Listed Building record MDO26935 - Parish Church of St Michael, Owermoigne

Parish Church. West tower, early C15. Rest of church rebuilt in 1883 to the design of S.Jackson of Weymouth, with some medieval windows reset in the chancel. Rubblestone walls. Clay tile roofs.

St. Michael's Church, Owermoigne was largely rebuilt in 1883 except for the early 15th century west tower. One 13th century and two 16th century windows were re-set into the chancel. <2-3>

<1> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1963 (Map). SWX1540.

(SY 76888532) St. Michael's Church (NAT)

<2> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 1, 184 (Monograph). SDO148.

‘(1) THE PARISH CHURCH OF ST. MICHAEL stands in the middle of the village. The walls are of local rubble and the roofs are covered with tiles. The West Tower is of the early 15th century; the rest of the church was rebuilt in 1883 to the designs of S. Jackson of Weymouth, with some old windows reset in the chancel.
Architectural Description—The Chancel has in the N. wall a 16th-century window of two cinque-foiled lights with hollowmoulded jambs and square head, and in the S. wall a similar 16th-century window with a modern label and further W. a mid 13th-century window of one trefoiled light with two-centred head and a modern label. The West Tower (9 ft. square) is of three storeys divided externally into two stages by a weathered string-course, with a plinth and an embattled parapet and gargoyles at the corners. On the N. side is a vice contained in a large rounded projection with loop lights; to the W. are single-stage diagonal buttresses added before 1883. The tower arch is of two moulded orders; the inner order is two-centred and dies into the face of the jambs and the outer order is segmental-pointed and continuous down to pyramidal stops. On the N. side is a doorway to the vice with square chamfered head; on the S. is a small rectangular window. The W. window is of two cinque-foiled lights with vertical tracery in a two-centred head with a label. In the upper stage there is a window in each wall of two arched lights without cusping in a square head. The tower roof is modern.

Fittings—Bells: three; 1st inscribed in black-letter 'Sancta Anna Ora Pro Nobis', 15th-century; 2nd and 3rd both by John Wallis, 1594. Bell-frame, perhaps 16th-century. Benefactor's Table: In tower, on N. wall, 18th-century painted wooden panel recording bequests to the poor of Owermoigne from Adam Jones of Holworth, Abbotsmilton, 1653. Brass: in chancel, on S. wall, to John Sturton, 1506, inscribed plate. Font: circular moulded bowl on plain cylindrical stem with moulded foot on square base, 18th-century. Monument: In churchyard, S.E. of porch, table-tomb to William Wallis 1625/6. Royal Arms: in nave, on W. wall, painted panel, between 1816 and 1837.’

<3> Newman, J, and Pevsner, N, 1972, The Buildings of England: Dorset (Monograph). SWX1290.

<4> National Record of the Historic Environment, 453916 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Apr 17 2025 9:04AM