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HER 9797 - CHURCH OF ST MICHAEL, Church Street, Betchworth

Church. Saxon origins with Pre-Conquest fragments in tower. Later 11th century tower walling, since moved, with enlargement in early 13th century. South aisle circa 1200, north aisle slightly later with later 13th century chancel and Lady Chapel to south. Church restored by E. C. Hakewill in 1850 when original Norman crossing tower was moved and tower built at end of south aisle, further restorations of 1870. Chalk rubble with clunch and firestone dressings, replaced in 19th century by Bath stone; fine ashlar to upper stage of tower with Horsham slab roofs. Originally low Saxon stone church with central Norman crossing tower, now with tower to south; transept and vestry to north and porches to west and south. Pentice aisle to south with 14th century windows. Clear-storey above. 3 stage tower with half octagonal buttress and broaches to west face, corbel band with floral bosses on parapet and one 2-light, louvred window to each face of upper stage. Lancet window on each face of middle stage and 19th century, 3 stepped-light, plain arched window to south face of lower stage. Lady Chapel: 19th century net tracery window on east end, 14th century window on south side. Diagonal buttresses to east end of chancel, two 19th century, Decorated style windows to end, the largest one with 3 roundels, 3 lancets on north chancel wall. Vestry at right angles to chancel with gable end roundel and Tudor style door. North transept: 19th century with gable end crucifix and stepped, plate-tracery window. North aisle: clear-storey above with alternating square and round leaded windows. 14th century aisle windows, those in small 2-light, trefoil-head openings with cusped, vesica-shaped quatrefoil over, under plain hood moulding (circa 1320). Two-light window to west with cinque-foil heads under pointed segmental arch; terminals of hood moulding carved into Canons’ heads. 19th century window to west. Porch with door to west under hood mould and ballflower stops, chamfered and broach-stop surround. South porch similar but with half-pier responds and hood mould. Interior: plain cusped braced roof; 15th century timber roof in tower (moved with it in 19th century). Round pier nave arcades of c.1200 with half-octagonal pier responds to north; three bay arcade to south with one round pier and one octagonal pier both with moulded plinths and caps. Chancel arch 13th century, raised and widened in 1850, adjacent nave arches also of similar date with 3 recessed chamfered orders, one capital reset in tower of pre-conquest date. 8 circular roll mouldings one above the other. Arch between south aisle and tower is post conquest 11th century - originally, a crossing arch and reset in 1850 - with two square orders and cushion capitals on chamfered abaci. South chancel arcade, 3 bays with two orders, the outer square-edged, the inner chamfered, on octagonal and circular caps of heavy round piers with shallow octagonal responds. Fittings: arched aumbry by south door. Tub font on round plinth, 1951 by Eric Kennington with carvings of St Michael and the Madonna and chain links to base. Florid multicoloured marble pulpit circa 1885, 5 different types of stone with inlay panels of Faith, Hope and Love on triple columned stem and with wrought-iron balustrade to stair. PEVSNER: BUILDINGS OF ENGLAND, SURREY (1971) pp.91-2. V.C.H. SURREY (1967) Vol. III pp.170-2. Listing NGR: TQ2105949702

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