|
St Michael the ArchangelTWO MILE HILL, BRISTOL |
| Situated on a crossroads near the
edge of the city (although visually there is no break
between Victorian Bristol and Victorian Kingswood) the
church of St Michael the Archangel stands within its own
walled churchyard. Since it was built in 1848 (architect
S.B.Gabriel), it has been little altered. The top of the
tower, originally with a low pyramidal cap, now sports a
plain parapet, an embellishment by the architect
P.Hartland Thomas, 1939. The church consists of a low west tower, nave with five-bayed north aisle and north porch, and chancel with a vestry on the south. It groups well from the north-east. |
|
 |
The interior, although nothing
architecturally special, is beautifully proportioned, and
the nave is quite lofty with a steeply pitched roof. It
has recently been decorated and the capitals of the
arcade are painted red and the abaci above are a
blueish-grey. The roof too is picked out in the same grey
and black. Long wall posts terminate in foliated corbels. The tasteful decoration scheme exists in the chancel, which is lower and narrower than the nave. There is no screen, but a rood beam with figures divides it from the nave. The east window is of three lights with a vesica in the gable above. The south sanctuary window incorporates three gables in its base for sedilia. Note again the lengthy wall shafts which mark and divide the bays. February 2011 - Pete Flook has Emailed me to say that the original rood screen has been put back in place during interior decorations done in 2010. |
 |
 |
From here a glimpse back into the
nave shows the new tower screen and window above which
fills the tower arch. An interesting point is that the
pulpit on the south side of the chancel arch is only
accessible from the vestry behind. TWO MILE HILL??? Perhaps not the original name for this area carved out of the parish of St George, but so called because the main road from Bristol to Kingswood steadily climbs upwards, past the church and is called Two Mile Hill Road. The church stands on the west corner of this road's junction with The Kingsway. Sadly in common with some other city churches , St Michael's is often locked. However, the church is usually open on Saturday mornings 1000-1200. |
Back to the Bristol Churches List
