St Andrew's Church, Tarvin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Andrew's Church, Tarvin |
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St Andrew's Church, Tarvin
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| OS grid reference | SJ 491 669 |
| Location | Tarvin, Cheshire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | St Andrew, Tarvin |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Dedication | Saint Andrew |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade I |
| Designated | 1 March 1967 |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Red sandstone Welsh slate roof |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Tarvin |
| Deanery | Chester |
| Archdeaconry | Chester |
| Diocese | Chester |
| Province | York |
St Andrew's Church is a beautiful old church located in the village of Tarvin, Cheshire, England. It's a very important building, listed as a Grade I historic site, which means it's one of the most special buildings in England. The church is still active today, serving as an Anglican parish church within the diocese of Chester. It works closely with St Peter's Church in Duddon.
Contents
History of St Andrew's Church
The first church building on this spot was built way back in the 12th century (that's the 1100s!). It was changed and updated in the 14th century. Parts of the church, like the south wall and the south arcade (a row of arches), are from this time.
Most of the church was rebuilt in the 15th century (the 1400s). The chancel (the area around the altar) was fixed up in the 18th century. The tall tower was also built in the 15th century, and the north aisle (a side part of the church) was added later. The church had more repairs in the 18th and 19th centuries, and then again in 1908 by an architect named F. P. Oakley.
Church Architecture
Outside the Church
St Andrew's Church is built from red sandstone and has a roof made of Welsh slate. You enter the church through the west wall of the tall west tower.
The church has a main area called the nave with five sections, and a smaller area called the chancel with two sections. There's a north aisle with a small room called a vestry at its end. On the south side, there's a south aisle with a porch and a special area called the Bruen Chapel.
The doorway into the tower is in the Tudor style. The second floor of the tower has windows shaped like deeply set four-leaf clovers, called quatrefoil windows. There's a clock on all four sides of the tower. The very top of the tower has a battlement (a wall with gaps for defense) and bits of old pinnacles (small pointed towers) at the corners.
Inside the Church
The roof over the nave is a special type called an arch-brace and hammerbeam design. It was built in 1650. For a while, it was covered up with plaster, but its cool structure was uncovered again during repairs in 1891.
The roof over the south aisle is from 1380 and is the only one of its kind in the whole county! The baptismal font (where baptisms happen) is shaped like an octagon and is from the 15th century.
Many of the old church furnishings were removed during past repairs. However, a two-level brass candelabrum (a fancy candle holder) from the 18th century is still there. In the chancel, there's a Flemish reredos (a decorated screen behind the altar) from around 1500. There's also a copper memorial tablet for Henry Hardware, who died in 1584. The east window, installed in 1892, was made by Charles Eamer Kempe. The west window was given to the church in 2006 and designed by Fiona Banner and Roy Coomber.
At the entrance to the Bruen Chapel, there's a wooden screen from the 14th century. On the south wall of the chapel, you can find a squint (a small opening to see the altar). It has a carved image next to it, known as the "church imp," who seems to be peeking through the squint!
In the early 1600s, a man named John Bruen had all the old stained glass removed from the chapel. He thought the images were "superstitious" after the Protestant Reformation (a big change in the church). The altar table in the chapel is from the 17th century. The chapel also has memorials for John Bruen and other people.
Inside the church, there are five special memorial boards. People believe these were painted by members of the Randle Holme family from Chester. The church's official records of births, deaths, and marriages start in 1563, but some parts are missing from 1682 to 1687. The church has a set of six bells that were made by Thomas Rudhall in 1779.
Outside the Churchyard
In the churchyard (the area around the church), there are six other structures that are also listed as Grade II historic sites. These include the gates and gateposts at the entrance to the churchyard, and a sundial made of sandstone from the mid-1700s.
You can also find several old tomb chests (stone coffins above ground) for families like John Minshull, William and Elizabeth Hilton, and William Sandbach. There's also the tombstone of Beatrix Hollinsworth. The churchyard is also the resting place for three British soldiers and one Canadian Army soldier who died in World War I.
Notable Gravesites
- James Crawfoot, a well-known Methodist leader from the early 1800s, is buried here.
See also
- Grade I listed buildings in Cheshire West and Chester
- Grade I listed churches in Cheshire
- Listed buildings in Tarvin
