St Christopher's Church, Pott Shrigley
Encyclopedia
St Christopher's Church, Pott Shrigley is in the small village of Pott Shrigley
, Cheshire
, England. The church has been designated by English Heritage
as a Grade I listed building. It is an active Anglican
parish church
in the diocese of Chester
, the archdeaconry of Macclesfield and the deanery of Macclesfield.
for the parish of Prestbury
. It was probably founded in the late 14th century and completed in its present form with the building of the Downes chantry chapel. The east window was restored
in 1872.
of two bays
, wide north and south aisle
s and a chancel
. The tower is relatively large for the size of the church, with battlement
s and pinnacle
s and a four-faced clock dated 1809 made by Thomas Schofield of Manchester
. The roofs of the nave and chancel are original and in good condition; the nave roof is camber beam
in type and a dormer
window has been added to it at a later date. The roofs of the aisles were plastered over in early Georgian
times. The style of the architecture is almost entirely Perpendicular.
s were moved from St James' Church, Gawsworth
when that church was restored
in the 19th century. A holy table in the north aisle is dated 1695, and the altar rails are also from an early date. The font
is of grey marble and probably dates from the late 18th century. Two sanctuary chairs date from the late 17th century. The Royal arms
of George III
are placed over the chancel arch. The monuments are mainly to the Downes and Lowther families. One of these, dated 1798 is by John Bacon
, and another, dated 1840 is by A. Gatley. The east window contains much original glass despite the 1872 restoration by Clayton and Bell
.
The ring
consists of six bells. The two earliest date from around 1499 and are thought to be by Robert Crouch; a bell dated 1607 is by Henry Oldfield II and another dated 1796 is by Edward Arnold. The newest bells were cast in 1986 by Eijsbouts
. The parish register
s for baptisms begin in 1629; burials and marriages were added in 1685. The churchwarden
s' accounts start in 1833.
, the base consisting of two large square blocks which are probably medieval. The tall octagonal shaft and cross piece were possibly added when the cross was repaired in the late 18th or early 19th century. The cross is listed Grade II, and is a scheduled monument.
Pott Shrigley
Pott Shrigley is a small village and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. According to the 2001 census, the civil parish and village has a population of 220. The nearest town is Bollington to the southwest.The village has a Church...
, 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. The church 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. It is an active Anglican
Anglicanism
Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
parish church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
in the diocese of Chester
Diocese of Chester
The Diocese of Chester is a Church of England diocese in the Province of York based in Chester, covering the county of Cheshire in its pre-1974 boundaries...
, the archdeaconry of Macclesfield and the deanery of Macclesfield.
History
The church was originally a chapel of easeChapel of ease
A chapel of ease is a church building other than the parish church, built within the bounds of a parish for the attendance of those who cannot reach the parish church conveniently....
for the parish of Prestbury
Prestbury, Cheshire
Prestbury is a village, civil parish and ecclesiastical parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. Prestbury is a long, narrow parish covering 1,165 hectares to the west of the Peak Park foothills and to the east of the sandstone ridge which is...
. It was probably founded in the late 14th century and completed in its present form with the building of the Downes chantry chapel. The east window was restored
Victorian restoration
Victorian restoration is the term commonly used to refer to the widespread and extensive refurbishment and rebuilding of Church of England churches and cathedrals that took place in England and Wales during the 19th-century reign of Queen Victoria...
in 1872.
Exterior
The plan consists of a west tower, a short naveNave
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...
of two bays
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:...
, wide 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 and 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...
