Twerton is a settlement immediately to the W of Bath. The etymology of the place-name may give the reason for the location of the church and associated settlement: Ekwall equates the Somerset name with the Devon ‘Tiverton’ — originally Twifyrde = double ford. Only 100m up the valley side from the river (at c.33m above OD), with the main Bristol railway and road between, Twerton church is 2.5kms from Bath Abbey. Geologically, it is built on the limestone of Blue and White Lias (Lower Lias): Jurassic bedrock. It is now unfortunately impossible to visit this church and imaginatively recreate its original setting in the landscape, so dense has been urban development westwards along both banks of the river Avon.

The church of St Michael consists of a nave, chancel with attached vestry, N and S aisles, and a Perpendicular W tower. The tower is 15thc but the rest of the church was entrely rebuilt in 1839. The listing text describes it as 'a very complete version of a late mediaeval church created in the C19th... before the main thrust of Tractarianism and Ecclesiology had made their mark'. The N doorway, which appears to be reset, is the sole Romanesque survivor.

DB records two manors in Twerton, both held in 1086 by the Bishop of Coutances. The manor with Nigel as tenant was held by three thegns in 1066; the other manor, tenanted by Geoffrey in 1086 was held of Queen Edith by Alfred in 1066.

The N doorway is a fine feature and is testament to a good level of patronage.

Clearly, its history is complex. The absence of imposts in the second order may indicate that the portal was reassembled from separate pieces. That the second order and hoodmould are clearly of two different kinds of stone (although both probably limestone) could suggest that they did not originally belong together. The hoodmould label-stops appear to be perfunctory and unconvincing and must surely be modern inventions. The uneven size of the 2nd order arch voussoirs suggests authenticity, but has the topmost one been trimmed back by the Victorian restorers to make it fit? The beast-head capitals are of the type noticed at nearby Englishcombe (the neighbouring parish, in fact): very rare in Somerset otherwise. The author of the guide to Englishcombe church refers to the comparable head there as a ‘Devil’s head’.