Leafield : St Michael and All Angels

A beautiful Victorian church by George Gilbert Scott.

About this church

Church. Circa 1858, tower not completed until 1874; tower rebuilt in shorter form early C20. By Sir George Gilbert Scott. Squared coursed stone; imitation stone tile roofs, except stone spire, 4-bay aisled nave, central tower, and chancel. Gothic Revival style.

South side: stone gabled porch to left of centre of south aisle with 2-centred archway on columns, and 2-centred doorway on columns with plank door, having decorative wrought-iron hinges. Paired lancets to north and south aisles with quatrefoils above, forming cross-gables. 3-light stone mullion windows to clerestory. 2 lancets to side-chapel to south, and to organ chamber to north.

Triple lancet with Rose window above to east end of chancel. West end: lancets to ends of aisles. Central 2-centre arched doorway with gabled canopy surround on shafts. 2 lancets to nave with Rose window above.

Central tower has square base, octagonal second stage with 2-light Plate-tracery louvred openings and broach spire with hipped lanterns to cardinal sides. Interior: arch-braced roof to chancel. Painted inscriptions on sheet metal to walls of chancel and over nave arcades. Encaustic tile floor to chancel, and frescoed fleur-de-lys pattern behind altar.

Wood panelled roof to crossing with decorative painting to ribs and panels. C19 choir stalls. 2-centre arches to chancel, nave, side chapel, and organ. Nave arcades of 4 two-centred arches on round piers. C19 pulpit, pews and font. (Buildings of England: Oxfordshire: 1979, p682; The Works of Sir Gilbert Scott, D. Cole: Architectural Press: 1980)

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