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Christ Church, Barnton
Christ Church, Barnton - geograph.org.uk - 205457.jpg
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 a special place where people go to worship as part of the Anglican faith. This church is still very active today and is an important part of the local community. It's also recognized as a Grade II listed building, which means it's a historically important structure.

History of Christ Church

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

The land for the church cost £30. That's like paying about £3,800 in today's money! The church building itself cost £1,400, which would be around £180,000 today. 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 Edmund Sharpe was the architect who designed it. He was from Lancaster. Even though there isn't much old paperwork to prove it, experts believe he designed it. This is because the church looks very similar to other buildings he designed around the same time.

Over the years, the church has been updated. In 1888, a big restoration happened. The inside brick walls were covered with a smooth cement layer. In 1899, the church was made bigger. The main part where people sit (called the nave) and the area near the altar (the chancel) were extended. A new window was put in at the east end. A special room for the organ was built, and a small room for the vicar was taken down. This extension was officially blessed in 1900. A smaller addition was made to the church in 1974.

Architecture and Design

Christ Church is built using red sandstone from Runcorn. The inside walls are made of red brick. The roof is covered with slate tiles.

The church has a long main hall, which is the nave and chancel combined. It also has a porch on the south side. 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, which is a small structure holding the bells. Along the sides of the church, there are stone supports called buttresses. Each section between these supports has a tall, narrow window called a lancet window. There are three lancet windows grouped together at both the east and west ends of the church.

Inside, at the west end, there's a balcony called a gallery. It's held up by strong cast iron columns. Behind the altar, there's a decorative screen called a reredos. It has cool Gothic arches and a carving of the Last Supper.

The pulpit, where the vicar gives sermons, is made of Bath stone. It's quite old! It was made in 1842 for another church and was moved to Christ Church in 1888. It was bought for just £10, which would be about £1,300 today. Experts describe the pulpit as "Puginesquely elaborate," meaning it's very fancy and detailed, like the work 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!

See also

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