St. Michael, Gussage St Michael, Dorset

Description

The parish church of St. Michael is a very ancient building of stone and flint, in the Transition Norman style, consisting of chancel, with north chapel, nave, aisles, north porch and an embattled tower at the west end, containing 5 bells, the tenor bell was recast in 1896; the windows are filled with stained glass; a memorial reredos was erected in 1870 to the late Rev. G. Dewdney, a former rector: the chancel was rebuilt under the superintendence of the late G. E. Street esq. R.A., and the church was restored in 1895 at a cost of about £1,000, under the direction of Mr. C. M. P. Ponting, architect, when a new vestry and an oak screen and pulpit were provided; there are 150 sittings: in the churchyard is a remarkably fine yew tree.

Church Records

The parish register of baptisms, marriages and burials begins in 1654. The original register books are now deposited with the Dorset Archives Service, but have been digitised by Ancestry.co.uk and made available on their site (subscription required).