Church of St Michael, Warden.

[NY 9136 6648] St. Michael's Church [T.U.] (1)

Warden church came under Hexham Priory in the 12th century and after 1138. The in 13th century, but the nave and chancel are a re-building of 1765 on the old foundations: there was also, partial rebuilding in the late 19th century. The tower, apart from the top, is in simple Norman style. (2)

Pevsner puts it at c.11th century 'but whether pre- or post-Conquest can hardly be determined.' It is small and unbuttressed and has irregular quoins not of long and short type. The windows are mostly slits with deep inner splays. (3)

In the porch is a reversed Roman altar which has been converted into a 10th-11th century Christian memorial. (4)

In normal use: the provenance of the altar is unknown. (5)

7/125 Church of St. Michael
15.4.69 Grade I
Parish church. Saxon west tower, transepts 13th century, nave and south porch 1765, chancel 1889. Tower coursed sandstone with irregular large quoins, remainder coursed squared sandstone; slate roof. Cruciform with west tower and south porch.
Tall tower has small round-headed windows differing in detail, stepped-in 18th century belfry stage with single broad pointed opening in each face, low pyramidal cap. Nave has 19th century windows in 13th century style. Transepts have tall chamfered plinth, clasping buttresses at angles, stepped buttresses to side and beneath gable windows; single and paired 13th century lancets in side walls with hollow-chamfered string linking hoodmoulds. Three-light windows in gables are largely 19th century. Chancel has lancet windows in side walls, priests' door on south with enriched shouldered arch, three-light east window. South porch has 19th century inner and outer arches, good 18th century sundial in gable, blocked square-headed window in west wall.
Interior. Low round-headed tower arch with moulded imposts, possibly Roman stones, arch of rough rubble perhaps a post-medieval reconstruction. 19th century pointed double-chamfered transept arches on medieval jambs. Piscina in south wall of south transept, square-headed aumbry rebated for door in north wall of north transept.
12th century coped and tegulated gravestone in chancel against north wall, medieval cross slab in sanctuary floor, various 18th/19th century floor slabs and wall monuments. Important collection of carved stones lying loose in porch.
Traditionally Warden Church stands on the site of an oratory used by St John of Beverley when he was Bishop of Hexham (685-704). The west tower, despite the 18th century reconstruction of its belfry stage, is an important member of the Northumbrian group of Saxon towers. (6)

Contains a number of Roman altars and columns reused as grave slab and grave markers in Anglo-Saxon/Saxo-Norman period. (7)

Anglo-Saxon church tower at Warden. Quoins are large worked Roman stones. Four stages, no strings. No west doorway. Two round-headed tower arch. Imposts of geometrically ornamented Roman bases reversed. Windows in south wall of ground and third stages, and west wall of second stage, none in fourth. The fourth stage is an 18th century rebuilt belfry. (8)

Detailed description of the church. (9)

Church includes a number of war memorials. (10)(11)(12)

In the south porch is a reused column, probably of Roman date, inscribed with an 8th-11th century incised cross. (see also NY96NW14 for Roman altar in the porch, which was reused as a Saxon grave-slab). (13)