St Michael's Church, Bowness-on-Solway
Encyclopedia
St Michael's Church, Bowness-on-Solway, is located in the village of Bowness-on-Solway
, Cumbria
, England. It is an active Anglican
parish church
in the deanery of Carlisle, the archdeaconry of Carlisle, and the diocese of Carlisle
. Its benefice is united with those of St Bride, Kirkbride, and St John the Evangelist, Newton Arlosh
. The church has been designated by English Heritage
as a Grade II* listed building.
was added in 1891 by the Lancaster
architects Paley, Austin and Paley.
, taken from the nearby Hadrian's Wall
, with a green slate
roof. Its plan consists of a four-bay
nave
, a south porch, a north transept, and a single-bay chancel
with a north vestry
. At the west end of the church is a double bellcote, standing on a large buttress
; it has arched openings and is surmounted by an oblong pyramidal roof. There are doorways on the north and south sides of the church, both of which are Norman
. Both are damaged and have one order of columns. There is also one Norman window on the north side of the chancel; the other windows are Victorian
. Most of these are lancet window
s, other than the three-light windows in the east and south walls of the chancel.
is Norman, and stands on a shaft dating from 1848. The stained glass in the east window dates from 1891, and is by Daniel Bell. The rest of the glass is from the 20th century. In the north transept are windows by Clayton and Bell
dated 1900, and by Powells
, dated 1918. On the west side of the church are two windows by Millican, Baguley and Atkinson of Newcastle, dated 1954. On the south side is a window by A. E. Buss, dated 1957, depicting the Good Samaritan,and windows by R. R. Nichol, dated 1990, showing Christ with young people, and Alex Haynes, dated 1999, depicting Saint Michael.
Bowness-on-Solway
Bowness-on-Solway is a small village of less than 100 houses on the Solway Firth separating England and Scotland. It falls in North-West Cumbria to the west of Carlisle on the English side. The western end of Hadrian's Wall is a major tourist attraction, along with beaches and wading birds...
, Cumbria
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
, England. It is an active Anglican
Anglicanism
Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
parish church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
in the deanery of Carlisle, the archdeaconry of Carlisle, and the diocese of Carlisle
Diocese of Carlisle
The Diocese of Carlisle was created in 1133 by Henry I out of part of the Diocese of Durham, although many people of Celtic descent in the area looked to Glasgow for spiritual leadership. The first bishop was Æthelwold, formerly the king's confessor and now prior of the Augustinian priory at...
. Its benefice is united with those of St Bride, Kirkbride, and St John the Evangelist, Newton Arlosh
St John the Evangelist's Church, Newton Arlosh
St John the Evangelist's Church, Newton Arlosh, is in the village of Newton Arlosh, Cumbria, England. It is an active Anglican parish church in the deanery of Carlisle, the archdeaconry of Carlisle, and the diocese of Carlisle. Originally a fortified church, it was extended in the 19th century...
. The church has been designated by English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
as a Grade II* listed building.
History
The church dates from the 12th century, with a restoration in the 18th century. A north transeptTransept
For the periodical go to The Transept.A transept is a transverse section, of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In Christian churches, a transept is an area set crosswise to the nave in a cruciform building in Romanesque and Gothic Christian church architecture...
was added in 1891 by the Lancaster
Lancaster, Lancashire
Lancaster is the county town of Lancashire, England. It is situated on the River Lune and has a population of 45,952. Lancaster is a constituent settlement of the wider City of Lancaster, local government district which has a population of 133,914 and encompasses several outlying towns, including...
architects Paley, Austin and Paley.
Exterior
St Michael's is constructed in red and calciferous sandstoneCalciferous sandstone
Calciferous sandstone is a geological term relating to strata at the base of the Carboniferous formation, below the entire sequence of coal measures...
, taken from the nearby Hadrian's Wall
Hadrian's Wall
Hadrian's Wall was a defensive fortification in Roman Britain. Begun in AD 122, during the rule of emperor Hadrian, it was the first of two fortifications built across Great Britain, the second being the Antonine Wall, lesser known of the two because its physical remains are less evident today.The...
, with a green slate
Slate
Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. The result is a foliated rock in which the foliation may not correspond to the original sedimentary layering...
roof. Its plan consists of a four-bay
Bay (architecture)
A bay is a unit of form in architecture. This unit is defined as the zone between the outer edges of an engaged column, pilaster, or post; or within a window frame, doorframe, or vertical 'bas relief' wall form.-Defining elements:...
nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
, a south porch, a north transept, and a single-bay chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
with a north vestry
Vestry
A vestry is a room in or attached to a church or synagogue in which the vestments, vessels, records, etc., are kept , and in which the clergy and choir robe or don their vestments for divine service....
. At the west end of the church is a double bellcote, standing on a large buttress
Buttress
A buttress is an architectural structure built against or projecting from a wall which serves to support or reinforce the wall...
; it has arched openings and is surmounted by an oblong pyramidal roof. There are doorways on the north and south sides of the church, both of which are Norman
Norman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
. Both are damaged and have one order of columns. There is also one Norman window on the north side of the chancel; the other windows are Victorian
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
. Most of these are lancet window
Lancet window
A lancet window is a tall narrow window with a pointed arch at its top. It acquired the "lancet" name from its resemblance to a lance. Instances of this architectural motif are most often found in Gothic and ecclesiastical structures, where they are often placed singly or in pairs.The motif first...
s, other than the three-light windows in the east and south walls of the chancel.
Interior
The fontBaptismal font
A baptismal font is an article of church furniture or a fixture used for the baptism of children and adults.-Aspersion and affusion fonts:...
is Norman, and stands on a shaft dating from 1848. The stained glass in the east window dates from 1891, and is by Daniel Bell. The rest of the glass is from the 20th century. In the north transept are windows by Clayton and Bell
Clayton and Bell
Clayton and Bell was one of the most prolific and proficient workshops of English stained glass during the latter half of the 19th century. The partners were John Richard Clayton and Alfred Bell . The company was founded in 1855 and continued until 1993...
dated 1900, and by Powells
James Powell and Sons
The firm of James Powell and Sons, also known as Whitefriars Glass, were English glassmakers, leadlighters and stained glass window manufacturers...
, dated 1918. On the west side of the church are two windows by Millican, Baguley and Atkinson of Newcastle, dated 1954. On the south side is a window by A. E. Buss, dated 1957, depicting the Good Samaritan,and windows by R. R. Nichol, dated 1990, showing Christ with young people, and Alex Haynes, dated 1999, depicting Saint Michael.