Bishop’s Cleeve - Church of St Michael and All Saints

Bishop’s Cleeve The Church of St Michael and All Saints is Grade 1 listed, with parts dating back over 900 years. It was originally a monastic settlement in Anglo-Saxon times, which is how the village of Bishops Cleeve came to form. Later, after the Norman Conquest, the main body of the church was built as a catholic church and some of the early wall paintings still remain today, and was a popular place for pilgrims to visit. The Delabere family later then added to the main body of the church, in the 1700s, with places for the growing congregation to sit. The tomb is one of the main reasons for tourists to visit. St Michael's bell tower also boasts the oldest in use oak staircase in Britain and won an award for the restoration in June 2016. The church is a magnificent Norman cruciform with a central tower rebuilt in 1700. The west front is especially impressive with turrets a splendid Norman doorway. The two storey porch is also outstanding. The Decorated chancel has a good window. There are some fine monuments with effigies.