List of new churches by John Douglas facts for kids
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John Douglas (1830–1911) was a famous English architect who worked from Chester, Cheshire. He designed many different kinds of buildings, including brand new churches, changes and repairs to old churches, church furniture, new homes, and changes to existing houses. He also designed shops, banks, offices, schools, memorials, and public buildings.
One of his most well-known designs is the Eastgate Clock in Chester, which is a very popular landmark. Douglas used many different styles in his work, but because he worked during the time of the Gothic Revival, many of his buildings look like older English Gothic churches. He also took ideas from European architecture, often adding French, German, and Dutch touches.
Douglas is especially remembered for using local, traditional building styles, like half-timbering (the black and white look). He was inspired by the "black-and-white revival" in Chester, where old timber-framed buildings were being celebrated. He also used other local styles like tile-hanging, pargeting (decorative plasterwork), and fancy brick patterns called diapering on tall chimneys. Douglas was also known for his amazing joinery and detailed wood carvings.
John Douglas was born in Sandiway, a village in Cheshire. He trained with the architect E. G. Paley in Lancaster and later became his main assistant. Douglas opened his own office in Chester around 1855 or 1860 and worked there his whole career. He first worked alone, but in 1884, he made his assistant, Daniel Porter Fordham, a partner. When Fordham retired in 1897, Charles Howard Minshull took his place. In 1909, this partnership ended, and Douglas worked alone until he passed away in 1911. Since his office was in Chester, most of his projects were in Cheshire and North Wales, but he also worked in Lancashire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, and Scotland.
Early in his career, Douglas started getting jobs from rich and powerful people. His first big client was Hugh Cholmondeley, 2nd Baron Delamere. His most important clients were the Grosvenor family from Eaton Hall. Douglas designed many different buildings for their Eaton Hall estate and the nearby villages. Other important clients included William Molyneux, 4th Earl of Sefton, Rowland Egerton-Warburton of Arley Hall, George Cholmondeley, 5th Marquess of Cholmondeley, and Francis Egerton, 3rd Earl of Ellesmere. Later, Douglas also worked for W. E. Gladstone (a famous Prime Minister) and his family, and for W. H. Lever (who founded Lever Brothers, now Unilever).
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Understanding Church Grades
Many of the new churches Douglas designed are now "listed buildings." This means they are important historical or architectural buildings that are protected.
In England and Wales, buildings are graded:
- Grade I: These are buildings of "exceptional interest," sometimes thought to be important worldwide.
- Grade II*: These are "particularly important buildings" that are more than just special.
- Grade II: These buildings are "nationally important and of special interest."
In Scotland, buildings are put into categories:
- Category A: These are "buildings of national or international importance," either for their architecture or history, or they are great examples of a certain time or style.
- Category B: These are "buildings of regional or more than local importance," or major examples of a style that might have been changed a bit.
- Category C: These are "buildings of local importance," smaller examples of any period or style, or simple traditional buildings that fit well with Category A and B buildings.
This list includes 40 new churches designed by Douglas that were actually built. The information comes from a book by Edward Hubbard. Some churches are included even if they aren't fully confirmed by other records, as long as they look like Douglas's style and have a local connection. We'll mention when this is the case. Projects that were planned but never built are not included.
