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Some of Whitegate congregation and friends visited St Michael’s and All Angels Church, Middlewich on 22nd March. It was a very cold but dry day. We were welcomed at no 28 (their church centre) with coffee and toasted tea cakes - they certainly hit the spot on a winter’s day. Reverend Liz Wood introduced our guide Ann Latham and we set off across the road to see the church.
Ann was an excellent guide and, although she professed to be a trainee, she explained that a pre-Norman structure may have existed but it was impossible to be sure without investigations below the floor of the church. It is thought that the church dates from c.1070 to c. 1250.
The windows in Saint Michael’s are beautiful. I think my favourite was the Lady Chapel Window, there are three windows in the Perpendicular style, two of which are plain glass. The centre window is in pale colours with the sun shining through it, it was stunning. This is where we shared the Lord’s Supper with Reverand Liz Woods as the celebrant.
There are two Heraldic Screens in the church one dated 1632 the other 1633. They show the coats of arms of the Venables, Breton and Cholmondeley families kept in low light to preserve them.
We were told although it is an historic building it is a thriving church. We saw where “Smilers”, children’s group, meets on a Monday afternoon and heard of many types of services offered at Saint Michael’s every week.
We thanked Reverend Liz Woods and Ann for such an interesting visit and a number of our party went to the Plough at Whitegate for lunch, which was enjoyed by all.
