St Bartholomew's Church, Church Minshull
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| St Bartholomew's Church, Church Minshull |
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St Bartholomew's Church, Church Minshull |
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  Shown within Cheshire
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| Basic information | |
|---|---|
| Location | Church Minshull, Cheshire, England |
| Geographic coordinates | Coordinates: |
| Religious affiliation | Anglican |
| District | Diocese of Chester |
| Ecclesiastical status | Parish church |
| Leadership | Reverend Peter Lillicrap |
| Website | Cross Country Group of Parish Churches |
| Architectural description | |
| Architect(s) | Walter Boden |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Architectural style | Neoclassical |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Brick with stone dressings Slate and lead roof |
St Bartholomew's Church, Church Minshull is in the village of Church Minshull, Cheshire, England (grid reference SJ666606). It is a Grade II* listed building.[1] It continues to be active as a parish church.[2]
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[edit] History
It is possible that a Saxon church was originally on the site. This was later replaced by a timber framed church which in 1572 contained at least 50 coats of arms of the local nobility, either depicted in the stained glass or painted on the walls. In 1667 a storm damaged the roof and the west wall. At the beginning of the following century the tower partially collapsed and it was rebuilt in 1702. The rest of the church was still in a dangerous condition and it was rebuilt in 1720. A clock was added to the tower in 1722. There were fires in the church in 1798 and 1804 which led to a restoration in 1861. Further fires occurred in 1874 and 1885.[2] In 1891 there was another restoration of the church, by Walter Boden.[3] The previous internal alterations had weakened the structure of the church and in 2000 it was declared to be unsafe. A major restoration of the roof took place in 2002. During 2007 the tower roof is being restored and the parapet rebuilt.[2]
[edit] Structure
The church is constructed of brick with stone dressings and a slate and lead roof.[1] It is believed that the stone pillars inside the church are from the previous building. The exterior walls are of locally-made brick, and the quoins and finials were made of stone from a quarry at Manley near Macclesfield.[2] The plan of the church consists of a three-bay nave with a choir. At the east end is a shallow apse. The tower, in neoclassical style, is at the west end.[1] The date 1702 is picked out in glazed bricks on the tower. On its west face are two round headed windows, one above the other.[3] On the south face is a clock which is balanced by stained glass bull's eye windows in the other faces. Above these are louvred two light belfry windows. At the top of the tower is an ogee cornice and a parapet with ball-topped finials at the corners. Over the porch is a bull's eye window. The nave and chancel windows are round headed. Above these is a cornice and a solid red brick parapet, interrupted by ball-topped pilasters over each window. Externally on the east wall is a 17th century marble armorial memorial.[1]
[edit] Fittings and furniture
In the church are memorials to the Brooke family; on the north wall is a panel containing the arms of the Cholmondeley family painted by one of the Randle Holme family; on the east wall of the north aisle is a tablet containing details of the members of the Cholmondeley family who were buried in a vault. At the foot of the tower is the vault of the Wade family from Wades Green. The font, dated 1717, is in classical style and painted white.[3] It is by John Morfitt.[4] In the apse on each side of the east window are panels containing the Ten Commandments and prayers.[1] The communion plate includes a cup by J. Bingley of Chester dated 1704.[4] The original ring was of five bells, all dated 1717, which were made by Rudhall’s of Gloucester. One of the bells became cracked and it was replaced in 1981 when a sixth bell added. The parish registers date from 1561 and churchwardens' accounts from 1623.[2]
[edit] External features
The gates and gate piers are listed Grade II. They consist of cast iron gates hung on sandstone piers.[5]
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e Images of England: The Church of St Bartholomew, Church Minshull. English Heritage. Retrieved on 2007-09-03.
- ^ a b c d e St. Bartholomew's - Church Minshull. The Cross Country Group of Parish Churches. Retrieved on 2007-11-02.
- ^ a b c Richards, Raymond (1947). Old Cheshire Churches. London: B. T Batsford, 132–136.
- ^ a b Pevsner, Nikolaus; Edward Hubbard [1971] (2003). The Buildings of England: Cheshire. New Haven: Yale University Press, 179. ISBN 0 300 09588 0.
- ^ Images of England: Gates and piers to St Bartholomew's Church. English Heritage. Retrieved on 2007-11-02.
[edit] External links
- Thornber, Craig (2004-09-05). A Scrapbook of Cheshire Antiquities: Church Minshull.
