St Michael
Sollers Hope, Herefordshire
A rural gem hidden away in valley of pasture and woodland.
Lethaby had been an apprentice to leading architect Norman Shaw, was a disciple of William Morris and active in the Arts and Craft movement. All of these influences are clear in the building. He was commissioned to build the church by the owners of nearby Brockhampton Court, the old church having fallen into disuse. The new church, completed in 1902, was built on a new site, northwest of the big house.
The exterior is idiosyncratic and enchanting: a short central tower of sandstone; a square wooden bell tower; thatched roofs; and windows that range from long and thin to small and square.
The inside is just as idiosyncratic, from the almost tent shaped lime washed concrete roof to the stonework of the windows, and full of brilliant detail, from ranging lamps to door fittings. It is a masterpiece, a tribute to Lethaby's vision.
