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MICHAEL PARISH CHURCH Parish of the West Coast - Statement of Significance
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r.r Setting of the Church The village of Kirk Michael is a linear settlement on the road linking the towns of Peel and Ramsey. Built in 1835, the church is at the centre of the village - the site being the treen of L1,re. It is at least the third church ort the same site going back to the first millennia. The approach offthe main road running through the village of Kirk Michael is via a large stone lychgate built in r9o7. The church tower contains a large Victorian clock on the southern aspect, facing the community. The tower and clock are floodlit at night and can be seen from some miles away - the only amenity lighting in the parish.
There are five churchyards around the church with a meadow for future expansion. The largest is the Old Churchyard, used from the reth Century until rgro and eontains the graves of five Manx Bishops including Bishop Wilson (Bishop for SZ years). Burial records of about 4,ooo souls go back to 16ro. The grass in the Old Churchyard is managed by +-S lnughtan sheep * the only animal permitted under the Burials Act. It also contains tJre
east end of the previous church, the chancel rebuilt by Dr Thomas Wilson (son of Bishop Wilson) in ry76. The Bishops' graves are signposted and well subscribed study tours are given from time-to-time in conjunction with Michael Heritage Trust and MNH staff.
The r9u yard is mainly kerbed grave plots and a Commonwealth War Grave. It contains the sealed graves of nine typhoid (enteric fever) victims from rgra-26 that are remembered on a granite plaque. The 196o yard contains most of the cremation plots, the remainder is a mix of kerbed and grassed cemetery. The zoo5 yard is all grassed with a layout for future fuIl sized and cremation plots.
The adjacent meadow is cut a couple of times a year to try and keep docks (Rumex obtusifulius) under control. A wildflower meadow is being considered, albeit access would be needed across itbythe MUAand DEFAto an open culvert and piped pubicfoul sewer.
r.3 Social History The parish of Michael was one of the most important on the island, where sittings of
Tynwald were held in r5thC and was the residence of the Lord Bishop, It even had its own courthouse - the most recent built in r83r for civil and ecclesiastical courts for the north of the Island, replacing a church court built by Bishop Hildesley c 176o. Not only the parish,
but the village, Sheading and Local Authority district take their names from the dedication to the Archangel - the parishes formed in the tztr century. Archaeological discoveries and Medieval coin hoards have been found in the churchyard in r8B4 and tg7z.
Michael village has a population of r,5 zz (zozt) and the church has 5o+ on the Electoral RoIl (eoz+). Many residents in the village embrace the church and its activities but are not regular worshippers. Most days there are either services or activities in the building or community across the age spectrum. The Anglican Church has an excellent working relationship with the Methodist chapels - only two now remain of seven.
1.4 The church building in general The present church was consecrated on rr June 1835 and dedicated to St Michael and All Angels. It is believed that the former churches were to Michael the Archangel (singular)
The style of the church is Victorian Gothic, cruciform in shape with a large tower at the west end. The architect was John Welch who designed many other churches in the Island during the r83o-4os for Bishop Ward. The hear,y Gothic design is unusual for a Manx parish church - eg the large square tower has four pinnacles seen for miles around.
The stone lychgate dates from 19o6 and was designed by Armitage-Rigby to house the ancient parish crosses * similar to the cross house he designed at Maughold. The lychgate not only forms part of the site curtiiage but contributes significantly to the smeet scene.
The church worship area has not beeu extended since built in r8g5. Originally with three rows of box pews across, only the central ones remain. (see r.7 Mission).
Heating was added in r87g and thus a boiler house was built, attached at the NW corner so that the flue could be run within the tower. This would have originally almost certainly been coal fired using gravity based hot water system until electricity became available
clg35 and a pump added. The boiler was subsequently changed to a TokW floor standing oil boiler, fed from a bunded oil tank adjacent to the north transept.
The communion table was originally (r88o) fitted against the east end octagonal apse. This was subsequently made free standing and brought forward so that the Eucharist can be celebrated with the priest standing behind - rather than with their bacls to the congregation, or standing northside. Believed to be the first repositioned on the Island.
