Church of St Michael and All Angels

St Michael and All Angels Church stands in the grounds of Howick Hall in the village of Howick, Northumberland. The present building dates from 1848 and was designed by FJ Francis in neo-Norman style. Round-arched Romanesque windows and doors mark its Victorian character. A chancel and vestry were added to the east, and a bell-cote to the west. The church is listed at Grade II and receives about twenty thousand visitors each year. The church has strong ties to the Grey family of Howick Hall. Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey, Prime Minister from 1830 to 1834, is buried in the churchyard. His Reform Act of 1832 shaped modern democracy. The 3rd Countess Grey, Maria Copley, carved the gargoyles on the north wall. The 5th Countess Grey commissioned the altar paintings and the baptismal font. Inside, visitors find the altar paintings and font commissioned by Mabel Palmer. The exterior shows the Greys’ Gothic influence. The churchyard holds the graves of several family members. The setting within Howick Hall’s gardens adds to the quiet atmosphere. The church remains a place of local memory and occasional pilgrimage.