St. Michael, Diseworth, Leicestershire
Description
The church of St. Michael (assumed to have been dedicated to this saint), originally appropriated to Langley Priory, is an ancient building of stone in the Transition style, consisting of chancel, nave, south aisle, north porch and a western tower, with dwarf spire, containing a clock and 6 bells, dating from 1626 to 1803: in the chancel is an inscribed tablet to Richard Cheslyn esq. late of Langley Priory, d. 1843: in the nave is a tablet inscribed with the genealogy of the Cheslyn family, and a memorial with the figure of a mourning female to Ann, wife of Richard Cheslyn: in the south aisle are other memorials to the Rev. Caleb Lowdhan, a former vicar, d. 1792, to his son, Caleb Lowdhan, or Leicester, d. 1828, and to the Rev. Mr. Hoyland, a former vicar, d. 1712, who built the tower, steeple and porch at the time of the Restoration, and provided the lead for the roof which had been destroyed by the forces of the Commonwealth: there is an octagonal pulpit of polished oak and a massive circular font: the church was restored in 1840, and in 1885 the chancel was restored and fitted with oak and the floor relaid: there are 150 sittings.
Church Records
The parish register dates from the year 1656. and is in good preservation.