St. Michaels, Laxton

St. Michaels Church is located in the village of Laxton, Nottinghamshire and dates from the 1190s.

At that time burial within the church was reserved for a few wealthy people, including lords of the manor. The Lexington family had their burial place to the north of the chancel, and between 1250 and 1260 they had a chantry chapel with an altar built there. At the same time aisles were enlarged, and a little later, in the early 14th century, the chancel was rebuilt.

The Everingham family were buried in their chapel on the south side of the chancel. At the end of the 15th century the top row of windows known as a clerestory was added, as well as the gargoyles between each window on the outside, and the carvings of angles and apostles on the inside.

Monuments inside the church represent members of the Everingham family. Adam de Everingham who died in 1341 is accompanied by both his wives, Clarissa and Margery. The oak effigy of Margery, who was his second wife, is the only surviving wooden effigy in Nottinghamshire. The figures lie on a base made up of pieces from the alter that used to stand in the Lexington Chapel.

During the 18th century many churches suffered from a lack of maintenance and Laxton was no exception. In the 1790s, John Throsby was appalled by the state of the building, describing the north chapel as "the foulest man ever saw".

In the 19th century Earl Manvers, lord of the manor, paid for a drastic remodelling of the church, which took place from 1859 to 1860. The tower was taken down , the nave shortened by one bay, the aisles reduced in width, and the chapels demolished. The materials were then used to rebuild the tower further to the east, at the end of the shortened nave. The seating capacity was reduced from 397 seats to 295.