Church of St Mary-on-the-Hill, Chester
Encyclopedia
St Mary's Centre, formerly the Church of St Mary-on-the-Hill, Chester, stands at the top of St Mary's Hill, Chester
, Cheshire
, England, near Chester Castle
. It has been designated by English Heritage
as a Grade I listed building. The church stands at the top of a narrow winding lane which leads down to the River Dee, and it is adjacent to Chester Castle
. In the 1970s the church was converted into an educational centre. It is currently available for use as a concert and exhibition venue and the Chester Music Society hold many concerts there throughout the year. For the last few years, the centre has been the venue for the final exhibition of work by sixth-form art students at Chester Catholic High School
.
and it served the castle. The present church dates from the 14th and 15th centuries. The south chapel was built around 1443 and was owned by the Earl of Shrewsbury
. It was damaged in 1645 during the Civil War
and collapsed in 1661. It was rebuilt in 1693. During the Jacobite rebellion of 1745 the upper stage of the tower was demolished by Lord Cholmondeley
in order to provide a clear line of fire. The church was restored in 1861–62 by James Harrison
and in 1890–92 by J. P. Seddon
. The north porch was rebuilt in 1892 in memory of Randle Holme
III. The aisle roofs were rebuilt in the 1930s.
. Its plan consists of a three-stage west tower, a three-bay
nave
with clerestory
, north and south aisle
s, a chancel
with north and south chapels, a north porch and a two-storey south porch. The tower is in three stages; the lower two stages date from the 16th century and the third stage was added in the 19th century. On its north wall is a Tudor
doorway. The arcades
of the nave are also Tudor. The northeast chapel is St Katherine's Chapel and the southeast is the Troutbeck Chapel.
stoup
. The medieval roof is camber beam
in type, divided into panels and richly carved with many bosses
. The east window dated 1857 and stained glass in the south chapel are by William Wailes
. In the east window of the north chapel are the remains of a Crimean War
memorial by George Hedgeland
dating from around 1856.
In the church are 72 monuments and cenotaph
s dating from the 16th century to the early 20th century. Examples of these include the tomb of Philip Oldfield of Bradwall
, a barrister who died in 1616, in St Katherine's Chapel. His effigy shows him lying on his right side and on the sarcophagus below is a skeleton in a similar posture, and kneeling figures of four sons and two daughters. Another tomb shows effigies of Thomas Gamul, who also died in 1616, and his wife, at whose feet their son, Francis, sits reading a book. On the side of the tomb are images of Francis' three sisters and the family coat of arms
. A wall monument in the north aisle carries inscriptions to four members of the Randle Holme
family, memorial painters. A large Gothic tablet to the memory of William Currie, who died in 1834, is by James Harrison. The ring
is of eight bells. Three of these are by John Scott and dated 1657. The others are a bell dated 1783 by John Rudhall
, three bells dated 1895 by John Warner and Sons and a bell dated 1939 by John Taylor and Company. The parish register
s begin in 1628 with fragmentary transcripts going back to 1547. The churchwarden
s' accounts start in 1536.
Effigy of Philip Oldfield of Bradwall
, effigy in the Church of St Mary-on-the-Hill, Chester
. Ref. Earwaker, (1890) (page 133)
Chester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
, Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
, England, near Chester Castle
Chester Castle
Chester Castle is in the city of Chester, Cheshire, England. It is sited at the southwest extremity of the area bounded by the city walls . The castle stands on an eminence overlooking the River Dee. In the castle complex are the remaining parts of the medieval castle together with the...
. It has been designated by English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
as a Grade I listed building. The church stands at the top of a narrow winding lane which leads down to the River Dee, and it is adjacent to Chester Castle
Chester Castle
Chester Castle is in the city of Chester, Cheshire, England. It is sited at the southwest extremity of the area bounded by the city walls . The castle stands on an eminence overlooking the River Dee. In the castle complex are the remaining parts of the medieval castle together with the...
