St Peter's Church, Aston-by-Sutton
Encyclopedia
St Peter's Church, Aston-by-Sutton is in the small hamlet of Aston-by-Sutton, Cheshire
near to the town of Runcorn
. 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 Chester and the deanery of Great Budworth. Its benefice
is combined with those of St Mark, Antrobus, St Michael and All Angels, Little Leigh and St Luke's, Lower Whitley
. The listing describes it as "a most pleasing late 17th- to early 18th-century church, inside and out". The church stands in a relatively isolated position in the south side of Aston Lane in the hamlet.
in the parish of Runcorn built in 1236 by Sir Thomas de Dutton which was known as the chapel of Poosey (or Pooseye). Towards the end of the 13th century the bishop of Lichfield
(in whose diocese the chapel then was) received a complaint and he gave orders that a chaplain and a lamp should be provided by the prior of Norton Priory
. The chapel remained in use until a domestic chapel was built at Dutton Hall and Poosey chapel fell into decay and became a ruin.
The first chapel on the site of the present church was built in the early 16th century, not later than 1542. All that remains of this chapel is a stone in the churchyard which has been used for sharpening spears and knives. This chapel was damaged in the Civil War
. In 1637 the chapel was refurnished and restored by Sir Thomas Aston. Following this the present chancel
was built in 1697 for Sir Willoughby Aston, the architect being Thomas Webb, and the mason has been named as Edward Nixon. The nave
was reconstructed between 1736 and 1740. By 1857 the Aston family pews on the north and south sides of the chancel had been replaced by choirstalls. An organ chamber was added to the south side of the chancel in 1897, obliterating one of the windows. It was rebuilt in 1907.
on 28 November 1940; damage was caused to the roof and the interior of the church. The roof was replaced but the church was still unusable and services were held elsewhere. It remained derelict until restoration began on 30 May 1949; this was completed in June 1950. The church was re-hallowed on 27 June 1950 by the Bishop of Chester
. Until it was damaged by the land mine, it was one of the least restored early Georgian
churches in the diocese of Chester
. The damage mainly involved the south side and the east end of the church. The south porch was completely destroyed, as was the organ chamber in the chancel. Also destroyed were the sundial
over the south porch and the stone cross on the gable
at the east end. In 2004 the church received a grant of £35,000 under the Repair Grants for Places of Worship scheme.
sandstone
with a roof of grey slate
tiles. Its plan consists of a chancel and nave
, north and south porches, a western tower on which is a cupola
belfry
. The cupola has a circular window with a clock above it. There is a circular east window with a niche
on either side. The three-bay chancel is narrower than the nave; both are surmounted by a plain parapet
. There are no windows on the north side of the chancel, but a door is present which formerly led to the part of the churchyard reserved for burial of the lord of the manor
and his family. On the south side were three round-headed windows, two of which are original and the other restored after the bomb damage. On each side of the nave are three round-headed windows, similar to those in the chancel. Between the nave and chancel, on both north and south sides, are buttress
es. The north porch is dated 1736 and is in the style of Vanburgh. The south porch and the sundial, damaged in the explosion, have been restored. The authors of the Buildings of England
series comment that the architectural style of the nave is Georgian
, and that of the chancel is pre-Georgian.
at the intersections. The west gallery is now occupied by an organ which was built in 1906 by Ernest Wadsworth Ltd and installed in 1908. It is supported by four wooden piers. On its front are panels above which is a cornice
decorated with dentil
ling. It is accessed by a circular staircase with rails on baluster
s. The pews are of oak, as is the pulpit
which probably dates from the 17th century. The pulpit is carried on an octagonal stalk, and is decorated with scrolls and pendants. The altar table also dates from the 17th century, and is in Jacobean
style. The ceiling is plastered and has an oval-ended central panel. Over the south door are royal arms
dated 1664 and over the north door is a heraldic
panel dating from the early 18th century relating to the Aston family. The font
dates from 1857. It is in carved timber, contains a marble bowl, and has a domed lid. Also in the church is an armorial
board of he Aston family. This probably dates from 1636, was perhaps painted by Randle Holme
, and has since been repainted. The memorials include two similar painted and gilded
tablets in the chancel to members of the Aston family who died in 1635 and 1637 respectively; they include columns, putti
, and broken pediment
s. Another monument built in 1637 is to the memory of two other members of the family; it consists of a tablet on a sarcophagus
surrounded by drapery. There is a monument to Sir Willoughby Aston who died in 1702 consisting of a shield held by putti under a baldacchino
; this has been attributed to Grinling Gibbons
. One of the monuments is to a steward of the family who died in 1706. Other memorials to the family date from 1737 to the 19th century. Following the land mine damage, the organ was rebuilt by Jardine & Co Ltd. The single church bell is inscribed "Crescent city 1870" and is thought to have originally been a ship's bell. The parish register
s of baptisms and deaths both date from 1635, but both have gaps. The churchwarden
s' accounts begin in 1761 and are complete.
