Christ Church, Wharton facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Christ Church, Wharton
53°11′43″N 2°30′22″W / 53.195400°N 2.506000°W / 53.195400; -2.506000
Location	Winsford, Cheshire,
Country	England
Denomination	Church of England
Previous denomination	Conservative Evangelical
History
Status	Active
Consecrated	1843 (chapel of ease) 1849 and 1913 (church)
Architecture
Functional status	Parish church
Architectural type	Church
Style	Gothic Revival
Completed	Rebuilt 1849, with later additions
Construction cost	£1,574 10s 7d (1849 building)
Specifications
Capacity	350 (1849 seating capacity)
Materials	Brick with red sandstone facing Slate roof
Administration
Diocese	Diocese of Chester
Province	Province of York

Christ Church, Wharton, is a church located in Winsford, Cheshire, England (grid reference SJ663665). It's an active Anglican church, which means it's part of the Church of England. It's known for being an evangelical church, focusing on the Bible and sharing the Christian faith.

A Look Back: History of Christ Church

The story of Christ Church, Wharton, began around 1835. A man named John Furnival, who was a curate (a type of church leader) from Davenham, helped build a small, simple chapel. This was the very first Anglican church building in Wharton. It was built to offer a different kind of worship experience compared to the growing Methodism in the area.

From Chapel to Church: Early Buildings

The first chapel was at Wharton Bridges, though its exact spot is now unknown. Wharton Bridges was the original name for the road bridge over the London and North Western Railway on Wharton Road.

In 1843, Wharton became its own church area, or "parish." The first chapel was replaced by a new one, also called a chapel of ease. This new chapel, named Christ's Church, was built by James France-France from Bostock Hall. It was located on Crook Lane, where it meets School Road. The Bishop of Chester, John Bird Sumner, officially opened it on June 26, 1843. A house for the vicar (the church's main leader) was built nearby in 1848.

Growing Bigger: The 1849 Rebuilding

During the 1840s, the number of people living in Wharton grew a lot. The population went from about 1,400 in 1841 to 1,775 in 1851. Because of this growth, Christ's Church chapel quickly became too small.

To make it bigger, money was collected from the public. Even important people like Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld (the mother of Queen Victoria) and John Bird Sumner (who had become the Archbishop of Canterbury) gave money. With these gifts and grants from church building groups, the chapel was greatly expanded.

The old chapel became the side parts (called "transepts") of the new, larger building. This new church, now called Christ Church, could seat 350 people. The rebuilding cost about £1,574. It was officially opened on December 20, 1849, by the new Bishop of Chester, John Graham.

Later Changes: The 1913 Extension

In 1913, the front part of the church (the "chancel") was made longer. The church was officially opened again on October 18, 1913, by Francis Jayne, who was then the Bishop of Chester.

Christ Church Today

Today, Christ Church holds one main service on Sundays. There is also a Communion service every Wednesday morning. The church supports several missionary groups, including Open Doors, Gideons International, and AICMAR (African Institute for Contemporary Mission and Research).

Christ Church follows a "Conservative Evangelical" approach within the Church of England. This means they hold traditional views, including not having women as church leaders. Because of this, they receive special guidance from the Bishop of Maidstone, currently Rod Thomas.

Church Design and Features

The church is built with brick and has red sandstone on the outside. Its roof is made of slate. It's a small building shaped like a cross (called "cruciform"), built in the Gothic Revival style. This style was popular for churches and copied older designs.

The Bell Tower and Clock

At the front-left side of the church is a square bell tower. It used to have four tall, thin spires on top, but these were removed sometime between 1874 and 1892. The main door to the church is at the bottom of this tower.

When the church was rebuilt in 1849, one bell was put in the tower. In 1897, this was replaced with eight tubular bells. These were a gift from Mrs. Lea of Winsford Lodge to celebrate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee.

The tower also has a clock, made by JB Joyce & Co in Shropshire. It cost £50 and was installed in 1849. The clock was a gift from John Dudley, a saltworks owner, in memory of his wife, Elizabeth. A Latin message on the clock face tells this story.

Inside the Church: Fittings and Furnishings

Christ Church has several beautiful stained glass windows. These windows are often memorials to people. The most famous ones are the east window, which remembers Revd John Lothian (who died in 1859), and the west window, which remembers Revd John Samuel Bage (who died in 1873).

Special Panels and Organs

In the side parts of the church (the "transepts"), there are large metal panels. These panels are painted with important Christian texts: the Lord's Prayer, the Creed, and the Ten Commandments. The paintings are in the Gothic Revival style and were likely added when the church was built.

The church has had three different organs. The first was installed in 1849, and the second around 1874. The current organ was given in 1920 by Mrs. Marion Newell. It's a memorial to her son, Sub-Lt Jack H.M. Newall, who was killed in action during World War I in 1916. His military medals are displayed next to the organ.

War Memorials Inside

At the back of the main part of the church (the "nave"), there is a special headstone from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. This remembers Senior Aircraftsman Ian Shinner, who was killed in 1988.

The church used to be lit by gas lights until electric lights were put in in 1937.

Outside the Church: Memorials

As you walk towards the main entrance, you'll see a war memorial. It's an oak cross on a stone base, put up in 1920. It cost £280 to build. This memorial lists the names of 78 people from Wharton who died fighting in World War I.

The churchyard (the area around the church) also contains the graves of five service members from World War I and four from World War II. These are special "war graves" maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Past Leaders of Christ Church, Wharton

Here are some of the people who have served as leaders at Christ Church, Wharton: