St Michael’s church Highworth, or to give it its full title, St Michael’s & All Angel’s Church lays claim, on its website, to being the only 13th century church in the borough of Swindon. It’s not clear why their website says that because:
1. So too is is the Grade I listed church of St John the Baptist in Inglesham
2. Ditto St Andrew’s church in North Swindon and …
3 … likewise the Grade II listed St Mary’s church at Rodbourne Cheney. It too is 13th century in origin.
Anyway, putting that conundrum to one side, the St Michael’s website goes on to inform us that, high on the hill where the church now stands, men made their homes for over 2,000 years. Eons ago, in the ancient times, the settlement on this hill bore the name Vorda or Worth or Wrde.
The famous Domesday book had record of the church in Highworth. In it we can find the statement:
‘RADALPHUS, THE PRIEST, HOLDS THE CHURCH AT WRDE’.
The church website carries a great deal of historical and architectural detail about the church through the centuries. For instance, the section on the 14th-15th century tells that: ‘The earliest St Michael’s register records baptisms, marriages and burials beginning in 1539 during the reign of Henry VIII.’
You can visit the website – https://www.stmichaelshighworth.co.uk – yourself to read the rest if you wish. But what I do want to mention is …
The English Civil War and the church
An interesting story associated with this church links to the English Civil War – 1642-1646. According to Britain Express, St Michael’s has a couple of Civil War connections.
In the first instance it seems that, in the south crossing, there’s a small glass case set on the wall. And contained in this case is displayed a Civil War era tabard, or short-sleeved coat. One Captain T. Batford wore the garment during the period 1642-1651.
Then the exterior of St Michael’s features another Civil War reminder. Beside the west door the masonry bears a large hole. The belief is that a cannonball fired during the Parliamentarian’s assault on the town on 27 June 1645. Now the church has in its possession an actual cannonball that may or may not be the guilty one.
See here for info on the Warneford family: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/a37a0cbf-fb54-4eae-aca8-1c2bd69ffcc1
Ghostly goings on
If you like a ghost story you’re in luck. For, According to published reports in the London Illustrated News, Highworth church is haunted by a spectral figure. Though, being as no-one has reported a sighting since 1938 it seems to be a rather shy spook. That sighting described it as having a featureless countenance, with dark shadows where the eyes should have been.
On the topic of Highworth see also …
… the old post office in Highworth and Mabel Stranks:
