Brough, St. Michael

St. Michael's Church is situated amid the grandeur of the North Pennines, where the A66, having crossed the backbone of England via Bowes Moor and the Stainmore Gap, descends to the beautiful Eden Valley at Brough. The church is set in an extensive churchyard at the southwest corner of The Square in Church Brough. Church and settlement grew around the Norman castle at Brough, itself standing on the site of the former Roman fort, Verterae. The Romans recognised the strategic importance of this site!

Although the oldest part of the church dates to about c1150, another edifice once stood on the site. The present building retains elements of the original Norman stonework. The Norman south wall, 67 ft. in length, has a two-fold history. The westernmost window in the south wall (nearest the tower) and the surrounding masonry in this corner is early Norman. The later Norman period - latter half of the 12th C - can be seen in the original main door to the church (protected now by the south porch built in 1880) and the rest of the south wall of the nave.

This early Norman section is all that remains of the original church, which was subject to raids from the Scots. One such raid on Brough and its castle was by William the Lion in 1174. On four occasions after suffering burning, it is recorded that the church was restored.

An unusual feature is the sloping nave. The original Norman church was built on the mediaeval 'banking' principle. Rather than cutting into the rock to provide a level site, the church was built on the natural slope of the hillside.

The fine square buttressed tower was built by Blenkinsop of Helbeck; begun in 1513, it was completed in 1525. The tower contains four bells gifted by John Brunskill, a yeoman of Stainmore. Southey wrote a poem entitled "Brough Bells".

The pulpit is interesting - dated 1624, it is thought to be earlier. Half octagonal in shape and built of large sandstone ashlars, it is proof of sound mediaeval concepts of design even in this remote corner of England. Originally sited at about the middle of the south wall of the Nave, it may have been moved by the dynamic Lady Anne Clifford to its present position. There is a tombstone in the floor near the pulpit in memory of Gabriel Vincent, Steward to the Lady Anne Clifford. He lived and died in Brough Castle.

There are two casts in the Tower of 'The Brough Stone', the original being housed in the Fitzwilliam Museum at Cambridge. This memorial is inscribed in Greek to a 3rd century Syrian youth named Hermes. He died at the age of 16 and may have been a conscripted soldier in the occupying Roman army. Another memorial stone to a commander at the nearby Roman fort, and ancient coffin lid stones, where also found along with The Brough Stone, when excavating to build the South Porch. These are incorporated into the porch wall.

Other points of interest are:
 Hagioscope or Leper's Squint in the north wall of the Sanctuary.
 Tudor roof of the Nave c1500 - the original probably burned by the Scots.
 Altar rail, presented in 1704 by Joseph Fisher, Vicar of Brough at that time.
 Dedication of East Windows "In grateful remembrance of happy days when a pupil at Brough School".
 Carved Oak Reredos behind the altar; probably made from former box pew panels.

Postcode: CA17 4EJ

Opening Times
Reasonable daylight hours

Service Times
1st Sunday 9.00 am Holy Communion
2nd Sunday 10.45 am Family Service
3rd + 4th Sundays 10.45 am Holy Communion

Occasionally there is a 10.00 am joint benefice service of Holy Communion at one of the four churches in the benefice unit. Details are posted in the church porch, and in church on the monthly service posters.

1st Sunday	9.00am	Holy Communion
2nd Sunday	10.45am	Family Service
3rd and 4th Sundays	10.45am	Holy Communion