tracery. The north chancel is set on a shallow plinth and has a single rectangular recessed blind panel. To the left are two 2 light C14 windows under flat arches with cusped lights, tracery, hood moulds and human head label stops. The angle buttressed east end is set on a shallow plinth. Single C15 window with 2 arched and cusped lights, hood mould, human head label stops and flat arch. Under the window are 2 early C19 slate headstones. Projecting from the buttresses is a low ashlar wall surmounted by decorative iron railings with gate to north side. These extend for 4 metres and form a rectangle. The south chancel is set on a chamfered plinth and has a restored C14 2 light window with cusped lights, tracery, hood mould, human head label stops and flat arch. To the left is a C12 pointed arched doorway decorated with chevron and zigzag. The south aisle and C19 chapel are set on a shallow chamfered plinth, the east wall of the chapel has a single 2 light C14 window with cusped lights, tracery, hood mould, human head label stops and flat arch. The south wall has a pointed chamfered arched doorway. The south aisle has 3 C19 2 light windows with cusped lights, tracery, hood moulds, label stops and flat arch. The west wall has a single C19 arched 2 light window with cusped tracery, hood mould and label stops. Projecting is a low brick and slate lean-to. Interior. C13 3 bay nave arcade with quatrefoil piers and responds, moulded capitals and double chamfered arches. C13 triple chamfered tower arch with moulded capitals, the inner capital on each side being decorated with a single human head carving, with 3 attached octagonal columns either side. C12 chancel arch with 2 columns either side supporting 4 orders of roll moulding, the inner 3 supported on a single capital. Scalloped capitals further decorated with bead, zigzag and lozenge. Chamfered chancel/south chapel and aisle/south chapel arches. In the chancel is a C14 piscina supported on a human head corbel. Circular ashlar font supported on 4 colonnettes, the bowl decorated with diaper around the top. Decoratively carved C19 pulpit and lectern. There is a table in the south aisle with C17 decoratively carved back. Altar table part constructed with C17 base having decoratively carved legs. 3 C17 style carved chairs. In the north nave is a prayer board and a further board with quotation from Exodus Chap.XX. In the tower is a board detailing the benefactions to Halam parish. The north west chancel window has 4 C14 stained glass panels depiciting St. Christopher, St. Blaise, Eve naked and spinning and Adam naked and delving. The west window of the south aisle and the single windows either side of the porch are by Morris & Co., 1919. There is a monument to Thomas Wright, 1845. The inscription is set into a moulded arch flanked by single pilasters each decorated with blind trefoil arched panels and topped with decorative crocketed pinnacles. Over the inscription arch is a crocketed ogee arch topped with single finial and under the inscription a traceried blind panel with single central shield.