Church of St Michael

St Michael’s Church stands in the quiet village of Kirk Langley in Derbyshire’s East Midlands. Built in the 14th century, the Grade I listed building is a fine example of English parish church architecture. Two major restorations in the 19th century were led by George Frederick Bodley and Thomas Garner, giving the church much of its present form. New choir stalls designed by Bodley and made by Robert Bridgeman of Lichfield were added in 1914. The church’s stone walls and slate roof sit comfortably among the surrounding cottages and farmland. The church is worth visiting for its fine craftsmanship and the memorials it preserves. Among those remembered inside are Alice Beresford, who died in 1511, and Henry Role, who died in 1559 with his wife. Godfrey Meynell, who died in 1854, and Charles Wilmot, who died in 1724, are also commemorated here. The 1894 pipe organ, built by Wadsworth, adds to the building’s musical heritage. Bodley and Garner’s careful work in the 19th century shaped the church we see today. Inside, visitors find a spacious nave with clear glass windows and simple pews. The 1914 choir stalls stand at the chancel’s east end, their carved woodwork catching the light. The 1894 organ occupies a loft above the south door, its pipes rising toward the roof. The memorials are set into the walls and floor, their inscriptions still legible after centuries. Outside, the churchyard holds yew and ash trees, and the village green lies just beyond the lychgate.