Church of St Michael, Stinsford. Grade: I, NGR: SY 71136 90993. Lead author PS
The church of St. Michael was the parish church attended by the novelist and poet Thomas Hardy (1840-1928). He spent his childhood at Lower Bockhampton, a hamlet in the parish of Stinsford. In later life he lived at Max Gate, a house he built for himself on the outskirts of Dorchester. Although he is buried in Poet’s Corner in Westminster Abbey, his wish was to be buried in the churchyard at Stinsford with other members of the Hardy family (1). His heart was interred along with his second wife in the churchyard.
The churchyard is also the last resting place of Cecil Day Lewis who was Poet Laureate from 1968 until his death in 1972 (2). The church is approached from the north side and both sets of memorials are adjacent to the path.
The churchyard is also the last resting place of Cecil Day Lewis who was Poet Laureate from 1968 until his death in 1972 (2). The church is approached from the north side and both sets of memorials are adjacent to the path.
1. Hardy family gravestones
|
2. C.D. Lewis gravestone
|
The exterior (3, 4)
The earliest part of the exterior of the church is the 13th century chancel which has a blocked 13th century doorway in the south wall (5). The west tower was added early in the 14th century. The south aisle walls are mainly of the 15th century but some stonework remains from the 14th century. The north aisle was rebuilt in 1630 and was considerably altered in the 19th century when restorations were carried out in 1868, 1883 and 1910. The north vestry was added in 1868.
The earliest part of the exterior of the church is the 13th century chancel which has a blocked 13th century doorway in the south wall (5). The west tower was added early in the 14th century. The south aisle walls are mainly of the 15th century but some stonework remains from the 14th century. The north aisle was rebuilt in 1630 and was considerably altered in the 19th century when restorations were carried out in 1868, 1883 and 1910. The north vestry was added in 1868.
3. The church from the north
|
4. The church from the south east
|
The stonework of the exterior of the church is remarkably consistent. All the walls of the church are built with roughly coursed rubble blocks of Purbeck Cypris Freestone (6). There are occasional blocks of Ham Hill Stone in the chancel walls (5).
5. The chancel south wall
|
6. Weathered Cypris Freestone in the chancel wall
|
The main exception is the south aisle which also has lines of knapped flint (7a and b). All the windows and also the parapet to the south aisle (7a) are Ham Hill Stone. The main roofs are grey slate and lead. The vestry is tiled with stone flags (possibly Ham Hill Stone) and has a Ham Hill Stone doorway (8).
7a. The south aisle wall
|
7b. The south wall of the south aisle
|
8. The vestry
|
The tower west front area
The west front could not be photographed in its entirety as it is close to a high garden wall. The west door is the main entrance to the church (9). Like the rest of the building the doorway is Cypris Freestone.
There are two recent plaques in the west wall. The higher one (10), about 5 metres above the ground, depicts St Michael and the Dragon in Portland stone and is a modern version of a 12th century carving in Ham Hill Stone which was removed and reset in interior west wall of south aisle in August 1996 (11).
The west front could not be photographed in its entirety as it is close to a high garden wall. The west door is the main entrance to the church (9). Like the rest of the building the doorway is Cypris Freestone.
There are two recent plaques in the west wall. The higher one (10), about 5 metres above the ground, depicts St Michael and the Dragon in Portland stone and is a modern version of a 12th century carving in Ham Hill Stone which was removed and reset in interior west wall of south aisle in August 1996 (11).
9. The west doorway
|
10. 2011 carving of St Michael and the Dragon
|
11. The 10th century carving
|
The lower plaque (12a), on the north side of the doorway, is a Thomas Hardy quotation also in Portland stone (12b). Both plaques are the work of Rebecca Freiesleben, a local stone carver working in Abbotsbury.
12a. Thomas Hardy quotation plaque
|
12b. Loupe of the stone used for the quotation plaque
|
The west wall of the north aisle is a false wall (13). Its function presumably is to reinforce the older wall (1630) behind which has a large early 18th century white marble memorial to George Pitt who died in 1734 (14) on the interior. The date the wall was constructed has not been determined but must post-date the monument and is probably 19th century. The openings appear to act as air vents.
13. The west wall of the north aisle
|
14. Memorial for George Pitt
|
The interior
The arches of both arcades are believed to be of the 13th century but are much restored. The north arcade (15) was altered in the 19th century so that now, although still in situ, the original columns are not visible. According to records kept by Thomas Hardy’s father, it seems that the columns were bricked round in 1840 and then rendered at a later date. A small gap made in the plasterwork of the centre column shows the brickwork beneath (16).
The arches of both arcades are believed to be of the 13th century but are much restored. The north arcade (15) was altered in the 19th century so that now, although still in situ, the original columns are not visible. According to records kept by Thomas Hardy’s father, it seems that the columns were bricked round in 1840 and then rendered at a later date. A small gap made in the plasterwork of the centre column shows the brickwork beneath (16).
15. Part of the north arcade
|
16. The brickwork under the render on the centre column of the north arcade
|
The south arcade (17) has also been altered. The visible stonework seen in the eastern half pier and the centre column is Corallian limestone (18a and b). Only the western column has original 13th century stonework and is probably Cypris Freestone but a historic coating of lime wash makes identification difficult.
17. Part of the south arcade
|
18a. The east respond of the south arcade
|
18b. Loupe of the stone used in the east respond of the south arcade
|
The chancel arch (19a and b) is also said to be of the 13th century. Again lime wash hampered identification but the loupes are similar. The font is 13th century and is Purbeck Marble (20)
19a. The chancel arch
|
19b. loupe of the stone in the chancel arch
|
20. The Purbeck Marble font
|
The stone used for a 13th century piscina (21a) in the south aisle wall is Portland limestone identified by the gastropods seen in the loupe photograph (21b and c). The 15th century vaulted canopy above with a statue of the Virgin and Child (20th century?) is Ham Hill Stone. The stone used for the statue was not identified.
21a. Piscina with alcove and statue above
|
21b. Piscina loupe
|
21c. part of loupe enlarged to show gastropods
|
References
- Hill M., Newman J., Pevsner N. (2018), The Buildings of England, Dorset, Yale U. Press, p.567
- https://www.british-history.ac.uk/rchme/dorset/vol3/pp252-257
