Church of St Michael, Gussage St Michael. Grade: 1, NGR: ST 98585 11332. Lead author:PS
Gussage Saint Michael is one of three villages (the other two being Gussage St. Andrew and Gussage All Saints) on Cranborne Chase in East Dorset which have ‘Gussage’ in their title. The word appears to have a choice of two Saxon roots – either a combination of two Saxon words, ‘gyse’ and ‘sic’ or the word ‘gwysych’. Both have roughly the same meaning which is a watercourse that dries up for part of the year and refers to the Gussage Brook that rises at Gussage St Andrew and flows through the other two villages and into the River Allen.
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The church (1) which stands in the centre of the village has a 12th century tower, 13th century nave and side aisles, a 15th century north porch, and 19th century chancel and vestry.
The main building stones used in the church are knapped flint, Shaftsbury Sandstone (Upper Greensand), Portland Stone (Wardour Main Building stone) and Corallian limestone. The main roof, side aisles and porch are roofed by grey slates but the chancel roof has red tiles. |
1. The church from the north west
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A render coating now covers the 12th century part of the tower and part of the 14th century 2nd stage. The 15th century top stage and embattled parapet are Shaftesbury Sandstone. The quoins, lancet windows and pilaster buttress (2) on the west side are also Shaftesbury Sandstone.
2. The west tower, west side
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3. The north porch
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The north porch (3, 4) is built with ashlar Shaftesbury Sandstone but the doorway is Wardour Main building stone (5)
4. The west side of the north porch
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5. Loupe photo of stone in North Porch doorway
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The north (7) and south (6) side aisles of the nave are mainly knapped flint with a pattern of stone blocks which are Shaftesbury Sandstone. The windows are also Shaftesbury Sandstone.
6. The south aisle
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7. The north aisle and vestry walls
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The vestry (7, 8) on the north side of the chancel, whilst also having walls of knapped flint, the matching pattern of embedded stone is formed of Wardour Main building stone rather than Shaftesbury Sandstone. The window and doorway are Corallian limestone (9).
8. The north wall of the vestry
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9. Loupe of Corallian limestone in the doorway of the vestry
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The south (10) and east walls of the chancel (11) have no pattern of embedded stone and are all knapped flint. The windows and doorway in these walls are all Corallian limestone (12).
10. The chancel south wall
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11. the east wall of the chancel
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12. The Corallian limestone in a window on the south side of the chancel
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The interior of the church was closed to visitors due to Corona virus restrictions at the time of the visit. Notes on the interior made previously by J. Thomas state:
The round columns were of Greensand, though northern ones had been painted. The tower arch ‘restored’ with Greensand and some brown sandstone. The reredos of 1870 is alabaster in a high Victorian style.
The round columns were of Greensand, though northern ones had been painted. The tower arch ‘restored’ with Greensand and some brown sandstone. The reredos of 1870 is alabaster in a high Victorian style.
References
Hill M., Newman J., Pevsner N. (2018), The Buildings of England, Dorset, Yale U. Press, p.p. 309-310.
https://www.british-history.ac.uk/rchme/dorset/vol5/pp22-26
https://britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/england/gussage-st-michael-east-dorset-dorset
Hill M., Newman J., Pevsner N. (2018), The Buildings of England, Dorset, Yale U. Press, p.p. 309-310.
https://www.british-history.ac.uk/rchme/dorset/vol5/pp22-26
https://britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/england/gussage-st-michael-east-dorset-dorset
