Great Witley

 

Anglican: St Michael

Attached to the ruins of Witley Court, St Michael’s has a plain exterior, but a remarkable and opulent baroque interior which is arguably the finest in England. Features in Simon Jenkins’ Englands Thousand Best Churches and Betjeman’s Best British Churches (2011).
 Great_WitleyGt Witley Ext Aug 2008

St Michael’s Church from old undated post card.                                St Michael’s Church, August 2008.

                                                           Gt Witley Int Aug 2008

                                                                   St Michael’s Baroque Interior, August 2008

For other recent (2008) pictures Please Click Here.  (www.flickr.com/tudorbarlow)

References and some further sources:
Aitken, John. Census of Religious Worship, 1851: The Returns for Worcestershire.
Bridges, Tim. Churches of Worcestershire (2005)
Brooks, Alan, and Nikolaus Pevsner. Buildings of England: Worcestershire  (2007)
Morgan, Paul. Inspections of churches and parsonage houses in the Diocese of Worcester in 1674, 1676, 1684, and 1687 (1986)
Noake, John. The Rambler in Worcestershire or, Stray Notes on Churches and Congregations.  Volume I (1848), p.99
Ransome, Mary. The State of the Bishopric of Worcester, 1782-1808  (1968)

n.b. Full details of these books are on the bibliography page.

Websites:        British History Online:  Entry for Great Witley.
                         Grade I Listed Building:   Listing Details Here.
                         English Heritage List for England: Please Click Here
                         Parish Website.
                         A Church Near You.
                         Family History Website.

                         English Heritage Website: Entry for Witley Court.

Nearby churches are:  Astley,  Little Witley,  Shrawley,  Stourport Deanery

Wilden to Witley Church Trail.

Anglican:  St Michael’s Chapel

A brick chapel of 1882, much enlarged in 1895.   After the restoration of the parish church (see above) the chapel was closed in 1977.  Now used as a Scouts and Guides Centre.

Great_Witley_Chapel          Gt Witley Chapel May 2012

Great Witley Chapel from old undated postcard.                                Great Witley Chapel,  May 2012.

Click on red text for a link.  External website links will open in a new window.                     Page updated May 2022