Key to Church Grades
| Grade | What it Means | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade I | Buildings of exceptional interest, sometimes considered to be important worldwide. | ||||||||||||
| Grade II* | Very important buildings with more than just special interest. | ||||||||||||
| Grade II | Buildings important to the nation and of special interest. | ||||||||||||
| Category (Scotland) | What it Means | ||||||||||||
| B | Buildings of special architectural or historic interest that are major examples of a particular period, style, or type. | ||||||||||||
| "—" means the building is not graded. | |||||||||||||
New Churches Designed by John Douglas
| Name | Location | Photograph | Date | Notes | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St John the Evangelist's Church | Over, Winsford, Cheshire 53°11′32″N 2°32′53″W / 53.1922°N 2.5481°W |
 |
1860–63 | This was Douglas's very first church design. It was built to remember the first wife of the 2nd Baron Delamere. It's built in the Gothic Revival style, which means it looks like older medieval churches. | II |
| Congregational Chapel | Over, Winsford, Cheshire 53°11′18″N 2°32′24″W / 53.1883°N 2.5399°W |
 |
1865 | This church is made with bricks of different colors (called polychromatic) and some red sandstone decorations. One expert called it "very ugly," but another said it was "experimental" and "astonishing." It is now a United Reformed church. | II |
| St John the Baptist's Church | Aldford, Cheshire 53°07′44″N 2°52′11″W / 53.1290°N 2.8698°W |
 |
1. 1865–66 2. c.1872–76 3. 1902 |
St John's was the first church built for the powerful Grosvenor family. 1. A new church was built where an older one stood. 2. Later, a tall, pointed roof (a spire) and a decorated screen behind the altar (a reredos) were added. 3. A small room (a vestry) was changed into a chapel, and another vestry was built. |
II |
| St Bartholomew's Church | Sealand, Flintshire 53°12′46″N 2°58′15″W / 53.2128°N 2.9709°W |
 |
1865–67 | This small church was designed for the River Dee Company. It's in the Early Decorated style. Douglas himself paid for the beautiful stained glass window at the east end, made by Hardman & Co.. | II |
| St Ann's Church | Warrington, Cheshire 53°23′48″N 2°35′41″W / 53.3967°N 2.5947°W |
 |
1868–69 | This church has a strong High Victorian style with a wide main hall (a nave) that doesn't have side aisles. It's no longer used for church services and has been an indoor climbing center since 1996. | II* |
| St Paul's Church | Helsby, Cheshire 53°16′39″N 2°45′40″W / 53.2775°N 2.7612°W |
 |
1. 1868–70 2. 1909 |
1. This is a small church with a bell tower (a bell-turret) at the west end, shaped like a thin spire (a flèche). 2. A side section (an aisle) was added to the south side later. |
II |
| St John the Baptist's Church | Hartford, Cheshire 53°14′45″N 2°32′39″W / 53.2458°N 2.5441°W |
 |
1. 1873–75 2. 1885–87 |
1. A new church was built on the same spot as an older one. 2. A tall tower was added to the west end of the church later. |
II |
| St Paul's Church | Marston, Cheshire 53°16′30″N 2°29′46″W / 53.275°N 2.496°W |
|
1874 | This was a small church with lots of shaped brick, tall, narrow windows (called lancet windows), and a small tower and spire at the west end. It has since been taken down. |
|
| Presbyterian Chapel | Rossett, Wrexham County Borough 53°06′27″N 2°57′09″W / 53.1076°N 2.9524°W |
 |
1875 | This church features tall, narrow windows (lancet windows), a wooden entrance area (porch), and a small, thin spire (a flèche) on the roof. |
|
| Christ Church | Gloucester Street, Chester, Cheshire 53°11′49″N 2°53′19″W / 53.1969°N 2.8885°W |
 |
1. 1876 2. 1893 3. 1897 4. 1898 5. 1900 |
1. A new church was built to replace an older one on the site. 2–5. Over these years, a new holy area near the altar (a sanctuary) was added, then the porch, the raised stand for speakers (a pulpit), and a southeast chapel. Later, a small room for clergy (a vestry) and the organ room were added, work was done on the main church area (the chancel), and the main hall (the nave) was finished. |
II |
| St Stephen's Church | Moulton, Cheshire 53°13′22″N 2°31′00″W / 53.2227°N 2.5168°W |
 |
1876–77 | The outside of this church is made of stone, while the inside uses two different kinds of brick. It has a green slate roof and a lead spire (a pointed roof). | II |
| St Barnabas' Mission Church and Curate's House | Sibell Street, Chester, Cheshire 53°11′48″N 2°52′58″W / 53.1967°N 2.8828°W |
 |
