St Mary's Church, Halton
Encyclopedia
St Mary's Church, Halton, is located in Halton
, which was formerly a separate village, but is now part of the town of Runcorn
, Cheshire
, England. It is an active Anglican
parish church
in the diocese of Chester
, the archdeaconry of Chester and the deanery of Frodsham. The church has been designated by English Heritage
as a Grade II listed building.
for many centuries but by the end of the Civil War
it was in ruins. It had been situated just below the castle walls, a plain, square building with a bellcote
on its eastern gable
. Its repair was beyond the financial means of the congregation and a petition was made to the bishop for funds. Enough money was provided to rebuild the chapel and this remained in use until the middle of the 19th century. By 1847 the roof was in need of a major repair and within four years it was decided that a new church was needed. The money for this was provided by Sir Richard Brooke of Norton Priory
. Sir George Gilbert Scott
was appointed as the architect, and the church was consecrated
on 12 November 1852. Halton had formerly been a chapel of ease
to the parish church
of Runcorn, but in June 1860 it became a separate parish.
with a slate
roof. Its plan consists of a four-bay
nave
with north and south aisle
s, a south porch and a chancel
which has its roof at a lower level. On the east gable
of the nave is an octagonal bell-turret. To the north of the chancel is the organ chamber and to its south is a memorial chapel.
cover the nave and the chancel. The reredos
is of marble
. The oak benches are carved with poppyheads
. The stained glass in the west window probably dates from the 1850s, and is probably by David Evans. A stained glass window in the north aisle dating from about 1893 is by Henry Holiday
and depicts Christ and the children. There is also a window dating from about 1912 by George Wragge depicting the Good Samaritan. A monument to Sir Richard Brooke dated 1889 by Douglas & Fordham consists of a tablet with a stylized cross in a foliage frame.
Halton, Cheshire
Halton, formerly a separate village, is now part of the town of Runcorn, Cheshire, England. The name Halton has been assumed by the Borough of Halton, which includes Runcorn, Widnes and some outlying parishes.-Geography:...
, which was formerly a separate village, but is now part of the town of Runcorn
Runcorn
Runcorn is an industrial town and cargo port within the borough of Halton in the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. In 2009, its population was estimated to be 61,500. The town is on the southern bank of the River Mersey where the estuary narrows to form Runcorn Gap. Directly to the north...
, 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. 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 Chester and the deanery of Frodsham. 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 II listed building.
History
A chapel had been associated with Halton CastleHalton Castle
Halton Castle is in the former village of Halton which is now part of the town of Runcorn, Cheshire, England. The castle is situated on the top of Halton Hill, a sandstone prominence overlooking the village...
for many centuries but by the end of the Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
it was in ruins. It had been situated just below the castle walls, a plain, square building with a bellcote
Bell-Cot
A bell-cot, bell-cote or bellcote, is a small framework and shelter for one or more bells, supported on brackets projecting from a wall or built on the roof of chapels or churches which have no towers. It often holds the Sanctus bell rung at the Consecration....
on its eastern gable
Gable
A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of a sloping roof. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system being used and aesthetic concerns. Thus the type of roof enclosing the volume dictates the shape of the gable...
. Its repair was beyond the financial means of the congregation and a petition was made to the bishop for funds. Enough money was provided to rebuild the chapel and this remained in use until the middle of the 19th century. By 1847 the roof was in need of a major repair and within four years it was decided that a new church was needed. The money for this was provided by Sir Richard Brooke of Norton Priory
Norton Priory
Norton Priory is a historic site in Norton, Runcorn, Cheshire, England, comprising the remains of an abbey complex dating from the 12th to 16th centuries, and an 18th-century country house; it is now a museum. The remains are a scheduled ancient monument and have been designated by English...
. Sir George Gilbert Scott
George Gilbert Scott
Sir George Gilbert Scott was an English architect of the Victorian Age, chiefly associated with the design, building and renovation of churches, cathedrals and workhouses...
was appointed as the architect, and the church was consecrated
Consecration
Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service, usually religious. The word "consecration" literally means "to associate with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different groups...
on 12 November 1852. Halton had formerly been a chapel of ease
Chapel 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....
to the parish church
All Saints Church, Runcorn
All Saints Church, Runcorn is the parish church of Runcorn, Cheshire, England. It is sited on the south bank of the River Mersey overlooking Runcorn Gap. The church has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade II* listed building. It is an active Anglican parish church in the diocese...
of Runcorn, but in June 1860 it became a separate parish.
Exterior
The church is built in local 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,...
with a slate
Slate
Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. The result is a foliated rock in which the foliation may not correspond to the original sedimentary layering...
roof. Its plan consists of a four-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 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 south porch 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...
which has its roof at a lower level. On the east gable
Gable
A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of a sloping roof. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system being used and aesthetic concerns. Thus the type of roof enclosing the volume dictates the shape of the gable...
of the nave is an octagonal bell-turret. To the north of the chancel is the organ chamber and to its south is a memorial chapel.
Interior
Wagon roofsBarrel vault
A barrel vault, also known as a tunnel vault or a wagon vault, is an architectural element formed by the extrusion of a single curve along a given distance. The curves are typically circular in shape, lending a semi-cylindrical appearance to the total design...
cover the nave and the chancel. The reredos
Reredos
thumb|300px|right|An altar and reredos from [[St. Josaphat's Roman Catholic Church|St. Josaphat Catholic Church]] in [[Detroit]], [[Michigan]]. This would be called a [[retable]] in many other languages and countries....
is of marble
Marble
Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite.Geologists use the term "marble" to refer to metamorphosed limestone; however stonemasons use the term more broadly to encompass unmetamorphosed limestone.Marble is commonly used for...
. The oak benches are carved with poppyheads
Poppyhead (carving)
Poppyhead is a form of carving of the end of a bench or a choir stall. The carving consists of leaves and flowers, which are usually in the form of a fleur-de-lys....
. The stained glass in the west window probably dates from the 1850s, and is probably by David Evans. A stained glass window in the north aisle dating from about 1893 is by Henry Holiday
Henry Holiday
Henry Holiday was an English historical genre and landscape painter, stained glass designer, illustrator and sculptor. He is considered to be a member of the Pre-Raphaelite school of art.-Early years and training:...
and depicts Christ and the children. There is also a window dating from about 1912 by George Wragge depicting the Good Samaritan. A monument to Sir Richard Brooke dated 1889 by Douglas & Fordham consists of a tablet with a stylized cross in a foliage frame.