in 1767. She spent her life as a servant to the Aston family, being given the surname of Gambia, and rose to the position of housekeeper
. She died from breast cancer
in 1838. The inscription on her gravestone reads:
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...
near to 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...
. 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 Chester and the deanery of Great Budworth. Its benefice
Benefice
A benefice is a reward received in exchange for services rendered and as a retainer for future services. The term is now almost obsolete.-Church of England:...
is combined with those of St Mark, Antrobus, St Michael and All Angels, Little Leigh and St Luke's, Lower Whitley
St Luke's Church, Lower Whitley
St Luke's Church, Lower Whitley, is in the village of Lower Whitley, in the civil parish of Whitley, Cheshire, England. 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 Chester, the archdeaconry of...
. The listing describes it as "a most pleasing late 17th- to early 18th-century church, inside and out". The church stands in a relatively isolated position in the south side of Aston Lane in the hamlet.
Early history
The first religious building in the hamlet was 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....
in the parish of Runcorn built in 1236 by Sir Thomas de Dutton which was known as the chapel of Poosey (or Pooseye). Towards the end of the 13th century the bishop of Lichfield
Bishop of Lichfield
The Bishop of Lichfield is the ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Lichfield in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers 4,516 km² of the counties of Staffordshire, Shropshire, Warwickshire and West Midlands. The bishop's seat is located in the Cathedral Church of the Blessed...
(in whose diocese the chapel then was) received a complaint and he gave orders that a chaplain and a lamp should be provided by the prior 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...
. The chapel remained in use until a domestic chapel was built at Dutton Hall and Poosey chapel fell into decay and became a ruin.
The first chapel on the site of the present church was built in the early 16th century, not later than 1542. All that remains of this chapel is a stone in the churchyard which has been used for sharpening spears and knives. This chapel was damaged in the Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
. In 1637 the chapel was refurnished and restored by Sir Thomas Aston. Following this the present 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...
was built in 1697 for Sir Willoughby Aston, the architect being Thomas Webb, and the mason has been named as Edward Nixon. The 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...
was reconstructed between 1736 and 1740. By 1857 the Aston family pews on the north and south sides of the chancel had been replaced by choirstalls. An organ chamber was added to the south side of the chancel in 1897, obliterating one of the windows. It was rebuilt in 1907.
Bomb damage
The church was badly damaged by a land mineLand mine
A land mine is usually a weight-triggered explosive device which is intended to damage a target—either human or inanimate—by means of a blast and/or fragment impact....
on 28 November 1940; damage was caused to the roof and the interior of the church. The roof was replaced but the church was still unusable and services were held elsewhere. It remained derelict until restoration began on 30 May 1949; this was completed in June 1950. The church was re-hallowed on 27 June 1950 by the Bishop of Chester
Bishop of Chester
The Bishop of Chester is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Chester in the Province of York.The diocese expands across most of the historic county boundaries of Cheshire, including the Wirral Peninsula and has its see in the City of Chester where the seat is located at the Cathedral...
. Until it was damaged by the land mine, it was one of the least restored early Georgian
Georgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
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 damage mainly involved the south side and the east end of the church. The south porch was completely destroyed, as was the organ chamber in the chancel. Also destroyed were the sundial
Sundial
A sundial is a device that measures time by the position of the Sun. In common designs such as the horizontal sundial, the sun casts a shadow from its style onto a surface marked with lines indicating the hours of the day. The style is the time-telling edge of the gnomon, often a thin rod or a...
over the south porch and the stone cross on the 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...
at the east end. In 2004 the church received a grant of £35,000 under the Repair Grants for Places of Worship scheme.
Exterior
The church is built in RuncornRuncorn
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...
sandstone
Sandstone
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 roof of grey 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...
tiles. Its plan consists of a chancel and 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...
