St. Michael's Church, Poole Road

The original parish of the Church of St. Michael and All Angels, Poole Hill was carved out of the parish of St. Peter's, Bournemouth, in 1874. A temporary church had been built in 1866, in what is now St. Michael's Road, and was used until 1876. With the creation of the parish, it was decided that a new church was needed. The site was given by Mr. George Durrant, and the architect was Mr. F. Norman Shaw, ARA. The nave was built, in the Early English style of architecture, and consecrated on 20 January 1876 by the Bishop of Winchester.

The chancel and vestry were completed in 1883, to designs by Norman Shaw, and consecrated on 22 March 1883. The foundation stone for the tower was laid on 31 August 1899. It was completed in 18 months, with the addition of a clock and a tenor bell, and dedicated on 5 February 1901 by the Bishop of Winchester. The clock is noted for its remarkably accurate timekeeping.

The reredos, of Caen stone and alabaster with red marble shafts, was added in 1884. The Early English marble pulpit dates from 1889, and contains panels designed by Mr. W. J. Warren on five of its eight faces. The lectern and organ date from 1893. The organ was built by Messrs. J. C. Bishop & Sons of London and Ipswich.

In the 1890s, the whole of the chancel and sanctuary was frescoed. The painter of the murals is unknown, but they are believed to be the largest Victorian wall paintings in Dorset. The murals illustrate angels, symbols of the Holy Trinity, quotations from the Te Deum and Benedicite, and the Crucifixion story. In 1908, the Church House & Institute and Choir Vestry were erected on the north side of the church.

In 1920, a War Memorial Chapel was designed by Sir Thomas Jackson, Bart., RA, and added to the church. As well as the tablets which list those lost in the First World War, the chapel contains a fine figure of bronze - "Fortitude", by Sir George Frampton, RA. The east window of the chapel depicts King Arthur and the Knighthood of the Round Table, by Sir. T. G. Jackson. This is a very unusual subject for a church window.

The west porch was built in 1929. The whole church was refurbished in the mid-1980s, including the construction of the Parish Centre within the church.

The church contains many fine stained-glass windows from the late-19th and early-20th centuries. Almost all of the windows show angels, either as the subject of the picture, or in the decorative background. The east window was made by Mayor and Sons in 1882. The west window was designed by Mr. G. W. Whall. The aisle windows were made by Henry Holiday for Powells circa 1880.

Source: "St. Michael & All Angels' Church, Poole Hill, Bournemouth: A Short History of the Church 1871-1999".

Worship at St. Michael's
How to get to St Michael's Church (Multimap)