1877 | This building was originally a "mission church" (a church for a specific community) with a house next to it for the curate (a church assistant). It is now used as offices. | II |
| Church of St Mary the Virgin | Halkyn, Flintshire 53°13′54″N 3°11′10″W / 53.2316°N 3.1862°W |
 |
1877–88 | This church was built for the 1st Duke of Westminster. One expert believes it's "one of the best Victorian churches in Clwyd" and that it "sets the tone" for almost all of Douglas's later churches. | I |
| St Michael's Church | Altcar, Lancashire 53°33′03″N 3°01′42″W / 53.5509°N 3.0283°W |
 |
1878–79 | This church was designed for the 4th Earl of Sefton. It's special because it's the only one of Douglas's churches that is entirely half-timbered (the black and white style). It's described as "an utterly charming church." | II* |
| Welsh Church of St John the Evangelist | Mold, Flintshire 53°10′07″N 3°08′28″W / 53.1686°N 3.1410°W |
 |
1878–79 | This church is wide and doesn't have side aisles. It's no longer used as a church and has been divided to be used as a church hall. | II |
| Grosvenor Park Baptist Chapel | Grosvenor Road, Chester, Cheshire 53°11′30″N 2°52′55″W / 53.19169°N 2.88192°W |
 |
1879–80 | This building was constructed along with a row of terraced houses on the same road. It was originally a Baptist chapel but is now called Zion Tabernacle. | II |
| St Chad's Church | Hopwas, Staffordshire 52°38′36″N 1°44′30″W / 52.6433°N 1.7418°W |
 |
1881 | The church was built for Reverend W. MacGregor. It's made of brick and half-timber (wood frame with spaces filled in), with a wooden porch and an eight-sided spire (an octagonal flèche). | II |
| St Mary's Church | Pulford, Cheshire 53°07′21″N 2°56′05″W / 53.1224°N 2.9348°W |
 |
1881–84 | This church was built for the 1st Duke of Westminster. It's made of red sandstone with lighter stone bands. It has a cross shape (is cruciform) and a tower at the northwest that includes the entrance porch. | II* |
| St Werburgh's New Church | Warburton, Greater Manchester 53°23′54″N 2°26′43″W / 53.3984°N 2.4454°W |
 |
1. 1882–85 2. 1899 |
1. This new church was built for Rowland Egerton-Warburton from sandstone. It replaced an older church, but on a different piece of land. 2. The choir stalls (seats in the chancel) were replaced later. |
II |
| Holywell Workhouse Chapel | Holywell, Flintshire 53°15′59″N 3°13′00″W / 53.2663°N 3.2168°W |
 |
1883–84 | This was a chapel with a roof made of wooden tiles (called shingled) and a small spire (a flèche). It was built for the workhouse, which later became Lluesty Hospital. | II |
| Chapel of the Good Shepherd | Carlett Park, Eastham, Merseyside 53°19′23″N 2°57′33″W / 53.3230°N 2.9593°W |
 |
1884–85 | This was a family chapel for Reverend W. E. Torr, who lived in the nearby manor house. It's a simple stone building with tall, narrow windows (lancet windows) and a small tower (a turret) on the northwest side. | II |
| St Deiniol's Church | Criccieth, Gwynedd 52°55′13″N 4°13′52″W / 52.9202°N 4.2310°W |
 |
1884–87 | This church had a cross shape (was cruciform) and a short spire. It closed in 1988 and has been changed into residential flats. |
|
| Christ Church | Rossett, Wrexham County Borough 53°06′28″N 2°56′56″W / 53.1078°N 2.9490°W |
 |
1886–92 | This church was built to replace an earlier one on the same site. It has a cross shape (is cruciform) and is built of stone with a green slate roof. It was planned in 1886 but not built until 1891–92. | II |
| St Paul's Church | Colwyn Bay, Conwy County Borough 53°17′38″N 3°43′35″W / 53.2939°N 3.7265°W |
 |
1. 1887–88 2. 1894–95 3. 1910–11 |
The church was built in three main steps: 1. First, the main hall (the nave) was built. 2. Then, the area around the altar (the chancel) was added. 3. Finally, the tower was built. |
II* |
| St Andrew's Church | West Kirby, Merseyside 53°22′34″N 3°11′09″W / 53.3761°N 3.1858°W |
 |
1. 1889–91 2. 1907 |
The church was built in two steps: 1. The main hall (the nave) was built first. 2. The rest of the church was finished later. |
II |
| St John's Church | Barmouth, Gwynedd 52°43′24″N 4°03′17″W / 52.7233°N 4.0548°W |
 |
1889–95 | This church was built for Mrs. F. S. Perrins and sits on a hillside looking over the town. During its construction, the tower fell down and had to be rebuilt! | II* |
| St James' Church | Haydock, Merseyside 53°28′04″N 2°39′34″W / 53.4678°N 2.6595°W |
c. 1891–92 | This church used part of the old church as a Lady chapel (a chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary). It was built with timber framing (wooden framework) to protect it from possible ground sinking (called mining subsidence). |
|
