Church of St Michael, Alnwick. Photo Northumberland County Council.

(NU 18381370) St Michael's Church (C of E). (1)

1. BAILIFFGATE (North Side)
Church of St Mary and St Michael
NU 1813 NW 3/2 20.2.52
A.2. Unusually large aisled church for Northumberland. Of the long single vessel apsed Norman church only fragments remain, some built into chancel arch. Present church dates largely from circa 1464 (Charter of Henry VI) with various restorations:- by Vincent Shepherd in 1782 (when it was given a fan-vaulted plaster ceiling etc), 1818 by townspeople and circa 1863 by Salvin (who restored an overall Perpendicular feeling). In plan a nave with wide aisles of five bays and a chancel with chapels of three bays. Tower at south-west end. In elevation a three stage embattled 15th century tower with angle buttresses having twelve set offs, and a long south aisle, its windows divided by buttresses and with an unusual octagonal stair turret at south-east end. A 15th century porch next to the tower, an unassuming priest's door into the south chapel. A small clerestory with paired lights not aligned with internal arcades. Large perpendicular tracery in windows.
Interior: North arcade has hexagonal piers with much moulded caps and paired fluting; south arcade plain octagonal piers and carved corbel heads at rear; arcades of chancel higher and more delicate having octagonal piers containing eight keeled shafts within cusped-head panels and angels at the arcade springing level. (2)

St Michael's. Churchyard overlooks River Aln. Church is of unusual size for Northumberland. Completely Perpendicular on outside. 19th century restoration by Dobson (1825), Salvin (1860s) and Hicks (1890s). The only irregularity of plan is the west tower set over the west bay of the south aisle.
Nave east window from restoration by Salvin, exceptional in Northumberland. The south aisle is the 'show front'. Little evidence of earlier building visible on outside - one small west window in north aisle very close to the nave is evidence for a previously narrower north aisle c.1300, the foundations of which have been excavated. Aisle widened c.1350-75 (possibly).
The interior has bits of Norman zigzag above the chancel arch, not in situ. Belong to a church of narrow aisleless nave with apse. (3)

St Michael's, Alnwick's old parish church. The only church in Northumberland apart from Norham, with a fully developed plan of aisles running the full length of nave and chancel. Originally Norman. In the tower are two small statues found beneath the north aisle during restoration of 1818. One possibly of King Henry VI. (4)

Church of St Mary and St Michael. Probably founded around the beginning of the 14th century. Replaced an older church whose remains were found buried within the church. (5)

Alnwick Church [St Michael's?] existed in 1147, when it was granted to Alnwick Abbey by Eustace Fitz-John. Basements of Norman pillars and part of the chancel arch have recently [1860's] been discovered. (6)

The Parish Church of Alnwick dedicated to St Michael, and originally to St Mary as well. First mentioned in 1147 as the 'Chapel of Alnwick'. (7)

Additional references. (8)(9)(10)(11)(12)

English Heritage received a query about the grading of the church in 2010. The church is listed at Grade II but was originally listed at Grade A, and its apparent downgrading may be an error as there is no evidence of a formal downgrade and most Grade A churches were regraded to Grade I. After an assessment in 2010 the Parish Church of St Michael's Alnwick is recommended to be upgraded to Grade I, which is consistent with the church's original listing at Grade A. The list description has also been revised. (13)

