Church of St Michael, Ingram. Photo by Harry Rowland, 1960s.

NU 01931630 Ingram Church. Of the pre-Conquest structure all that is known to remain is the lower part of the west gable on either side of the tower arch, which was then inserted in the old wall. (A tentative date of about 1050 for the west wall of the nave, and about 1060 for the insertion of the arch is suggested).
The tower which is said to be Saxo-Norman, was not bonded to the old gable, the face of which had been pointed before the tower was built. This tower was rebuilt on the original foundations with original materials 1895-1908. (See plan from authority 1). (1)

Ingram Church, dedicated to St Michael, 'has a square Norman west tower which is clearly a later addition to a pre-existing nave. (Possibly pre-Conquest nave).
The tall thin walls of the nave have later been pierced by pointed arcades, but considerable sections of the original walling remain at the west as evidence of the earlier, aisleless plan.
No doorways or windows have survived to fix the character of the original fabric with certainty, but we are inclined to accept it as pre-Conquest on the evidence of its having preceeded the Norman tower and of its thin side walls'. (2)

The original pre-Conquest walling is only visible from within the Baptistry on the north side of the tower arch about 3m-4m above floor level and although its thickness is not directly measurable by estimation it would appear to be approximately 0.2m to 0.3m in thickness. The majority of this original walling is covered by the later reconstructed Norman tower (built from the original dressed ashlar) and the facing of the tower arches.
Sections of weathered undressed stone are visible in the upper part of the nave arcade (about 0.5m wide) which has been pierced with later 13th century arches, and could possible represent parts of the original pre-Conquest walling referred to by authority 2, the date of which is not indicated on the reproduced plan.
The church is at present used as the Parish Church of Ingram. (3)

12/75 Church of St. Michael
21.9.51
GV II*
Parish church. Tower 11th and 13th centuries. Arcades 13th and 14th centuries. Aisles rebuilt 1879. Chancel rebuilt mid 19th century. Dressed stone, Welsh slate roof. West tower, nave, south porch, chancel and vestry. Unbuttressed broad, square, west tower. Small 12th century window in lower stage, paired lancets in bell stage. Plain parapet. 4-bay nave with lancets;2-bay chancel. East end has 3 stepped lancets with shafts and shaft rings.
Interior: 11th century unmoulded tower arch on plain imposts. 3-bay north and south arcades have octagonal piers with moulded bases and capitals and double-chamfered arches, those on south side with fleurs de lys at the point of springing. Plain west responds look 11th century but with semi-octagonal bases so may be later rebuilding. To east of arcades are stretches of solid wall with concave cornices round three sides, and then another bay with similar octagonal
responds and arches whose capitals are of 14th century type. 14th century chancel arch. Lower half of 14th century monument to a priest built into chancel north wall. Octagonal font with heraldic panels, leaf forms, geometric patterns and the date, March 11th 1662. (4)

An 11th to 14th century church, restored in the mid 19th century and in 1879. Built of dressed stone with Welsh slate roof. From the outside the general feeling is of a Victorian church. The aisles were rebuilt in 1879 and the chancel was rebuilt about the same time. Even the tower, which is sturdy, solid and clearly early, was taken down and rebuilt in the 19th century.
None of this is to imply and sense of disappointment because the church is extremely attractive from the outside. Nevertheless the surprise, the delight, is the interior. It has a primitive, entirely unmoulded 11th century tower arch and delightful 13th century arcades. The arches of the south arcade have little fleurs-de-lys at the springings. The chancel arch and the east arches of the nave have capitals and responds of more 14th century type. The arcades are interrupted by short stretches of solid wall which suggest that there was, before the 13th century, an earlier church without aisles.
In the chancel there is half of a 14th century monument to a priest mounted on the north wall. Octagonal font with geometric patterns, dated March 11th 1662.
There are two very good 20th century stained glass windows: 1915 St Micahel and St George; 1934 St Aidan and St Oswald with, in the background, a pretty portrait of Roddam Hall.
The church as a whole has an atmosphere far more intense than the sum of its parts. It still feels like a small medieval building. (5)

Church includes a series of war memorials as:
* a Denwick stone wall-mounted tablet with blue incised cross and lettering inscribed "1939 1945/ (NAMES)".
* a Denwick stone wall-mounted wall tablet with incised letter on the north inside of the nave inscribed "TO THE GLORY OF/ GOD AND IN/ MEMORY OF THOSE/ WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES/ IN THE GREAT WAR/ 1914 - 1918/ (NAMES)/ THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVERMORE".
* a brass plaque inscribed "TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN MEMORY OF/ CHRISTOPHER LEATHER,/ LIEUTENANT NORTHUMBERLAND FUSILIERS,/ WHO FELL IN THE SERVICE OF HIS KING AND COUNTRY/ NEAR NEUVE CHAPELLE, FRANCE,/ OCTOBER 1914, AGED 32./ "GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS/ THAT A MAN LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS".
* a stained glass window also inscribed "CHRISTOPHER LEATHER/ LIEUT, NORTHUMBERLAND FUSILIERS/ KILLED IN ACTION OCTOBER 1914/ "BE THOU FAITHFUL INTO DEATH AND/ I WILL GIVE THEE A CROWN OF LIFE".
* and a further stained glass window inscribed "IN LOVING MEMORY OF CAPTAIN ROBERT COLLINGWOOD RODDAM THE/ 5TH NORTHUMBERLAND FUSILIERS ONLY SON OF LT. COL. R. J. RODDM OF RODDAM/ AND HELEN HIS WIFE. AWARDED THE MILITARY CROSS FOR GALLANT AND DISTINGUISHED/ SERVICES IN THE FIELD AT ST. ELOI, BELGIUM. KILLED IN ACTION AT HOOGE 16 JUNE 1915 AGED 25". (6)(7)(8)(9)(10)

Not dealt with in the course of the RCHME: SE Cheviots Project. (11)