St Michael

The oldest part of the church is Early English evidenced by a pillar supporting the south aisle roof which is 13th century as is the chancel arch. This earlier, small church was rebuilt in the 14th to 15th centuries, the older part is clear to spot with its lower roof and smaller windows. The ancient chancel is now used as a Lady Chapel and this is where the main altar would have been.

The original building formed the complete church and served a very small parish just outside of Grimsby. There is also a large stone slab now standing inside against the north wall which is believed to be an early 13th century tomb slab and there is a scroll (dated 1691) built into the outside of the south wall which most probably refers to a major restoration at that time.

The building was greatly extended in 1913/15 by the addition of the north part of the church, including a tower, a new nave, chancel and vestry. The cost was met by a very generous bequest of £10,000 by Joseph Chapman, a local timber merchant. This sum, over one million pounds by today’s standards, was huge for such a small, rural church, however as the passage of time showed the parish was to change greatly.

The older part has now evolved into hall space; whereas the extension is used today mainly for worship. At the beginning of the 20th century, the setting of the church remained entirely isolated and rural, the parish consisted of a single farm and a scatter of cottages with a population of just 83. With the expansion of Grimsby this has all changed, however this rural setting is retained by Grimsby Golf Course to the south of the church and the parkway along the River Freshney to the west and north of the church.

St Michel’s is a Grade I listed building which has been brought into the 21st century by successfully being adapted to serve both the parishioners and those in the wider community.