. The tower is relatively large for the size of the church, with battlement
Battlement
A battlement in defensive architecture, such as that of city walls or castles, comprises a parapet , in which portions have been cut out at intervals to allow the discharge of arrows or other missiles. These cut-out portions form crenels...
s and pinnacle
Pinnacle
A pinnacle is an architectural ornament originally forming the cap or crown of a buttress or small turret, but afterwards used on parapets at the corners of towers and in many other situations. The pinnacle looks like a small spire...
s and a four-faced clock dated 1809 made by Thomas Schofield of Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
. The roofs of the nave and chancel are original and in good condition; the nave 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 and a dormer
Dormer
A dormer is a structural element of a building that protrudes from the plane of a sloping roof surface. Dormers are used, either in original construction or as later additions, to create usable space in the roof of a building by adding headroom and usually also by enabling addition of windows.Often...
window has been added to it at a later date. The roofs of the aisles were plastered over in early Georgian
Georgian era
The Georgian era is a period of British history which takes its name from, and is normally defined as spanning the reigns of, the first four Hanoverian kings of Great Britain : George I, George II, George III and George IV...
times. The style of the architecture is almost entirely Perpendicular.
Interior
Some of the box pewBox pew
Box pew is a type of church pew that is encased in panelling and was prevalent in England and other Protestant countries from the 16th to early 19th century.-History in England:...
s were moved from St James' Church, Gawsworth
St James' Church, Gawsworth
St James' Church, Gawsworth, is in the village of Gawsworth, Cheshire, England, and is sited near Gawsworth Hall. It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade I listed building. It is an active Anglican parish church in the diocese of Chester, the archdeaconry of Macclesfield and...
when that church was restored
Victorian restoration
Victorian restoration is the term commonly used to refer to the widespread and extensive refurbishment and rebuilding of Church of England churches and cathedrals that took place in England and Wales during the 19th-century reign of Queen Victoria...
in the 19th century. A holy table in the north aisle is dated 1695, and the altar rails are also from an early date. The font
Baptismal font
A baptismal font is an article of church furniture or a fixture used for the baptism of children and adults.-Aspersion and affusion fonts:...
is of grey marble and probably dates from the late 18th century. Two sanctuary chairs date from the late 17th century. The Royal arms
Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom
The Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom is the official coat of arms of the British monarch, currently Queen Elizabeth II. These arms are used by the Queen in her official capacity as monarch of the United Kingdom, and are officially known as her Arms of Dominion...
of George III
George III of the United Kingdom
George III was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of these two countries on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until his death...
are placed over the chancel arch. The monuments are mainly to the Downes and Lowther families. One of these, dated 1798 is by John Bacon
John Bacon
John Bacon was a British sculptor.Born in Southwark, he was the son of a cloth worker from Somerset. At the age of fourteen he was apprenticed to a manufacturer of porcelain at Lambeth, where he was at first employed in painting the small ornamental pieces of china, but was promoted to modeller...
, and another, dated 1840 is by A. Gatley. The east window contains much original glass despite the 1872 restoration by Clayton and Bell
Clayton and Bell
Clayton and Bell was one of the most prolific and proficient workshops of English stained glass during the latter half of the 19th century. The partners were John Richard Clayton and Alfred Bell . The company was founded in 1855 and continued until 1993...
.
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...
consists of six bells. The two earliest date from around 1499 and are thought to be by Robert Crouch; a bell dated 1607 is by Henry Oldfield II and another dated 1796 is by Edward Arnold. The newest bells were cast in 1986 by Eijsbouts
Royal Eijsbouts bell foundry
Royal Eijsbouts is a bell foundry located in Asten, Netherlands.The workshop was founded in 1872 by Bonaventura Eijsbouts as a "factory for tower clocks." In 1893 Eijsbouts was joined by his 15 year old son, Johan, and the workshop expanded to begin supplying striking and swinging bells, which...
. 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 for baptisms begin in 1629; burials and marriages were added in 1685. 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 1833.
External features
In the churchyard is an ancient preaching crossPreaching cross
A preaching cross is a cross, sometimes surmounting a pulpit, erected out of doors to designate a preaching place.In Britain and Ireland, many free-standing upright crosses – or high crosses – were erected. Some of these crosses bear figurative or decorative carvings, or inscriptions in runes...
, the base consisting of two large square blocks which are probably medieval. The tall octagonal shaft and cross piece were possibly added when the cross was repaired in the late 18th or early 19th century. The cross is listed Grade II, and is a scheduled monument.