{"id":828,"date":"2012-03-23T22:40:10","date_gmt":"2012-03-23T22:40:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stmichaels-hls.org.uk\/?page_id=828"},"modified":"2016-06-23T10:31:56","modified_gmt":"2016-06-23T10:31:56","slug":"a-brief-guide-to-st-michael-all-angels","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/stmichaels-hls.org.uk\/?page_id=828","title":{"rendered":"A Brief Guide to St Michael & All Angels"},"content":{"rendered":"

THE WEST END<\/strong><\/p>\n

1. \u00a0The font <\/strong>is Medieval, possibly Norman.\u00a0 It was mounted on a plinth which has\u00a0\"\"<\/a>been removed as it was a trip hazard. The water drains away directly into the ground and not into the drains as it is consecrated water.<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0 The great West window or Gilpin window.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

This window depicts some of the stories from the life of Bernard Gilpin, Rector of Houghton from 1557 till 1583.\u00a0 The stories shown in the window are:<\/p>\n

a.\u00a0 Founder of the Kepier Grammar School.\u00a0 <\/strong>This building is located behind the church and remained a school until the 1920s.\u00a0 It was one of, if not the first, school in the North of England.\u00a0 It educated children from the minor nobility and Gilpin himself would keep and educate local lads he came across who showed promise, even sending them on to Oxford.<\/p>\n

b.\u00a0 Father of the poor<\/strong>.\u00a0 Gilpin was very generous.\u00a0 On most Sundays he held open house, feeding any who called, rich or poor.\u00a0 He is said to have given away his cloak, and at one time even his horse, to those in need.<\/p>\n

c.\u00a0 Apostle of the North.\u00a0 <\/strong>In Gilpin\u2019s time Northumberland was a wild and fierce borderland, home of the Border Reivers.\u00a0 Very few churches had clergy, most Rectors living away and only returning once a year to collect rents and tithes.\u00a0 Into this vacuum Gilpin would visit churches in places like Rothbury and there preach the Gospel, marry, baptise and bury a people starved of\u00a0 spiritual comfort.\u00a0 This was no mean thing and not without danger.<\/p>\n

d.\u00a0 The boar and oak tree crest <\/strong>is the shield of the Gilpin family, later adopted by Houghton Urban District Council.<\/p>\n

e.\u00a0 The picture of the horse <\/strong>refers to the episode of the plough lady\u00a0 being given Gilpin\u2019s horse after her own\u00a0 had died.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Continue clockwise to the NORTH WALL OF THE CHURCH<\/strong><\/p>\n

1.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/strong>A nice little piece of interest: in the second window from the servery <\/strong>Jesus is depicted wearing what looks like a cowboy hat.\u00a0 Children enjoy it.<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0\u00a0 The War Memorial <\/strong>is from WW1.\u00a0 The names are not the same as those on the cenotaph outside.\u00a0 These are names of people known to the congregation of the time.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

3.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong>Under the memorial, in a case, is the Houghton le Spring Book of Remembrance<\/strong> for WW II.<\/p>\n

4.\u00a0\u00a0 The window facing the main door <\/strong>was once a doorway known as The Devil\u2019s Door.\u00a0 In the past children were brought in through this door before Baptism, and so also were the dead in their coffins.\u00a0 This was to signify coming from darkness [the North] into church and leaving afterwards via the South door into the light [the South] and sunshine.<\/p>\n

5.\u00a0\u00a0 A tower <\/strong>was added to the West end of the Saxon church by the Normans.\u00a0 This was burned down by Black Douglas <\/strong>of Scotland, (or James\u00a0 the Good, depending on which side of the border you live) in 1319.\u00a0 The\u00a0foundations were discovered during the recent excavations part of which are preserved next to the column by the sound desk.<\/p>\n

6.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong>There is a plaque next to the last window on the north aisle <\/strong>dedicated to Jane Bowes Barrington who is believed to\u00a0 have been a relative of the late Queen Mother, Elizabeth Bowes Lyon.<\/p>\n

7.\u00a0\u00a0 The meeting room, <\/strong>formerly the Lady Chapel.\u00a0 On the walls inside the meeting room are a number of interesting plaques.\u00a0 The one near the door is to William Ironside\u2014perhaps the street was named after him?\u00a0 On the North wall there is a small wooden door: this covers an aumbry<\/em>, presently not used.\u00a0 On the East wall is a niche with a hole in the bottom: this is known as a piscina <\/em>and is for disposing of holy [blessed] water.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

MEZZANINE HERITAGE CENTRE<\/strong><\/p>\n

There is much information here;<\/p>\n

1.\u00a0\u00a0 The table\/altar <\/strong>is circa 1600.\u00a0 this is thought to have been used by the Puritans as an altar.\u00a0 Dates on the Rectors Board list two intruders<\/em> in 1645.\u00a0 These would have been the Puritan equivalent of Rectors.<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0\u00a0 One of the old Victorian pews <\/strong>is preserved \u20131857\/58.<\/p>\n

3.\u00a0\u00a0 A folder of photographs <\/strong>of the church before, during and after excavations and reordering in 2008.<\/p>\n

4.\u00a0\u00a0 A Saxon doorpost holder <\/strong>can be seen. This was found under the floor during excavations<\/p>\n

5.\u00a0\u00a0 Detailed reports and pictures <\/strong>of the history of the church on video and displays.<\/p>\n

6.\u00a0\u00a0 Photographs and pictures of previous Rectors.\u00a0 <\/strong>Note that St. Michaels is the only church in England to have had two Rectors who went on to\u00a0become Archbishops of Canterbury\u2014these are: 1758 Thomas Secker and 1677 William Sancroft.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u00a0THE CROSSING and TOWER.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>The decorative wood ceiling marks the base of the central tower, which houses a very impressive set of bells and the ringing room. The lead on the roof was graffitied by choir boys in Victorian times. We are always looking for new bellringers, let us know if you might be interested.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Continue up to the CHANCEL and HIGH ALTAR\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

1.\u00a0\u00a0 The Organ.\u00a0 <\/strong>This was made in Durham by the world famous Harrison and Harrison in 1932.<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0\u00a0 The Choir Stalls <\/strong>were installed by Rector Grey around 1860 when the church was last reordered by the renowned Newcastle architect John Dobson<\/p>\n

3.\u00a0\u00a0 The large cupboard <\/strong>is an aumbry<\/em>, still used to keep the reserved Sacrament, that is: consecrated bread and wine used for Home Communions.\u00a0 The red light signifies the Sacrament is present inside.<\/p>\n

4.\u00a0\u00a0 The small window\u00a0<\/strong>featuring St. Michael, is Norman although the glass is later.<\/p>\n

5.\u00a0\u00a0 The Houghton Beasts\/Dragons.\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n

This carving is thought to predate the church and may have been brought here from elsewhere.\u00a0 Some of the\"\"<\/a> explanations of the dragons are:<\/p>\n