St Michael, Warmington, Warwickshire

I Location

Site Location
Warmington
National Grid Reference
SP 411 475
County
traditional: Warwickshire
now: Warwickshire
Diocese
medieval: not confirmed
now: Coventry
Dedication
medieval: not confirmed
now (or name of monument): St Michael
Type of building/monument
Parish church

II General Description

Distant view.

Distant view.

The church consists of chancel, nave, N and S aisles, N chapel, W tower and N, S and W doorways. Three bays of the N arcade are mid-12thc. and three bays of the S arcade are late 12thc. Built entirely in local liassic ironstone, probably from Hornton quarries nearby.

IV Interior Features

2. Arcades

c. Nave

N arcade, from E

N arcade, from E

N arcade, pier 2, capital

N arcade, pier 2, capital

N arcade, W respond

N arcade, W respond

S arcade, from E

S arcade, from E

S arcade, pier 1, capital

S arcade, pier 1, capital

S arcade, pier 1, base

S arcade, pier 1, base

S arcade, pier 2, base

S arcade, pier 2, base

S arcade, W respond

S arcade, W respond

Pier 2.

As Pier 1 except plinth is higher and shaft shorter.

W respond.

Square chamfered plinth, chamfered round base, and short half-round shaft. Plain chamfered round capital without necking. The impost is hollow-chamfered with a groove along the upright.

(i) N arcade

Of two bays. The arches are plain and pointed, and all have hollow-chamfered imposts with a groove along the upright.

Pier 1 (E)

Square chamfered plinth, chamfered round base, with a round shaft of five courses. Multi-scallop capital (ten on E face, nine on N face, eight on W face, nine on S face) with plain cones and shields and tapered rounded fillets between the cones. No necking. Impost as W respond.

(ii) S arcade

Of two bays. The arches are plain and ?pointed. The capitals are multi-scallop with necking and with much taller cones that the N aisle. All have hollow-chamfered imposts with a groove along the upright.

Pier 1 (E)

High square plinth with a small chamfer, partially restored. The base is simply a thick roll. The half-round shaft has four courses. Multi-scallop capital with tall, almost vertical cones above fine necking (nine scallops to each face). The impost is chamfered with a groove along the upright.

Pier 2

Similar to Pier 1, apart from the base which has a small roll between the prominent outer roll and the shaft. The shaft is slightly shorter than the respond shaft. The capital is multi-scallop although the cones are not as tall as those of Pier 1. The impost is hollow chamfered.

W respond

Plinth and base as Pier 1 with a half-shaft supporting a multiscallop capital with necking. Hollow chamfered impost as Piers 1 and 2.

V Furnishings

1. Fonts

(i)

Font.

Font.

Situated W end of S aisle. The tub-shaped bowl could be 12thc., but it has no distinguishing features or markings and is not mentioned by Pevsner.

Dimensions
h. of bowl 0.39 m
w. (upper) 0.71 m
w. (lower) 0.60 m
depth of bowl 0.30 m

VII History

VIII Comments/Opinions

The carving of the capitals of the N arcade closely resembles that of the N arcade at Shotteswell as do the plinths and shafts. It is possible that the two operations were carried out simultaneously. The two churches are 2.5km apart.

IX Bibliography

  • VCH
  • Clifton-Taylor