'Appleby - St Michael's Church'

Location : Appleby
Map - Ordnance Survey - NY 689199

St Michael'S Church is Early English and Decorated Gothic in appearance, though contains a Saxon hogback gravestone as a lintel over the North doorway.

It was once the centre of worship for the Bongate (sometimes called Sands) part of Appleby. Bongate is the street where the villani or bondmen inhabited, who were attendent upon the castle to execute the servile and laborious offices.

Lady Anne Clifford rebuilt this church in 1658, and, as usual, she left her mark upon it; high up on the north wall is a carved cartouche with the famous initials and date, "A.P. 1659."

It was much altered again in 1885, when the low tower was added.

St Michael's church was declared redundant in 1975, and sold for private use.

The church used to have stained glass by Charles Kempe, but this has now been moved to All Saints Church, Leighton Buzzard; see Kempe stained glass part 9 for the Appleby window.

Aerial photo by Simon Ledingham.