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Like other medieval churches, St Michael's contains a variety of craftsmanship, altered by people from different fashions and traditions over the years. The church building itself and the slight documentary evidence available have helped us to piece together the main landmarks in its history as follows:
1086 The Domesday book mentions a church at Boulge 'In Bulges Robert de Granville holds of Robert Malet a priest, Wilfin, a church with 25 acres..."
This may have been a wood or wattle structure on the present site, or possibly the core of the present nave but there is no visual evidence for this.
C.1150 Norman craftsmen fashioned the present font from Tournai marble, imported from Belgium.
C.1200-1300 A flurry of building work is indicated by the small blocked early English window in the chancel (c.1220) and the Y-traceried window (c.1300) in the nave. The chancel and the nave were probably refashioned or rebuilt at this time along with the north doorway.
C.1450-1530 The Tudor brick tower was built on the west end, possibly replacing an earlier tower or more probably, a bell turret.
1600's After the reformation the interior lost much of th beauty that adorned it. The rood screen, wall paintings and mediaeval glass- when it was re-furnished to cater for the reformed worship of the established church. Only a few mediaeval tiles on the floor have survived. Box pews and a prominent pulpit were added in these years.
1821 Two of the three bells were sold to pay for repairs, because the church, like so many at the time, had become delapidated. The money must have been used to build the contemporary east wall of red brick.
1823 David Elisha Davy visited the church and recorded that the nave and the chancel had plaster ceilings and that the nave had just one window on each side. At the east end, the framed boards inscribed with the Lords prayer, the Creed and the Ten Commandments were fixed diagonally across the angles of the chancel walls.
1858 and 1867 The tiny church consisting of only a tower, nave and chancel, was thoroughly restored and enlarged in two phases, the cost entirely covered by John Purcell FitzGerald. The architects were William G and Edward H Habershon, who restored and designed other English churches such as the fine parkland Culford near Bury st Edmunds. The contracter was a Mr Stevenson of Woodbridge.
Phase 1, 1858 A new flint-faced east wall was built and a small aisle was added to the south side. The latter was divided, the eastern section for use as a vestry and the western section as a recess for the FitzGerald family during services. The church was re-opened on the 18th of May 1858, when the preacher was a Revd W Carus, Canon of Winchesrter, and former senior fellow if Trinity College, Cambridge. The singing was led by St Johns choir of Woodbridge.
Phase 2, 1867 This included the new south transept with its arcade to the west of the aisle. The addition of a single window to the west of the nave doorway, repairs to the walls and the renewal of much of the stonework in the north windows. The oak-panelled roof was also installed (chancel painted blue), together with the pulpit, lectern, benches, alter rails and a reading desk. The work was completed in 1867, again by W G Habershon but partnered with Alfred Pite. The contracter was Benjamin Dove of Woodbridge who also erected the mausoleum to Habershons design in the early 1860's. the re-opening service took place in June 1867, when the preacher was the Revd John Richards of St Mary's church, Bury St Edmunds.
1970s & 80s Much work was done to maintain and enhance St Michael's. The external rooves were renewed in three phases 1978-81, the north wall repointed in 1981. The tower was restored between 83 and 84, when the 17th centuary bell was bought from Mickfield church and rang out from it. Floodlights were installed in 1987 and the floords repaired in 88. The Royal arms from Debach now hangs above the main entrance, replacing Boulge's William III set which were stolen in 1971.