Church includes a series of war memorials including:
* a marble wall-mounted tablet inscribed to Lieutenant J Lambert.
* a wall-mounted tablet of white-glazed tiles, with b;ack lettering, inscibed "IN LOVING MEMORY OF/ BERNARD ARMSTRONG HEBELER/ NORTHUMBERLAND YEOMANRY KILLED IN/ ACTION IN SOUTH AFRICA 18 FEB 1901/ AGED 31, THE ANCIENT CROSS ON THIS PORCH/ IS RESTORED AND DEDICATED TO THE/ GLORY OF GOD BY HIS PARENTS/ FREEDRICK P. AND EDITH HEBELER/ A MUCH LOVED SON AND A "VERY GALLANT SOLDIER".
* a wall-mounted white marble tablet, with black lettering, including Captain WF Lambert mortally wounded at the storming of Namtow in China.
* a white marble wall-mounted tablet inscribed "IN LOVING MEMORY OF/ THOMAS TUDOR THORP/ 2ND LIEUT. ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY/ D. BATTERY 83RD BRIGADE/ KILLED IN ACTION ON THE YPRES-MENIN ROAD/ AUGUST 16TH 1917 AGED 20/ A CROSS ERECTED BY HIS BATTERY TO HIS MEMORY/ AFTERWARDS STANDS IN DICKESBUCHE CEMETERY./ BURIED AT TYNECOT CEMETERY, ZONNEBEKE, GRAVE 51.C.X1.".
* book of remembrance titled "PARISH OF ALNWICK/ ROLL OF /THOSE WHO SERVED WITH/ THE PARISH/ 1914-1918/ (NAMES)".
* a wall-mounted brass plaque mounted on a marble tablet inscribed "TO THE GLORY OF GOD/ IN LOVING MEMORY OF/ CAPTAIN ARTHUR CECIL YOUNG/ 16TH NORTHUMBERLAND FUSILIERS/ KILLED IN ACTION ON THE SOMME/ 1ST JULY 1916 AGED 24 YEARS./ "DULCE ET DECORUM EST PRO PATRIA MORI".
* wall-mounted iron plaque inscribed "ERECTED BY THE OFFICERS/ NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS AND MEN OF THE/ 1/7TH BATTALION NORTHUMBERLAND FUSILIERS/ IN MEMORY OF THEIR COMRADES/ 35 OFFICERS/ 719 OTHER RANKS/ WHO FELL IN FRANCE IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914-1919".
* a white marble wall-mounted tablet, on a red marble tablet, inscribed "IN MEMORY OF THE OFFICERS/ AND MEN OF THE 5TH BATTALION/ NORTHUMBERLAND FUSILIERS/ (NORTHUMBERLAND MILITIA) WHO/ LOST THEIR LIVES IN THE SERVICE O/F THEIR COUNTRY DURING THE/ SOUTH AFRICAN WAR 1899-1901/ (NAMES)".
* a wall-mounted brass plaque with black lettering which reads "TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN LOVED MEMORY OF/ L/CPL JOHN HARRISON,/ FORMERLY A WORSHIPPER IN THIS CHURCH,/ WHO WAS KILLED IN ACTION AT GUIDESCOURT/ 31ST AUGUST 1918 AGED 27 YEARS/ PEACE, PERFECT PEACE./ THIS IS ERECTED BY HIS WIFE."
* a wooden pulpit stair rail, with dedicatory metal plaque, inscribed (''')/ IN MEMORY ALSO OF HIS SON/ GEORGE ALEXANDER ('LEX')/ PILOT OFFICER R.A.F./ MISSING OVER CALAIS/ AUGUST 19TH 1941/ AGED 25 YRS."
* a brass plaque associated with the church organ with the dedicatory text "TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN LOVING MEMORY OF/ (NAMES)/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE SERVICE OF/ THEIR COUNTRY/ 1914-1919/ THE "VOX HUMANA" WAS ADDED TO THE ORGAN OF/ THE PARISH CHURCH BY THEIR MOTHER."
* three rolls of honour titled "ROLL OF HONOUR/ THE FOLLOWING FROM THE TOWN AND DISTRICT OF ALNWICK HAVE FALLEN IN/ DEFENCE OF THEIR COUNTRY/ (NAMES)". (14)(15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25)

A watching brief was carried out by The Conservation Team of Northumberland County Council on 15 November 1995 in the removal of a pair of existing floor slabs for the burial of two cremation urns in the area of the central aisle of the church about 2.41m from the altar. The removal of the slabs and the mortar in which they had been set revealed previous modern disturbance of part of the area associated with a previous heating system and distarticulated human bones (which were given to the vicar for reburial). It is possible that archaeological layers may survive in situ in this location despite the previous disturbance. (26)

Large church predominately dating from cica 1464. Some fragments remain of the long single vessel apsed Norman church. Various restorations:- by Vincent Shepherd in 1782 (when it was given a fan-vaulted plaster ceiling), 1818 by towns people and circa 1863 by Salvin (who restored an overall Perpendicular feeling). In plan a nave with a wide aisles of 5 bays and a chancel with chapels of 3 bays. Tower at south-west end. In elevation a 3 stage embattled 15th century tower with angle buttresses having 12 set offs, and a long south aisle, its windows divided by buttresses and with unusual octagonal stair turret at south-east end. (27a)

Listed. For the designation record of this site please see The National Heritage List for England. (27b)

Photograph available at Images of England website. (27c)