. In the 1970s the church was converted into an educational centre. It is currently available for use as a concert and exhibition venue and the Chester Music Society hold many concerts there throughout the year. For the last few years, the centre has been the venue for the final exhibition of work by sixth-form art students at Chester Catholic High School
Chester Catholic High School
Chester Catholic High School or CHS but officially called The Catholic High School, Chester is a Roman Catholic secondary school on the outskirts of Handbridge, Chester, England.- Student population :...
.
History
The original church on the site was NormanNorman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
and it served the castle. The present church dates from the 14th and 15th centuries. The south chapel was built around 1443 and was owned by the Earl of Shrewsbury
Earl of Shrewsbury
Earl of Shrewsbury is a hereditary title of nobility created twice in the peerage of England.-First creation, 1074:The first creation occurred in 1074 for Roger de Montgomerie, one of William the Conqueror's principal counselors...
. It was damaged in 1645 during the Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
and collapsed in 1661. It was rebuilt in 1693. During the Jacobite rebellion of 1745 the upper stage of the tower was demolished by Lord Cholmondeley
George Cholmondeley, 3rd Earl of Cholmondeley
George Cholmondeley, 3rd Earl of Cholmondeley KB, PC , styled as Viscount Malpas from 1725 to 1733, was a British peer and Whig politician.-Life:...
in order to provide a clear line of fire. The church was restored in 1861–62 by James Harrison
James Harrison (architect)
James Harrison was an English architect who worked mainly in Chester, Cheshire. His works were mainly on churches — building new churches, rebuilding old churches, and making amendments and alterations to existing churches....
and in 1890–92 by J. P. Seddon
John Pollard Seddon
John Pollard Seddon was an English architect.He was a pupil of Thomas Leverton Donaldson and C.F.A. Voysey trained under him....
. The north porch was rebuilt in 1892 in memory of Randle Holme
Randle Holme
Randle Holme was a name shared by members of four successive generations of a family who lived in Chester, Cheshire, England from the late years of the 16th century to the early years of the 18th century. They were all herald painters and genealogists and were members of the Stationers' Company of...
III. The aisle roofs were rebuilt in the 1930s.
Exterior
The church is built in red sandstoneSandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
. Its plan consists of a three-stage west tower, a three-bay
Bay (architecture)
A bay is a unit of form in architecture. This unit is defined as the zone between the outer edges of an engaged column, pilaster, or post; or within a window frame, doorframe, or vertical 'bas relief' wall form.-Defining elements:...
nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
with clerestory
Clerestory
Clerestory is an architectural term that historically denoted an upper level of a Roman basilica or of the nave of a Romanesque or Gothic church, the walls of which rise above the rooflines of the lower aisles and are pierced with windows. In modern usage, clerestory refers to any high windows...
, north and south aisle
Aisle
An aisle is, in general, a space for walking with rows of seats on both sides or with rows of seats on one side and a wall on the other...
s, a chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
with north and south chapels, a north porch and a two-storey south porch. The tower is in three stages; the lower two stages date from the 16th century and the third stage was added in the 19th century. On its north wall is a Tudor
Tudor style architecture
The Tudor architectural style is the final development of medieval architecture during the Tudor period and even beyond, for conservative college patrons...
doorway. The arcades
Arcade (architecture)
An arcade is a succession of arches, each counterthrusting the next, supported by columns or piers or a covered walk enclosed by a line of such arches on one or both sides. In warmer or wet climates, exterior arcades provide shelter for pedestrians....
of the nave are also Tudor. The northeast chapel is St Katherine's Chapel and the southeast is the Troutbeck Chapel.
Interior
All the furnishings have been removed. The interior of the church is Perpendicular in style, other than the tower arch and the chancel arch which are both in the Decorated style. On the east wall are traces of a wall painting and a pre-ReformationProtestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
stoup
Holy water font
A holy water font or stoup is a vessel containing holy water generally placed near the entrance of a church. It is used in Catholic Church and Lutheran churches, as well as some Anglican churches to make the Sign of the Cross using the holy water upon entrance and exit...
. The medieval roof is camber beam
Camber beam
In building, a camber beam is a piece of timber cut archwise, or with an obtuse angle in the middle, commonly used in platforms, as church leads, and other occasions where long and strong beams are required....
in type, divided into panels and richly carved with many bosses
Boss (architecture)
In architecture, a boss is a knob or protrusion of stone or wood.Bosses can often be found in the ceilings of buildings, particularly at the intersection of a vault. In Gothic architecture, such roof bosses are often intricately carved with foliage, heraldic devices or other decorations...
