St Michaels Church Castle Frome: Who was St Michael?

Friday, 26 September 2008

Who was St Michael?

The church bears the name of St Michael so who was he?

Michael is an archangel who appears in the Book of Revelation 12:7. and in the Book of Daniel. Michael is one of the principal angels in Abrahamic tradition; his name was said to have been the war-cry of the angels in the battle fought in heaven against Satan and his followers.

In the Roman Calendar of the Saints, his feast day, once widely known as Michaelmas is celebrated on September 29. It is the third of the English quarter days and usually when university terms began.

Michael together with St George became the patron of chivalry. In the poem Paradise Lost by John Milton he is said to have commanded the army of angels loyal to God against the rebel forces of Evil. Michael armed with a sword from God's armory, takes on Satan in personal combat, wounding his side.

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Church History

St Michaels Church is Norman, built about 1125, probably by a member of the de Lacey family who arrived after the Norman Conquest. To the north of the church runs a sunken roadway (green lane) which runs up towards the castle. The chancel arch is Norman. The three original Norman doorways remain and include a Priest’s door in the south wall of the chancel. Each has a tympanum (lintel) over it, originally painted with subjects which have long since worn away. Over the south doorway is a sun-dial of Norman workmanship marking the canonical hours.

The nave roof is flat with beams, (15th Century) whilst the eastern half of the chancel roof has a paneled ceiling with bosses at the intersections. The pulpit is late 17th Century.
Under the east window in the south wall of the chancel is a rounded and arched recess which has been set with medieval tiles with a head at the centre and another on the right hand side. In the window above is a small sculptured figure clad in mail and holding in his hands a heart. It is believed that this commemorates a heart burial in one of the recesses below of one of the de Lacys. Could this have been a Knight who died on a crusade as it would have been impossible to bring back the body so often the heart was removed and brought back for burial? The altar rail is 18th Century. The Church underwent major restoration in 1878 and the black and white bell turret and porch were added then. There are three medieval bells, one inscribed “Maudillamor”.

The main sculptural interest is the magnificent font and dated around 1170. It is the work of the Herefordshire School of carvers. The Font stands on carvings of crouching evil creatures and is meant to represent the power of baptism over evil. Shaped like a chalice it rests on four human figures who appear to be crushed by its weight. Sadly only the head of one figure remains in a good state.

Originally the church contained the present west window, two small lights in the north wall of the nave, two in the south wall, a similar “opening” in the north and south walls of the chancel (the north one still remains).

The window in the east end of the chancel was added in the 14th Century to give better light to the altar. In the 16th Century the nave lighting was improved when the present window in the south wall replaced a smaller Norman one. There are a few fragments of 15th Century stained glass. It is suggested that the original window was damaged during the English Civil War and when the window was replaced only a few fragments were left to put back into the new one.

Against the north wall of the chancel are the recumbent effigies of William Unett and his wife Margery who died in the early 17th Century. They are in an excellent state of preservation and carved with intricate detail. The father wears a Cavalier uniform.

St Michaels Church Castle Frome

Friday, 26 September 2008

Who was St Michael?

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