Christ Church, Alsager facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Christ Church, Alsager |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| OS grid reference | SJ 789 556 |
| Location | Alsager, Cheshire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | www.christchurchalsager.uk |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* |
| Designated | 26 March 1987 |
| Architect(s) | Thomas Stringer |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Georgian |
| Groundbreaking | 1789 |
| Completed | 1790 |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Ashlar yellow Keuper sandstone |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Christ Church, Alsager |
| Deanery | Congleton |
| Archdeaconry | Macclesfield |
| Diocese | Chester |
| Province | York |
Christ Church Alsager is a special church located in Alsager, Cheshire, England. It's a place where people come together to learn about God and help each other. The church offers many activities for everyone, from kids and teenagers to older people. You can find out about their Sunday services, midweek events, weddings, baptisms, and funerals on their website: www.christchurchalsager.uk.
This church is very important. It is listed on the National Heritage List for England as a Grade II* building. This means it's a building of special historical interest. Christ Church Alsager is an active Anglican parish church. It is part of the diocese of Chester, which is a larger church area.
Contents
History of Christ Church Alsager
This church was built a long time ago, between 1789 and 1790. Three important women from Alsager, Mary, Margaret, and Judith Alsager, paid for it to be built. The church was designed by an architect named Thomas Stringer.
At first, it was a "chapel of ease." This meant it was a smaller church for people who lived far from the main parish church, St Bertoline's Church, Barthomley. In 1946, Christ Church Alsager became its own parish church. To celebrate its 100th birthday in 1889, the church got a brand new organ.
Exploring the Church's Design
Christ Church Alsager has a unique and old-fashioned design. It's built in the Georgian style, which was popular in the 1700s.
Outside the Church
The church is made from yellow sandstone. It has a tower at the west end, a long main hall called a nave, and a smaller area at the east end called a chancel with a rounded end (apse).
Near the main west door, you'll see special half-columns called Tuscan demi-columns. These support a decorative band (frieze) and a triangular top part (pediment). Above this, the tower has a clock on each side. Higher up, there are openings with louvers for the bells. The very top of the tower has a fancy border and a railing.
The windows on the sides of the church are rounded at the top. Large, flat columns called pilasters separate the different sections of the church walls.
Inside the Church
When you go inside, you'll see a gallery at the west end. This gallery is supported by strong columns. The gallery and the lower parts of the walls in the nave and chancel are covered with wooden panels. In the chancel, these panels are decorated with vertical grooves called fluting.
The font, which is used for baptisms, is from the 1700s. It has a round base and an eight-sided bowl. The church also has beautiful stained glass windows. These windows show different Apostles. They were made by various artists at different times.
- On the south side, there's a window of Saint Paul from 1907 by Jones and Willis.
- Two other windows from around 1952 were made by T. F. Wilford.
- On the north side, a window showing Saint Luke was made in 1924 by William Morris.
- Another window on the south side, showing Saint Mark, is from 1952.
- There are also other windows from the early 1900s that don't have an artist's signature.
Inside the church, you'll also find three special plaques. These remember the five "Ladies of the Manor of Alsager" who helped the church. The church keeps records of baptisms and burials since 1789, and marriages since 1852.
The organ in the church was built by Stringer and Company. It was updated in 1990 by Ward and Smith. The church tower has eight bells. Six of these bells were made in 1893, and the other two in 1902. They were all made by John Taylor & Co in Loughborough. These bells are used for change ringing, which is a special way of ringing church bells in a changing pattern.
Outside the Church Grounds
Outside the church, you'll find a pair of gate posts, also made of yellow sandstone. These were designed by Thomas Stringer around 1790. On top of the posts are decorative vase-shaped ornaments. These gate posts are also listed as Grade II, meaning they are historically important.
The churchyard is also a resting place for eight British servicemen. Six of them died in World War I and two in World War II.
See also
- Grade II* listed buildings in Cheshire East
- Listed buildings in Alsager