. The east window dated 1857 and stained glass in the south chapel are by William Wailes
William Wailes
William Wailes, , was the proprietor of one of England’s largest and most prolific stained glass workshops.- Biographical :Wailes was born and grew up in Newcastle on Tyne, England’s centre of domestic glass and bottle manufacturing. His first business was as a grocer and tea merchant...
. In the east window of the north chapel are the remains of a Crimean War
Crimean War
The Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...
memorial by George Hedgeland
George Hedgeland
George Caleb Hedgeland was a British designer of stained glass windows in the 19th century. He was the son of the architect John Pike Hedgeland and worked from a studio in London in the 1850s. His work, which was displayed at the Great Exhibition in 1851, was characterised by the use of bold designs...
dating from around 1856.
In the church are 72 monuments and cenotaph
Cenotaph
A cenotaph is an "empty tomb" or a monument erected in honour of a person or group of people whose remains are elsewhere. It can also be the initial tomb for a person who has since been interred elsewhere. The word derives from the Greek κενοτάφιον = kenotaphion...
s dating from the 16th century to the early 20th century. Examples of these include the tomb of Philip Oldfield of Bradwall
Bradwall
Bradwall is a small village and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire East, situated near Sandbach in the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. According to the 2001 census, the population of the entire parish was 166...
, a barrister who died in 1616, in St Katherine's Chapel. His effigy shows him lying on his right side and on the sarcophagus below is a skeleton in a similar posture, and kneeling figures of four sons and two daughters. Another tomb shows effigies of Thomas Gamul, who also died in 1616, and his wife, at whose feet their son, Francis, sits reading a book. On the side of the tomb are images of Francis' three sisters and the family coat of arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
. A wall monument in the north aisle carries inscriptions to four members of the Randle Holme
Randle Holme
Randle Holme was a name shared by members of four successive generations of a family who lived in Chester, Cheshire, England from the late years of the 16th century to the early years of the 18th century. They were all herald painters and genealogists and were members of the Stationers' Company of...
family, memorial painters. A large Gothic tablet to the memory of William Currie, who died in 1834, is by James Harrison. The ring
Ring of bells
"Ring of bells" is a term most often applied to a set of bells hung in the English style, typically for change ringing...
is of eight bells. Three of these are by John Scott and dated 1657. The others are a bell dated 1783 by John Rudhall
Rudhall of Gloucester
Rudhall of Gloucester was a family business of bell founders in the city of Gloucester, England, who between 1684 and 1835 produced over 5,000 bells. The business was founded by Abraham Rudhall and the earliest ring of bells he cast was for St Nicholas' Church, Oddington in 1684. He came to be...
, three bells dated 1895 by John Warner and Sons and a bell dated 1939 by John Taylor and Company. The parish register
Parish register
A parish register is a handwritten volume, normally kept in a parish church or deposited within a county record office or alternative archive repository, in which details of baptisms, marriages and burials are recorded.-History:...
s begin in 1628 with fragmentary transcripts going back to 1547. The churchwarden
Churchwarden
A churchwarden is a lay official in a parish church or congregation of the Anglican Communion, usually working as a part-time volunteer. Holders of these positions are ex officio members of the parish board, usually called a vestry, parish council, parochial church council, or in the case of a...
s' accounts start in 1536.
External links
Effigy of Philip Oldfield of Bradwall
Bradwall
Bradwall is a small village and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire East, situated near Sandbach in the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. According to the 2001 census, the population of the entire parish was 166...
, effigy in the Church of St Mary-on-the-Hill, Chester
Church of St Mary-on-the-Hill, Chester
St Mary's Centre, formerly the Church of St Mary-on-the-Hill, Chester, stands at the top of St Mary's Hill, Chester, Cheshire, England, near Chester Castle. It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade I listed building. The church stands at the top of a narrow winding lane which...
. Ref. Earwaker, (1890) (page 133)