Maxstoke - St Michael
St Michael's church at Maxstoke is a comparitively small building as parish churches go, a single chamber construction that looks like the chancel of a larger building. It was originally the chapel ante portas ('before the gate') of the neighbouring priory whose ruined remnants are just visible beyond the churchyard wall (itself part of the ancient monastic precinct).
The church was built in the mid 14th century and remains substantially of this date aside from the addition of the tiny west tower in the early 19th century. The interior was remodelled and refurnished in the Georgian period and retains it's 18th century atmosphere with it's gallery, woodwork, plaster ceiling and clear glazed windows (a few fragments of the original 14th century stained glass survive in two windows).
The church is normally kept locked except for sundays between Easter and October.
The church was built in the mid 14th century and remains substantially of this date aside from the addition of the tiny west tower in the early 19th century. The interior was remodelled and refurnished in the Georgian period and retains it's 18th century atmosphere with it's gallery, woodwork, plaster ceiling and clear glazed windows (a few fragments of the original 14th century stained glass survive in two windows).
The church is normally kept locked except for sundays between Easter and October.
