Christ Church, Barnton facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Christ Church, Barnton
Christ Church, Barnton, from the southeast
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OS grid reference	SJ 637,748
Location	Barnton, Cheshire
Country	England
Denomination	Anglican
Website	Christ Church, Barnton
History
Status	Parish church
Founded	25 October 1841
Consecrated	7 October 1842
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Heritage designation	Grade II
Designated	18 July 1986
Architect(s)	Edmund Sharpe (attributed)
Architectural type	Church
Style	Gothic Revival
Construction cost	£1,400 (£103,000 in 2021)
Specifications
Materials	Sandstone and brick Slate roofs
Administration
Parish	Christ Church, Barnton
Deanery	Great Budworth
Archdeaconry	Chester archdeaconry
Diocese	Diocese of Chester

Christ Church is a beautiful old church located in the village of Barnton, Cheshire, England. It's an active church where people still go for services today. It belongs to the Anglican faith and is an important part of the local community. This church is so special that it's officially recognized as a Grade II listed building. This means it's protected because of its historical and architectural importance.

History of Christ Church

Building the Church

Christ Church was built a long time ago, between 1841 and 1842. The very first stone was placed on October 25, 1841. The church was officially opened and blessed, a process called consecration, on October 7, 1842. This special ceremony was led by John Sumner, who was the Bishop of Chester at that time.

The land for the church cost £30. This would be worth about £3,700 today. The church building itself cost £1,400, which is like spending about £170,000 in today's money. A kind person named Richard Greenall paid for the land. He was a vicar and also part of the Greenall's family, who were famous brewers.

The church's website says that the architect who designed it was Edmund Sharpe from Lancaster. There isn't much old paperwork to prove this. However, the church looks very similar to other buildings Sharpe designed around the same time. Because of this, many people believe he was indeed the architect.

Changes Over Time

The church has been updated several times over the years. In 1888, a big restoration project happened. During this time, the inside brick walls were covered with a smooth cement layer called stucco.

Later, in 1899, the church was made bigger at the east end. This involved making the main part of the church, called the nave, and the area around the altar, called the chancel, larger. A new window was also put in at the east end. A special room for the organ was built on the south side. The old room for the vicar on the north side was taken down. This extension was also officially blessed on September 19, 1900, by Francis Jayne, who was the Bishop of Chester then. A smaller addition was made to the church in 1974.

Architecture and Design

Outside the Church

Christ Church is built using red sandstone from Runcorn. The inside walls are made of red brick. The roof is covered with slate tiles from Wales. The church's design includes a long main area that combines the nave and chancel. It also has a porch on the south side, which is like a covered entrance. There's a small chapel on the south side too, where the organ is kept.

At the west end of the church, there's a double bellcote. This is a small structure that holds the church bells. Along the sides of the church, you can see strong supports called buttresses. Each section between these supports has a tall, narrow window called a lancet window. Both the east and west ends of the church have three lancet windows grouped together.

Inside the Church

When you go inside Christ Church, you'll see a gallery at the west end. This is like a balcony that is held up by strong cast iron columns. The reredos, which is a decorated screen behind the altar, has beautiful Gothic arches. It also features a carving of the Last Supper, a famous scene from the Bible.

The pulpit, where the priest gives sermons, is made of Bath stone. It was originally made in 1842 for another church, St Helen Witton Church, Northwich. It was moved to Christ Church in 1888 after being bought for £10. This would be about £1,400 in today's money. Experts who wrote the Buildings of England books described the pulpit as being "Puginesquely elaborate," meaning it's very detailed and fancy, similar to the style of a famous architect named Augustus Pugin.

The church also has a two-manual organ. This means it has two keyboards for the organist to play. It was built in 1913 by a company called Wadsworth and Brother. Some parts of this organ might even be from an older organ that was in the church before.

See also

• Listed buildings in Barnton, Cheshire
• List of architectural works by Edmund Sharpe