The organ was built in Manchester by Samuel Renn in cr84o and originally installed in the pro'cathedral chapel of St Nicholas at Bishopscourt. It was gifted to Michael Church by Bishop Hill in 1878 when a smaller organ was installed at Bishopscourt. It is listed on the National Pipe Organ Register (NPOR)
The church contains the largest collection of Celtic (7'h C) and Norse (nttr f,) inscribed stone crosses on the island - attracting visitors and students from the UK and Seandinavia.
The eleven-sided (hendecagon) war memorial is made of Sicilian marble and fixed to the wall of the north nave. It was designed by Archibald Knox - a leading Art Nouveau designer at Liberty's of London. It commemorates the dead of both World Wars in surname order.
The pulpit was gifted to the church in 186o by Bishop Powys, replacing a traditional threedecker one. It was made from one of the chestnut trees planted by Bishop Wilson at Bishopscourt, Also, carved but from a Bishopscourt oak, is the communion tahle dating
from r88o. Kelly Bros of Kirk Michael dld most of the wood carving iucl chairs in the apse. The font dates from 1854 fashioned in carved limestone with pedestal and with an ornately
carved domed oak cover. Its location changed to the south door when the organ was added. At the east end, in the apse, are three large stained-glass windows. The eentral one, reredos and wainscoting were provided in memory of Joseph Mylchreest (also knornn as the
'diamond king') of The White House, Kirk Michael by his widow Phoebe in 1898. TWo side windows were erected in r9r3 in memory of another White House owuer, Captain Evan Gell.
1.7 Signtficance for mission The church as built in rB35 for 65o persons and with a hrgh ceiling as provision for a future balcony * thus it is sometimes considered a barn. Instead of a balcony two areas at
the west end had pews removed and were partitioned off into rooms * a vesty on the south side and kitchen to the north. A children's corner was added in the north transept"
In zor4 the south transept was partitioned offand a room formed with storage above. This energy efficient area is used for meetings of z5-3o persons. The kitchen and vestry were completely refurbished. Pews were removed on the south aisle, carpeted and fitted with stackable chairs and collapsible tables for refreshments after service and community
events. Following the sale of the church hall in eot8, the children's cornerwas enlarged and in zoeo the north aisle had pews removed and provided with chairs and tables. We can now cater for over So persons seated at tables.
The Church has had an unbroken line of 94 vicars going back to rbrr. Following the merging of five western churches in zorz (Cathedral, Dalby, Patrick, St Johns & Miehael) to form the Parish of the West Coast, the Bishops have licenced ordained local ministers to continue the mission of this historic, important parish church.
Regular meetings / outreach takes place such as fortnightly Mothers' Union, weeHy Bible studies, fortnightly Michael Bear - a club for pre-school children and their parents/carers. The church is a base for school outreach such as Open the Book in Michael and Ballaugh schools. The local school and parents have services in the church at Christmas, Harvest, Christingle, etc when over 1So gather. It is also the base of outreach to older people including weeHy services in the local sheltered housing complex. Open from gam - Spm, it is the local Foodbank collection point. Mission is a high priory at all local Church Council (LCC) meetings - which is shared with PCC and Mission Partnership meetings.
Section z : flre significance of the area affected by the proposal.
Windows on the south and north naves plus northern transept.
Section 3: Assessment of the impact of the proposals
The proposed covering will protect the fragile originals from the weather, especially driving rain. Being clear u/v resist polycarbonate sheet, externally one can see the window beneath and from inside the church there is no change.
There is no negative impact.
Sourcss consulted Quayle J R, rgz7 St Michel's Church - historical gleanings of the ehurch and partsh Sharpe G R, zoo3 Report on KirkMichael andAllAngels ParishChurch, KirkMtchael Manxsearch Ltd, 2oo1 Charqcter appratsal of Kirk Miehael proposed conseruation areq Moore S, zoo9, IOIII Gouernment Regtstered Buildings zubmission Cashin T L, 1986 A Michael Village Trail C M Clague, ao18 Reapers, Clogs and Pulpi the cro.ftsmen of Kelly's Yard Gullick F R zoo7, St Miehael's church andits cross-s/abs Clague C M. zozr, The Michael Crosses Kermode P M C LgoZ, ManxCrosses CoaHey F A Nlsnx Note Bookwebsite wutta.isle-of-ma n.com/manxnotebaok Wall L Great English Churcheswebsite wu)u.greatenglishchurches.ca.uk
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