St Michael & All Angels

St Michael & All Angels is a church in Bemerton Heath, a district on the northern side of Salisbury in Wiltshire, England. It is a post-war parish church from the 1950s, and its design is what sets it apart from the older churches of the Salisbury area.

What is St Michael & All Angels?

It is the parish church of Bemerton Heath, an Anglican place of worship in the Diocese of Salisbury. Do not confuse it with other churches of the same dedication: the name is shared by many parishes in England, and this one stands specifically in Bemerton Heath, Wiltshire.

How did the church come to be built?

Bemerton Heath first became a Conventional District and later a Parish, before the Second World War. A district named St Michael had been formed in the north of Bemerton in 1938. For years afterwards the community was served by a church hall in Roman Road, and worship took place there until a proper church could be built.

The new church came in the 1950s. Its foundation stone was laid by the Earl of Pembroke in April 1956. It was dedicated by the Bishop of Salisbury on 24 June 1957, the feast day of St John the Baptist, in the name of St Michael and All Angels. In 1968 the parish of St Michael was merged into the parish of Bemerton.

What does the building look like?

The church was designed by N. F. Cachemaille-Day. It is built of yellow brick with stone facings and is cruciform in plan, meaning it is laid out in the shape of a cross, with an apsidal chancel, a rounded east end of the kind found in many traditional churches.

Why is the altar at the west end?

Unusually, the altar is at the west end of the building rather than the east. The reason given by the parish is practical: the site lies on the slope of a hill, and the layout was shaped by the ground. For visitors interested in church architecture this is the most notable feature of the interior arrangement.

Who is it for?

It remains a working parish church, so visits are best planned around services and the opening arrangements published by the parish. Those with an interest in twentieth-century church design will find it a good example of how a 1950s church was designed for a growing suburban community.

Where is it?

The church is in Bemerton Heath, on the northern edge of Salisbury, at around 51.083 N, 1.824 W. It is not in the historic centre, so it makes the most sense as a stop for people exploring beyond the cathedral city's main sights.

Frequently asked questions

When was the church dedicated? On 24 June 1957, by the Bishop of Salisbury.

Who designed it? N. F. Cachemaille-Day.

What is it built from? Yellow brick with stone facings.

Why is the altar at the west end? Because the site is on the slope of a hill.

Who laid the foundation stone? The Earl of Pembroke, in April 1956.