, north and south porches, a western tower on which is a cupola
Cupola
In architecture, a cupola is a small, most-often dome-like, structure on top of a building. Often used to provide a lookout or to admit light and air, it usually crowns a larger roof or dome....
belfry
Bell tower
A bell tower is a tower which contains one or more bells, or which is designed to hold bells, even if it has none. In the European tradition, such a tower most commonly serves as part of a church and contains church bells. When attached to a city hall or other civic building, especially in...
. The cupola has a circular window with a clock above it. There is a circular east window with a niche
Niche (architecture)
A niche in classical architecture is an exedra or an apse that has been reduced in size, retaining the half-dome heading usual for an apse. Nero's Domus Aurea was the first semi-private dwelling that possessed rooms that were given richly varied floor plans, shaped with niches and exedras;...
on either side. The three-bay chancel is narrower than the nave; both are surmounted by a plain parapet
Parapet
A parapet is a wall-like barrier at the edge of a roof, terrace, balcony or other structure. Where extending above a roof, it may simply be the portion of an exterior wall that continues above the line of the roof surface, or may be a continuation of a vertical feature beneath the roof such as a...
. There are no windows on the north side of the chancel, but a door is present which formerly led to the part of the churchyard reserved for burial of the lord of the manor
Lord of the Manor
The Lordship of a Manor is recognised today in England and Wales as a form of property and one of three elements of a manor that may exist separately or be combined and may be held in moieties...
and his family. On the south side were three round-headed windows, two of which are original and the other restored after the bomb damage. On each side of the nave are three round-headed windows, similar to those in the chancel. Between the nave and chancel, on both north and south sides, are buttress
Buttress
A buttress is an architectural structure built against or projecting from a wall which serves to support or reinforce the wall...
es. The north porch is dated 1736 and is in the style of Vanburgh. The south porch and the sundial, damaged in the explosion, have been restored. The authors of the Buildings of England
Pevsner Architectural Guides
The Pevsner Architectural Guides are a series of guide books to the architecture of the British Isles. Begun in the 1940s by art historian Sir Nikolaus Pevsner, the 46 volumes of the Buildings of England series were published between 1951 and 1975. The series was then extended to Scotland and...
series comment that the architectural style of the nave is Georgian
Georgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
, and that of the chancel is pre-Georgian.
Interior
The floor of the chancel is original, dating from the 17th century, and consists of square white stones with insets of black marbleMarble
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...
at the intersections. The west gallery is now occupied by an organ which was built in 1906 by Ernest Wadsworth Ltd and installed in 1908. It is supported by four wooden piers. On its front are panels above which is a cornice
Cornice
Cornice molding is generally any horizontal decorative molding that crowns any building or furniture element: the cornice over a door or window, for instance, or the cornice around the edge of a pedestal. A simple cornice may be formed just with a crown molding.The function of the projecting...
decorated with dentil
Dentil
In classical architecture a dentil is a small block used as a repeating ornament in the bedmould of a cornice.The Roman architect Vitruvius In classical architecture a dentil (from Lat. dens, a tooth) is a small block used as a repeating ornament in the bedmould of a cornice.The Roman architect...
ling. It is accessed by a circular staircase with rails on baluster
Baluster
A baluster is a moulded shaft, square or of lathe-turned form, one of various forms of spindle in woodwork, made of stone or wood and sometimes of metal, standing on a unifying footing, and supporting the coping of a parapet or the handrail of a staircase. Multiplied in this way, they form a...
s. The pews are of oak, as is the pulpit
Pulpit
Pulpit is a speakers' stand in a church. In many Christian churches, there are two speakers' stands at the front of the church. Typically, the one on the left is called the pulpit...
which probably dates from the 17th century. The pulpit is carried on an octagonal stalk, and is decorated with scrolls and pendants. The altar table also dates from the 17th century, and is in Jacobean
Jacobean architecture
The Jacobean style is the second phase of Renaissance architecture in England, following the Elizabethan style. It is named after King James I of England, with whose reign it is associated.-Characteristics:...
style. The ceiling is plastered and has an oval-ended central panel. Over the south door are royal arms
Coat of arms of England
In heraldry, the Royal Arms of England is a coat of arms symbolising England and its monarchs. Its blazon is Gules three lions passant guardant in pale Or armed and langued Azure, meaning three identical gold lions with blue tongues and claws, walking and facing the observer, arranged in a column...
dated 1664 and over the north door is a heraldic
Heraldry
Heraldry is the profession, study, or art of creating, granting, and blazoning arms and ruling on questions of rank or protocol, as exercised by an officer of arms. Heraldry comes from Anglo-Norman herald, from the Germanic compound harja-waldaz, "army commander"...
panel dating from the early 18th century relating to the Aston family. 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:...
dates from 1857. It is in carved timber, contains a marble bowl, and has a domed lid. Also in the church is an armorial
Roll of arms
A roll of arms is a collection of coats of arms, usually consisting of rows of painted pictures of shields, each shield accompanied by the name of the person bearing the arms...
board of he Aston family. This probably dates from 1636, was perhaps painted by 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...
