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St Michael, Kirkby Thore
St Michael's Church
Kirkby Thore Church
locality:-   Kirkby Thore
civil parish:-   Kirkby Thore (formerly Westmorland)
county:-   Cumbria
locality type:-   church
coordinates:-   NY63802594
1Km square:-   NY6325
10Km square:-   NY62
references:-   : 2005: Diocese of Carlisle, Directory 2004/5

photograph
CEZ51.jpg (taken 16.5.2016)  
photograph
CEZ56.jpg (taken 16.5.2016)  
evidence:-   old map:- OS County Series (Wmd 9 1) 
placename:-  St Michael's Church
source data:-   Maps, County Series maps of Great Britain, scales 6 and 25 inches to 1 mile, published by the Ordnance Survey, Southampton, Hampshire, from about 1863 to 1948.
"St. Michael's Church (Rectory) / Grave Yard"
evidence:-   old map:- Jefferys 1770 (Wmd) 
source data:-   Map, 4 sheets, The County of Westmoreland, scale 1 inch to 1 mile, surveyed 1768, and engraved and published by Thomas Jefferys, London, 1770.
image
J5NY62NW.jpg
church 
item:-  National Library of Scotland : EME.s.47
Image © National Library of Scotland
evidence:-   old map:- Nurse 1918
source data:-   Map, The Diocese of Carlisle, Cumberland, Westmorland, and Lancashire North of the Sands, scale about 4 miles to 1 inch, by Rev Euston J Nurse, published by Charles Thurnam and Sons, 11 English Street, Carlisle, Cumberland, 2nd edn 1939.
image
NUR1NY62.jpg
"KIRKBY THORE"
item:-  JandMN : 27
Image © see bottom of page
evidence:-   site plan:- Historical Monuments 1936
source data:-   Site plan, uncoloured lithograph, Kirkby Thore The Parish Church of St Michael, Kirkby Thore, Westmorland, scale about 1 to 290, published by Royal Commission on Historical Monuments England, London, 1936.
image  click to enlarge
HMW092.jpg
On p.147 of the Inventory of the Historical Monuments in Westmorland. 
printed, top  "KIRKBY THORE The PARISH CHURCH of / ST. MICHAEL"
RCHME no. Wmd, Kirkby thore 2 
item:-  Armitt Library : A745.92
Image © see bottom of page

photograph
BRF07.jpg  Bell; not IN the tower, and detached from any rope.
(taken 3.8.2009)  
The bell "in" the tower is said to have come from Shap Abbey, cast just before the Dissolution, about 1530.
 stained glass
 kneelers and pews
evidence:-   database:- Listed Buildings 2010
placename:-  Church of St Michael
source data:-  
courtesy of English Heritage
"CHURCH OF ST MICHAEL / / / KIRKBY THORE / EDEN / CUMBRIA / II[star] / 423083 / NY6380425945"
source data:-  
courtesy of English Heritage
"Parish Church, C12 with later additions and alterations. Coursed, squared rubble on chamfered plinth with stepped buttresses to tower; cavetto moulding to chancel eaves. Graduated slate roof with outshuts to north; stone coping and kneelers to chancel. West tower, nave without aisles, and chancel. 3-stage tower built in C12 with upper works rebuilt in C16; embattled parapet has C17 gabled bellcote on east side. Main belfry openings are paired, with trefoil heads. South door has pointed head and continuous chamfered surround. C14 gabled porch has single C13 lancet to left and 2 restored, C14 two-light windows under hoodmoulds to right. Chancel has central C14 two-light window with pointed head and blocked openings to either side; carved panel with Wharton coat-of-arms is set into wall on left. 3-light east window is 1850 copy but remains of earlier 5-light window are visible. Blocked C14 priests door, to right of C19 vestry; nave aisle has some original C14 windows, the rest are C19 copies. Incised stucco walls internally. Blocked original west doorway below 2-light C14 window; C12 responds carry later tower-arch. 2-bay arcade to north aisle; pointed arches of 2 chamfered orders on quatrefoil pier with chalice capitals and filleted shafts. Small opening with pointed head is cut through wall between east-end of aisle and nave. Pointed chancel arch is C19. Nave and chancel have 4-bay hammer-beam roofs of uncertain date, partly hidden by later ceiling. A number of panels and brackets bearing coats of arms are set into aisle and chancel walls. On north side of chancel is small memorial brass, in pedimented frame, dated 1692 with Latin inscription to Sir John Dalston. C14 piscina has trefoiled head and C19 drain. Moulded octagonal font was set up in 1688 by Thomas Machell, the rector, whose coat of arms is carved on one side. The pulpit, which he also presented, is made up of re-used, elaborately carved, C17 panels (one dated 1631) with some later additions to top and bottom. The C19 communion rails incorporate Machell's late C17 balusters and inscription, which originally read: "ECCLAESIA DE KIRKBY THORE D.D. THO MACHELL RECTOR REG: MA: A SAC: ET COLLEGII REG: OXON: SOCIVS. AN: R: CAROLI II XXXV." The R.C.H.M. records a mid C15 bell with a 'black-letter' inscription: S (damaged) re Ni Ihc Tas Unus Devs Meserere Nobis. This bell is traditionally said to have been brought from Shap abbey by the last abbot, who was also rector of Kirkby Thore."
:-  
 Rectors of Kirkby Thore including the cahpelries of Milburn and Sowerby to 1879-80; then rectors of a reduced parish having only Kirkby Thore township; from 1941 the benefice united with Temple Sowerby; united with the benefice of Newbiggin from 1973.

