The Misericords and history of Bishop’s Stortford,
St Michael’s.
St Michael’s has eighteen, 15th century misericords.
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History of St Michael’s, Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire.
There has probably been a church on this site since the 7th century, this would almost certainly have been of wood and thatch construction. There is certainly record in the Domesday Book of a priest in Bishop’s Stortford.
In the early 12th century a new stone church was built, however, by the end of the 14th century the church was about ready to collapse. and except for some vaulting and the font none of this church now remains.
In the early 1400’s the “new” St Michael’s was started. The building was paid for by voluntary contributions by members of two of the local guilds, this caused the church to have two altars, one dedicated to St Mary and the other to St Michael, however, in 1485 and additional altar and chantry, dedicated to John the Baptist was installed after a private bequest.
St Michael’s was never collegiate, so it is hard to explain the existence of misericords, but they date from this early 15th century building period, so whatever the reason, I’m grateful!
The transfer from Roman Catholic to the Church of England, seems to have gone, if not smoothly, then at least painlessly - the vicars of the time seem to have been realists, so when Henry VIII went from Roman Catholicism, to Anglo Catholicism, the vicar bought the new English Bible, under Edward IV they became protestant, removing the rood loft and whitewashing the walls; on Mary’s orders they went back to Roman Catholicism, and then under Elizabeth they again changed to Protestantism. The only exception being Richard Fletcher, who was made vicar of Bishop’s Stortford in 1551, was forcibly removed from the position in 1554, under Mary’s rule, as he was married.
The civil war was more unkind to St Michael’s, Bishop’s Stortford supported the parliamentarians, and a small garrison was barracked in St Michael’s. The common soldiery, as has been noted in other places on this site were not great fans of the church, so that much needed repairing (and sanitizing) after their departure; it must be assumed, therefore, that the choir stall seats were down, and no one thought to look underneath and discover the misericord - yet again, I’m grateful..
By the early 19th century major restoration work was needed, the tower was close to collapse, so between 1812 and 1819 works were carried out, including a new belfry and a slate clad spire. The slates were then replaced in 1970 by a lead covering.
The Official St Michael’s, Bishop’s Stortford website.
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