Holy Ascension Church, Upton-by-Chester facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Holy Ascension Church, Upton by Chester
Holy Ascension Church, Upton by Chester, from the northwest
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OS grid reference	SJ 408 691
Location	Church Lane, Upton-by-Chester, Chester, Cheshire
Country	England
Denomination	Anglican
Website	Holy Ascension, Upton
History
Status	Parish church
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Heritage designation	Grade II
Designated	1 June 1967
Architect(s)	James Harrison
Architectural type	Church
Style	Gothic Revival
Groundbreaking	1853
Completed	1967
Specifications
Materials	Sandstone, tile roofs
Administration
Parish	Holy Ascension, Upton
Deanery	Chester
Archdeaconry	Chester
Diocese	Chester
Province	York

The Holy Ascension Church is a beautiful old church located on Church Lane in Upton-by-Chester, which is near Chester in Cheshire, England. It's an active Anglican church, meaning it's part of the Church of England. It serves as a parish church, which is the main church for a local area. This church is also very special because it's listed as a Grade II building on the National Heritage List for England. This means it's an important historical building that needs to be protected.

History of Holy Ascension Church

The Holy Ascension Church was designed by an architect named James Harrison. It was built a long time ago, between 1853 and 1854. Later, in 1958 and again in 1967, some parts of the church called transepts were added. These additions were designed by A. C. Bennett and the Design Group Partnership.

Famous Wedding at the Church

In 1961, a well-known British politician named John Prescott got married to his wife Pauline Tilston at this church. John Prescott later became the Deputy Prime Minister of the Labour Party in the UK government.

Architecture and Design

The church is built from red sandstone that looks like rough stones, but it has smooth, cut stones around the edges. The roof is made of red tiles.

Church Layout

The church has a main area called the nave, which has five sections. There's also a porch on the south side. The chancel, which is the area near the altar, has two sections and has transepts (parts that stick out like arms) on both the north and south sides. At the west end of the church, there's a tall tower.

The Tower and Windows

The tower has three levels and stands on a strong base. It has diagonal supports called buttresses that help it stand firm. There are windows with two lights (sections) and openings for bells that have louvres (slanted slats) to let the sound out. The very top of the tower has a flat top called a parapet, and above that is a tall, pointed spire with small windows called lucarnes.

The windows in the main part of the church (the nave) have two lights. The windows in the transepts have three lights, and the large window at the east end also has three lights.

Stained Glass and Organ

Many of the beautiful stained glass windows in the church were made by an artist named Kempe. The stained glass in the west window was made in 1883, and the one in the east window was made in 1885. Other windows around the church were created between 1871 and 1873. The church also has a large organ with two manuals (keyboards), which was built by Charles Whiteley and Company.

Churchyard and War Graves

The area around the church, called the churchyard, is a peaceful place. It contains special graves for soldiers who died in wars. There are Commonwealth war graves for three British Army soldiers from World War I and two soldiers and one airman from World War II. These graves are looked after by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

See also

• Listed buildings in Upton-by-Chester