photograph
CEZ66.jpg  Organ.
(taken 16.5.2016)  
photograph
CEZ67.jpg  Organ.
(taken 16.5.2016)  
photograph
CEZ69.jpg  Mothers Union banner.
(taken 16.5.2016)  
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CEZ68.jpg  Pulpit. 1631.
(taken 16.5.2016)  
photograph
CEZ79.jpg  Pulpit. 1631.
(taken 16.5.2016)  
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CEZ80.jpg  Pulpit. 1631.
(taken 16.5.2016)  
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CEZ81.jpg  Pulpit. 1631.
(taken 16.5.2016)  
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CEZ75.jpg  Font.
(taken 16.5.2016)  
photograph
CEZ76.jpg  Font, coat of arms, Machell Family
(taken 16.5.2016)  
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CEZ70.jpg  Coat of arms; ? impaling Machell
(taken 16.5.2016)  
photograph
CEZ71.jpg  Coat of arms; probably Machell coloured wrongly.
(taken 16.5.2016)  
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CEZ88.jpg  Coat of arms, Clifford impaling Desormais?
(taken 16.5.2016)  
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CEZ90.jpg  Coat of arms, unidentified.
(taken 16.5.2016)  
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CEZ73.jpg  Chest.
(taken 16.5.2016)  
photograph
CEZ74.jpg  Chest, inscription:-
"K / H E / 1681" (taken 16.5.2016)  
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CEZ77.jpg  War memorial.
(taken 16.5.2016)  
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CEZ87.jpg  Altar table.
(taken 16.5.2016)  
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CEZ78.jpg  Side table.
(taken 16.5.2016)  
photograph
CEZ72.jpg  Roman tombstone, found 1/4 mile SE of the roman fort, 1949. See RIB768
(taken 16.5.2016)  
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CEZ89.jpg  Clock weights.
(taken 16.5.2016)  
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CEZ86.jpg  Nave roof.
(taken 16.5.2016)  
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CEZ52.jpg  Coat of arms, S wall.
(taken 16.5.2016)  
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CEZ92.jpg  Coat of arms, tower.
(taken 16.5.2016)  
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CEZ53.jpg  Cross base.
(taken 16.5.2016)  
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CEZ55.jpg  Bench mark.
(taken 16.5.2016)  
photograph
CEZ50.jpg  Gate catch.
(taken 16.5.2016)  

photograph
BMF17.jpg  Before structural repairs in 2010s.
(taken 1.6.2006)  
notes:-  
 The tower and nave date to the 12th century.
dedication
person:-    : St Michael
place:-   Kirkby Thore / Carlisle Diocese
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