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| St Wenefrede's Church | Bickley, Cheshire 53°02′11″N 2°41′32″W / 53.0364°N 2.6922°W |
 |
1892 | The church was built for the 4th Marquess of Cholmondeley. It's made of sandstone with a green slate roof and decorative terracotta tiles on the roof ridge. Inside, the church has a special type of roof called a hammerbeam roof. | II |
| St David's Welsh Church | Rhosllannerchrugog, Wrexham County Borough 53°00′41″N 3°03′25″W / 53.0115°N 3.0569°W |
 |
1892–93 | Douglas & Fordham designed a church with a main hall (a nave) and a north side section (an aisle). The area around the altar (the chancel) was added later. They planned to have a tower (a steeple) on the northeast, but it was never built. |
|
| All Saints Church | Higher Kinnerton, Flintshire 53°08′38″N 3°00′16″W / 53.1439°N 3.0044°W |
 |
1893 | The church has a central spire (a tall, pointed roof), and another smaller spire above the area around the altar (the chancel). |
|
| Christ Church | Bryn-y-Maen, Colwyn Bay, Conwy County Borough 53°16′10″N 3°44′47″W / 53.2695°N 3.7465°W |
 |
1896–99 | This church was built to remember Eleanor Frost's husband, Charles. It's in a small village south of Colwyn Bay and is known locally as the "Cathedral of the Hills." | II* |
| Congregational Church | Great Crosby, Merseyside 53°29′29″N 3°01′30″W / 53.4914°N 3.0250°W |
 |
1897–98 | The church is built of sandstone with green slate roofs. It was originally a Congregational church but is now a United Reformed Church. | II |
| St John the Evangelist's Church | Weston, Runcorn, Cheshire 53°19′08″N 2°44′20″W / 53.3190°N 2.73885°W |
 |
1. 1897–98 2. 1900 |
This church is known as the "choirboys' church" because the choirboys wrote thousands of letters to help raise money for it. 1. The church was built. 2. The tower was added later. |
II* |
| All Saints Church | Deganwy, Conwy County Borough 53°17′39″N 3°49′37″W / 53.2941°N 3.8270°W |
 |
1897–99 | This is a memorial church built for Lady Augusta Mostyn. It sits on a site overlooking the Conwy estuary. It has a clerestory (a row of windows high up), an area around the altar (a chancel) that is higher than the main hall (the nave), and a tower at the west end. | II* |
| St Ethelwold's Church | Shotton, Flintshire 53°12′35″N 3°02′05″W / 53.2096°N 3.0346°W |
.JPG) |
1898–1902 | Even though this church was partly paid for by W. E. Gladstone, a former Prime Minister, its construction didn't begin until after he passed away. | II |
| St John the Baptist's Church | Old Colwyn, Conwy County Borough 53°17′26″N 3°41′51″W / 53.2906°N 3.6974°W |
 |
1. 1899–1903 2. 1912 |
This church was built for the English-speaking community in Colwyn Bay. 1. The main church building was completed. 2. The tower was added later, after Douglas had died. |
II* |
| St David's Welsh Church | Colwyn Bay, Conwy County Borough 53°17′37″N 3°43′36″W / 53.2937°N 3.7268°W |
 |
1902–03 | This church was built very close to St Paul's Church to serve the Welsh-speaking community in the area. | II |
| St John the Evangelist's Church | Sandiway, Cheshire 53°14′09″N 2°35′32″W / 53.2359°N 2.5921°W |
 |
1. 1902–03 2. Undated |
1. The church was built on land owned by Douglas himself, and he also paid for the area around the altar (the chancel) and the covered churchyard gate (a lych gate). 2. The tower was added after Douglas's death. |
II |
| All Saints Church | Lockerbie, Dumfries and Galloway 55°07′26″N 3°21′40″W / 55.124°N 3.361°W |
 |
1903 | This is the only church Douglas designed for the Scottish Episcopal Church. It's built from smooth, cut stone (called ashlar) with a red tile roof. It has a tower at the west end with a pointed roof that starts from the tower's base (a broach spire). | B |
| Congregational Church | Hoylake, Merseyside 53°23′24″N 3°10′50″W / 53.3900°N 3.1805°W |
 |
1905–06 | Built with brick and sandstone decorations, this church is in the Perpendicular style, which is a late form of Gothic architecture. It originally had a spire, but this was damaged during a war and has not been replaced. | II |
| St Matthew's Church | Saltney, Flintshire 53°10′59″N 2°56′49″W / 53.183°N 2.947°W |
 |
1910–11 | This was a "mission church" connected to St Mark's Church in Saltney. It closed in 2000 and was sadly destroyed by fire in 2008. |
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See also
- List of church restorations, amendments and furniture by John Douglas
- List of houses and associated buildings by John Douglas
- List of non-ecclesiastical and non-residential works by John Douglas
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