Michael Parish Churches

See Parish Index page for description, links to 19th century directories etc.

Kirk Michael - St Michael and All Angels

	A 'heavy' Gothic design in a cruciform shape by John Welch to a commission by Bishop Ward. The church was completed in 1835 and designed to seat 650 people with a pew for each quarterland. The plans included a possible gallery but this was never built as the population decreased.
Grid Reference SC317908
	The postcard shows the entrance to the church pre 1907 when the current, somewhat heavy design, lychgate was built, mainly to display the various runic crosses, one of which can be seen to the right of the entrance.

Churchyard contains grave of Bishop Wilson.

The original church was much smaller and the positioning of Bishop Wilson's tomb immediately under East Window is apparent.

Old Kk Michaelfrom Bp Ward's Appeal
Old St Michael's from Sketch of 1834 - seats 300

Some notes on Parish registers have been published.

See slso Church Guide

Bishopscourt - Chapel of St Nicholas

Sold into private hands 1979.
Possibly founded by Bishop Simon (d. 1247) though earliest surviving portion is the tower dating from end of 14th Century. Many Bishops added to this core - by the end of the 17th Century a late mediaeval chapel stood to the east of the tower and a hall to the west, it lay half in Ballaugh and half in Michael, for in it the 'respective Parsons and Vicars severally officiate divine service, the one at the one side or end of the said chapel, and the other at the other'. The current chapel dates from Bishop Powys time in 1858.
See additional page for references, history and various views.

Grid Reference SC328924

Spooyt Vane Mission Hall

No hard information but supposedly built c.1860 by niece of Bishop; enlarged 1901. The photo shows the old (original ?) roof - since replaced after it fell in in 1999.

In 1880 the land (and building) was bought from the Kelly family on whose land it was built for £100 and transferred to trustees for use as a school room (Sunday School ?) - thus it would appear that it was not legally settled when built - the use of cast iron windows would however appear to date it from the 1830's and 1840's..

Now privately owned.

Grid Reference SC309891

see also Rev Crellin's description of the Parish in 1774.


	see also[Feltham's Tour & Memorial Inscriptions]

Any comments, errors or omissions gratefully received The Editor © F.Coakley , 2000