St. Michaels Church (Hallaton)
St. Michaels Church, or St. Michael and All Angels as it should properly be known, is the parish church of the celebrated village of Hallaton, hidden away in High Leicestershire.
The church was founded in the early 12th century, and is one of the most imposing of village churches in the Midlands.
There is a Norman tympanum showing St. Michael vanquishing a dragon. This is not in its normal place above the porch, but moved to inside the porch.
The Norman arches have interesting sculpture, including an enigmatic Green Man who smiles at visitors entering the church. The chancel contains mediaeval sedilia and piscina. There is a Norman font, and an Anglo-Saxon tomb cover on display.
In the Middle Ages St.Michael’s was the centre of the cult of St. Morrell, the French Bishop who, in shame for having allowed a baby to die unbaptised, exiled himself to England, and went to work as a gardener, before eventually being recognised and forgiven. It seems to have been Hallaton to which he came.
There is an unusual chime, every three hours, commemorating a local benefactor.