Church of St. Michael and All Angels
Church of St. Michael and All Angels
HER Number
263
District
Sunderland
Site Name
Church of St. Michael and All Angels
Place
Houghton-le-Spring
Map Sheet
NZ34NW
Class
Religious Ritual and Funerary
Site Type: Broad
Place of Worship
Site Type: Specific
Parish Church
General Period
MEDIEVAL
Specific Period
Medieval 1066 to 1540
Form of Evidence
Extant Building
Description
A Norman church of the first half of the 12th century existed here - a round-headed window and dorway survive in the north wall of the chancel - but most of the present church is 13th-14th century, of which many features survive. Traces of many later alterations and additions also survive. A "megalithic Roman style sarcophagus" is said to have been situated in the church until the 1960s, when it was moved to the south transcept and then outside the east end of the church. LISTED GRADE 1
Easting
434180
Northing
549850
Grid Reference
NZ434180549850
Sources
<< HER 263 >> W. Hutchinson, 1787, History of…Durham, II, pp. 538, 540-542
R. Surtees, 1816, History of…Durham, I, opp. Pp. 13, 116, 148, pp. 152-7
R. W. Billings, 1846, Architectural Antiquities of the County of Durham, pp. 46-47
Anon. 1865, Houghton-le-Spring, Archaeologia Aeliana, 2, VI, pp. 186-8
J.R. Boyle, 1892, The County of Durham, pp. 552-559
Rev. J.F. Hodgson, 1907, On some four- and five-lighted north country 'decorated windows', Transactions Architectectural & Archaeological Society of Durham & Northumberland, V (for 1896-1905), pp. 49, 50, 73
Rev. C.E. Adamson, 1913, Houghton-le-Spring,Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle, 3, V (for 1911-12), pp. 46-62
C.H.H. Blair, 1929, Medieval Effigies in the County of Durham, Archaeologia Aeliana, 4, VI, pp. 4, 17-18, pl. II.2
C.H.H. Blair, 1935, The Renaissance Heraldry of the County Palatine of Durham, Archaeologia Aeliana, 4, XII, pp. 49-54
N. Pevsner, revised by E. Williamson, 1983, The Buildings of England: County Durham, pp. 329-30
Pers. Comm.C. Hart, 1997, letter re: sarcophagus; Department of National Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, 7/18; Peter Ryder and Richard Carlton, 2010, Archaeological Recording at the Church of St. Michael and All Angels, Houghton-le-Spring, Archaeology County Durham, Issue 5, 2010, pages 55-63; The Archaeological Practice Ltd. 2011, North east area of cemetery of St. Michaels and All Angels Church, Houghton-le-Spring - Archaeological Watching Brief; Ryder, P. 2011, Historic Churches of County Durham, p110; The Archaeological Practice Ltd. 2008, Church of St Michael and All Angels, Houghton-le-Spring - Archaeological Watching Brief; Carlton, R and Ryder, P, 2014, 'Excavations at the Church of St Michael and All Angels, Houghton-le-Spring in 2008' in Durham Archaeological Journal,19, 107-32
R. Surtees, 1816, History of…Durham, I, opp. Pp. 13, 116, 148, pp. 152-7
R. W. Billings, 1846, Architectural Antiquities of the County of Durham, pp. 46-47
Anon. 1865, Houghton-le-Spring, Archaeologia Aeliana, 2, VI, pp. 186-8
J.R. Boyle, 1892, The County of Durham, pp. 552-559
Rev. J.F. Hodgson, 1907, On some four- and five-lighted north country 'decorated windows', Transactions Architectectural & Archaeological Society of Durham & Northumberland, V (for 1896-1905), pp. 49, 50, 73
Rev. C.E. Adamson, 1913, Houghton-le-Spring,Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle, 3, V (for 1911-12), pp. 46-62
C.H.H. Blair, 1929, Medieval Effigies in the County of Durham, Archaeologia Aeliana, 4, VI, pp. 4, 17-18, pl. II.2
C.H.H. Blair, 1935, The Renaissance Heraldry of the County Palatine of Durham, Archaeologia Aeliana, 4, XII, pp. 49-54
N. Pevsner, revised by E. Williamson, 1983, The Buildings of England: County Durham, pp. 329-30
Pers. Comm.C. Hart, 1997, letter re: sarcophagus; Department of National Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, 7/18; Peter Ryder and Richard Carlton, 2010, Archaeological Recording at the Church of St. Michael and All Angels, Houghton-le-Spring, Archaeology County Durham, Issue 5, 2010, pages 55-63; The Archaeological Practice Ltd. 2011, North east area of cemetery of St. Michaels and All Angels Church, Houghton-le-Spring - Archaeological Watching Brief; Ryder, P. 2011, Historic Churches of County Durham, p110; The Archaeological Practice Ltd. 2008, Church of St Michael and All Angels, Houghton-le-Spring - Archaeological Watching Brief; Carlton, R and Ryder, P, 2014, 'Excavations at the Church of St Michael and All Angels, Houghton-le-Spring in 2008' in Durham Archaeological Journal,19, 107-32