There has been a place of worship on the site of the present parish Church from about 1160. During the succeeding centuries, the original building was altered, extended, and expensively repaired in 1853. However, it became so unsafe that it had to be closed in 1879. Demolition work began in 1880. Various descriptions exist of the old church, also copies of a photograph taken in 1878.
The present parish Church was consecrated in 1881. Some features of the old church were retained, including:
- The Norman doorway
- The font, dating back to 1663 - installed in the present Church and still in use (shown in the photo below)
- Stained glass from the chancel
- Wood from the old pews - used to panel the Clergy vestry
- The frame of a 15th-century window - preserved in the Vicarage garden
St. Michael's is a place of worship now and at the heart of the local community, just as it was in 1160, over 860 years ago.
A short extract from 'A History of The Parish Church of St. Michael, East Ardsley' - an interesting informative booklet by Jean M. Booth, B.A. available from the church.
