St Bertoline's Church, Barthomley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Bertoline's Church, Barthomley |
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St Bertoline's Church, Barthomley, from the south
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| OS grid reference | SJ 767 524 |
| Location | Barthomley, Cheshire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | St Bertoline, Barthomley |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Dedication | Saint Bertoline |
| Events | Massacre in the Civil War (1643) |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade I |
| Designated | 12 January 1967 |
| Architect(s) | Austin and Paley (chancel) |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Perpendicular, Gothic Revival |
| Groundbreaking | 15th century |
| Completed | 1926 |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Red sandstone, lead roof |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Barthomley |
| Deanery | Congleton |
| Archdeaconry | Macclesfield |
| Diocese | Chester |
| Province | York |
St Bertoline's Church is a historic church in the village of Barthomley, Cheshire, England. It is a very important building, listed as Grade I, which means it's of exceptional interest. The church is still active today, serving as an Anglican parish church for the local community.
The church sits on a small hill called Barrow Hill, which was once an ancient burial ground. It's known for a sad event that happened there during the English Civil War. Many people think it's one of the most beautiful churches in Cheshire. It might even be the only church in England named after Saint Bertoline. You reach the church by climbing a flight of steps from the road.
Contents
History of St Bertoline's Church
The main part of the church, called the nave, and its tower were built in the late 1400s. The Crewe chapel was added around 1528. The church was repaired and updated between 1852 and 1854. Later, a new chancel (the part of the church near the altar) was built in 1925–26. This was designed by architects Austin and Paley as a memorial to the family of the Marquess of Crewe.
The Civil War Massacre (1643)
On Christmas Eve in 1643, during the English Civil War, a terrible event happened at the church. About 20 supporters of Parliament, known as Roundheads, were hiding inside. Forces loyal to the King, called Cavaliers, led by Lord Byron, set the church on fire. The Parliamentarians gave up, but sadly, twelve of them were killed.
For a long time, St Bertoline's was the main church for a huge area in southeast Cheshire. Many smaller towns and villages, like Alsager, Crewe, and Haslington, grew from this large parish. Now, these places have their own churches. Barthomley remains a smaller parish with about 400 people. The church council has been working hard to restore the building, and they are almost finished with a big repair project.
Architecture and Design
St Bertoline's Church is built from red sandstone and has a lead roof. It is designed in the Perpendicular style, which was popular in the late Middle Ages.
Outside the Church
The oldest part of the church is a blocked-up doorway from the Norman period (around 1066-1154). It's on the north wall and was moved there in the 1800s.
The church has a tower at the west end. It also has a large main area called the nave with a high row of windows (a clerestory). There are aisles on the north and south sides, and a porch at the north entrance. At the east end, there's a chancel and a room called a vestry. The Crewe chapel is at the east end of the south aisle.
The tower, built in the late 1400s, has a door at the bottom. Above it is a large window. There are openings for bells on each side and a clock on the north side. You can see coats of arms of local families near the bell openings. The top of the tower has a battlement (like a castle wall) and eight pointed decorations called crocketted pinnacles. There are also gargoyles at the corners. The nave and aisles also have battlemented tops. Inside the porch, you can find the church's original stone holy water font. The large east window has five sections of glass. The wooden roofs of the nave and north aisle, with their camber beams, are from the 1500s.
Inside the Church
Many old items were lost during the 1852–54 restoration. However, a special screen that used to separate the Crewe Chapel from the chancel was saved. It now surrounds the organ at the east end of the north aisle. Inside the church, there are old English oil paintings of Moses and Aaron.
The beautiful stained glass in the west window was made by Clayton and Bell in 1873. The glass in the east window is from 1925 and was made by Shrigley and Hunt. The altar, where services are held, dates back to the late 1500s. It features carvings of scenes like the birth of Jesus and the flight into Egypt.
In the Crewe Chapel, you can see a stone statue of Sir Robert de Foulshurst. He was a knight who fought bravely at the Battle of Poitiers around 1390. He is shown wearing his armour, including a gorget (neck protection) and a special collar of esses. The side of his tomb has Gothic arches with figures of six men and six women. There is also a statue of a clergyman, likely Robert Foulshurst, who was the rector of Barthomley and died in 1529.
Later memorials in the chapel include a marble statue of Lady Houghton from 1887 by J. Edgar Boehm. There is also a Victorian Gothic monument to the first Lord Crewe, and two large wall memorials for other members of the Crewe family. In the south wall of the chancel, there is a sedilla, which is a seat for priests.
The church has a ring of eight bells. Six of the oldest bells were made in 1743 and 1747. The other three bells were added in 1908. The church's records, called parish registers, go back to 1562. The records of the churchwardens (people who look after the church) start in 1660. The organ was first built in 1850 and has been updated several times. In 2005, it was replaced with a modern digital organ.
Other Burials
External Features
In the churchyard, you can find memorials to two brothers, Joseph Edgar Ginders and George Percy Ginders. They were soldiers from the local area who fought in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force during World War I. Both brothers were killed in Gallipoli. Joseph died in 1915 at age 30, and George died in 1918 at age 28.
See also
- Grade I listed buildings in Cheshire East
- Grade I listed churches in Cheshire
- Norman architecture in Cheshire
- Listed buildings in Barthomley
