St Michael’s Church

A medieval church on this site collapsed in 1832 following some overly-enthusiastic structural modifications. John Brown, the Norwich architect, designed the present church, which was completed in 1836. At the time it was claimed to be “an exact imitation of Salisbury Cathedral” although today this may not be obvious to everybody.

The church was closed in 1962 when the vicar moved to Christ Church, a newly created mission church for the post-war housing in the north of the town. In the two decades after 1962 St Michael’s church became increasingly neglected. It was deconsecrated and sold in 1981 to a property developer who converted the church into three shops – “an unsympathetic use and an appalling conversion” in Pevsner’s view. Pevsner’s judgement seems harsh, given that the conversion preserved the outer shell of an attractive building that might otherwise have become totally derelict.

Before and during the conversion much of the stained glass was rescued for Stamford Museum and the fifteenth century font, the peal of eighteenth century bells and various other items were rescued and sent to St Mary’s near Leicester and elsewhere.

The churchyard to the south was converted into a staff car park. Six graves had to be disturbed; the Bishop of Lincoln stipulated that the six bodies had to be exhumed, placed in individual coffins and taken to Marholm for cremation. Later, the eastern part of the churchyard was purchased by the Skells Trust, so now belongs to the town.