, and has since been repainted. The memorials include two similar painted and gilded
Gilding
The term gilding covers a number of decorative techniques for applying fine gold leaf or powder to solid surfaces such as wood, stone, or metal to give a thin coating of gold. A gilded object is described as "gilt"...
tablets in the chancel to members of the Aston family who died in 1635 and 1637 respectively; they include columns, putti
Putto
A putto is a figure of an infant often depicted as a young male. Putti are defined as chubby, winged or wingless, male child figure in nude. Putti are distinct from cherubim, but some English-speakers confuse them with each other, except that in the plural, "the Cherubim" refers to the biblical...
, and broken pediment
Pediment
A pediment is a classical architectural element consisting of the triangular section found above the horizontal structure , typically supported by columns. The gable end of the pediment is surrounded by the cornice moulding...
s. Another monument built in 1637 is to the memory of two other members of the family; it consists of a tablet on a sarcophagus
Sarcophagus
A sarcophagus is a funeral receptacle for a corpse, most commonly carved or cut from stone. The word "sarcophagus" comes from the Greek σαρξ sarx meaning "flesh", and φαγειν phagein meaning "to eat", hence sarkophagus means "flesh-eating"; from the phrase lithos sarkophagos...
surrounded by drapery. There is a monument to Sir Willoughby Aston who died in 1702 consisting of a shield held by putti under a baldacchino
Baldachin
A baldachin, or baldaquin , is a canopy of state over an altar or throne. It had its beginnings as a cloth canopy, but in other cases it is a sturdy, permanent architectural feature, particularly over high altars in cathedrals, where such a structure is more correctly called a ciborium when it is...
; this has been attributed to Grinling Gibbons
Grinling Gibbons
Grinling Gibbons was an English sculptor and wood carver known for his work in England, including St Paul's Cathedral, Blenheim Palace and Hampton Court Palace. He was born and educated in Holland where his father was a merchant...
. One of the monuments is to a steward of the family who died in 1706. Other memorials to the family date from 1737 to the 19th century. Following the land mine damage, the organ was rebuilt by Jardine & Co Ltd. The single church bell is inscribed "Crescent city 1870" and is thought to have originally been a ship's bell. 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 of baptisms and deaths both date from 1635, but both have gaps. 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 begin in 1761 and are complete.
External features
Two portions of the sandstone churchyard wall dating probably from the late 17th century and the lych gate dated 1908 are listed Grade II. In the churchyard is a former red sandstone font dating probably from the early 17th century which is listed Grade II. It has a circular base and an arched cover carved from two blocks of stone, which is unique in Cheshire. Also listed Grade II are tombs to William and Mary Okell, dated 1837, John Okell and others, dated 1697, James Okell and others, dated 1748, John Burke (?), dated 1713, John Egerton, dated 1652, Edward and Mary Woodhouse, dated 1718, Mary Fletcher, dated 1776, Mary and Robert Okell, dated 1770, and Roll Okell and others, dated 1775. Another memorial in the churchyard is the grave of Chloe. Chloe was a slave from Gambia who was born around 1760 and who arrived in LiverpoolLiverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
in 1767. She spent her life as a servant to the Aston family, being given the surname of Gambia, and rose to the position of housekeeper
Housekeeper (servant)
A housekeeper is an individual responsible for the cleaning and maintenance of the interior of a residence, including direction of subordinate maids...
. She died from breast cancer
Breast cancer
Breast cancer is cancer originating from breast tissue, most commonly from the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk. Cancers originating from ducts are known as ductal carcinomas; those originating from lobules are known as lobular carcinomas...
in 1838. The inscription on her gravestone reads:
Chloe Gambia a negress Who died at Aston Hall the 12th Sept. 1838 aged 77 years or thereabouts. She lived in the Aston family 70 years.