St Boniface's Church, Bunbury facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Boniface's Church, Bunbury |
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St Boniface's Church, Bunbury, from the northwest
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| OS grid reference | SJ 568 581 |
| Location | Bunbury, Cheshire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | St Boniface, Bunbury |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Dedication | Saint Boniface |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade I |
| Designated | 12 January 1967 |
| Architect(s) | Pennington and Bridgen |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic |
| Completed | 1866 |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 160 feet (49 m) |
| Width | 42.5 feet (13 m) |
| Materials | Red sandstone, lead and slate roof |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Bunbury |
| Deanery | Malpas |
| Archdeaconry | Chester |
| Diocese | Chester |
| Province | York |
St Boniface's Church is a very old and important church in the village of Bunbury, Cheshire, England. It is listed as a Grade I building, which means it is a truly special historic place. The church was mostly built in the 1300s.
Inside, you can find the Ridley chapel, a beautiful tomb for a knight named Sir Hugh Calveley, and another tomb for Sir George Beeston. Experts say it's one of the most important churches from its time in Cheshire. It's still an active Anglican church today.
Contents
Exploring the History of St Boniface's Church
Early Beginnings: From Wood to Stone
A church has stood on this spot since the 700s. The very first church here was made of wood by the Anglo-Saxons. By the year 1135, a stronger church made of stone, in the Norman style, was built.
In 1320, the church was rebuilt in a style called "decorated Gothic." This gave it many of the features you see today.
Sir Hugh Calveley's Influence
In 1385–86, a famous knight named Sir Hugh Calveley made the church a "collegiate church." This meant it had a group of priests living and working together. This change led to a lot more building work, and much of the church's current structure comes from this time.
In 1527, a special small chapel called a "chantry" was added by Sir Rauph Egerton. Chantries were places where prayers were said for the dead.
Changes Over the Centuries
After 1547, when many chantries and collegiate churches were closed down, a man named Thomas Aldersey took over the church's income and the right to choose its priests. He wanted Puritan ministers, who were a strict group of Protestants, to lead the church.
In the 1700s, extra seating areas called "galleries" were added inside the church. From 1863 to 1866, the church underwent a big "restoration" project. Old wall paintings, galleries, and box pews (enclosed seats) were removed. A new floor was laid, and a new roof was built.
Sadly, in 1940, a land mine caused serious damage to the church. The roof had to be replaced again in 1950.
Discovering the Church's Architecture
Outside Features of the Church
The church is built from red sandstone and has roofs made of lead and slate. Its main style is called "Perpendicular," which is a late form of Gothic architecture.
At the west end, there's a tall tower. This tower leads to a wide main area called the nave. On either side of the nave are narrower walkways called aisles. The church also has a chancel, which is the area near the altar, and a sanctuary with a small room called a vestry. To the south of the chancel is the Ridley chapel.
A porch sticks out from the south side of the church. The tower has a main door at the west end and windows for the bell ringers. The very top of the tower has battlements (like on a castle) and tall, pointed decorations called pinnacles.
Inside the Church: Art and History
Inside, you can still see small pieces of old wall paintings. The stone font, where baptisms take place, is shaped like an octagon and dates back to 1662. The wooden rail around the communion area is from 1717.
The seats for the choir and the pulpit (where sermons are given) are made of beautifully carved oak. A fancy brass chandelier in the Baroque style hangs from 1756. The screen separating the chancel was added in 1921.
The stone screen leading into the Ridley chapel is very special. It's "the only substantial painted medieval screen to survive in Cheshire." You can also see twelve painted figures from an even older screen, dating to around 1450. These figures, including Saint Catherine and Saint Anthony, were restored in 1988 and are now on the south wall. Some windows still have pieces of their original stained glass. Other windows were made by famous artists like Kempe (1905) and Christopher Webb.
Important Tombs and Memorials
Sir Hugh Calveley's Tomb (Died 1394)
Sir Hugh Calveley was a brave English knight and commander. He fought in the Hundred Years' War and became very famous. He helped start the college that made St Boniface a collegiate church in the 1380s.
His tomb is made of alabaster and has a statue of him on top. It's in the middle of the chancel and is surrounded by old ironwork. Small figures of mourners, called "weepers," used to be in the niches around the tomb.
Sir George Beeston's Tomb (Died 1601)
On the north wall of the sanctuary, you'll find the tomb of Sir George Beeston. He was the commander of a ship called Dreadnought when it fought against the Spanish Armada in 1588. He was said to be 89 years old then, and his memorial says he lived to be 102!
The tomb has a long message written in Latin, which tells his life story. It mentions his service to different kings and queens, including King Henry the Eighth and Queen Elizabeth. It also talks about his wife, Alice, and their children. His son, Hugh Beeston, put up this monument to honor his parents.
Other Interesting Features Inside
In the south wall of the sanctuary, there are special stone seats called a sedilia and a basin called a piscina. In the south aisle, you can see 15th-century painted wooden panels. These were once part of other screens in the church.
In the north aisle, there's a standing statue of Jane Johnson, who died in 1741. It was once buried in the churchyard but was later found and brought back inside. You can also see three memorial boards, possibly painted by the Randle Holme family.
At the back of the church, there are old stone coffin lids and damaged statues from the 1200s to the 1400s. The church organ was built in 1895 and rebuilt in 1968.
The tower holds eight bells. Some are very old, dating back to the 1500s and 1600s. Others were made in the 1700s and 1800s. Old church records, like parish registers and churchwardens' accounts, go back to the 1500s and 1600s. Even older carved stones from the Norman period have been found under the church floor.
Outside the Church: Gates and Memorials
The gates to the churchyard are also historic. The north gates and the west gates are listed as Grade II structures. The west gates were rebuilt around 1919 as a memorial.
In the churchyard, you'll find a red sandstone sundial from 1710 and an old gravestone from the early 1500s. The churchyard also contains war graves for soldiers from World War I and World War II.
Images for kids
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St Boniface's Church, Bunbury, from the northwest
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Tomb of Sir Hugh Calveley
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Tomb of Sir George Beeston
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The west gates
See also
- Grade I listed buildings in Cheshire East
- Grade I listed churches in Cheshire
- Listed buildings in Bunbury, Cheshire
