St Catherine's Church, Over Alderley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Catherine's Church, Over Alderley |
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St Catherine's Church, Over Alderley, from the northeast
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| OS grid reference | SJ 863 748 |
| Location | Over Alderley, Cheshire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | St Catherine, Birtles |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Consecrated | 24 February 1890 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Completed | 1840 |
| Specifications | |
| Capacity | 120 |
| Materials | Red brick with buff sandstone dressings Kerridge stone slate roof |
| Administration | |
| Parish | St Catherine, Birtles |
| Deanery | Knutsford |
| Archdeaconry | Macclesfield |
| Diocese | Chester |
| Province | York |
St Catherine's Church, Over Alderley, is also known as St Catherine's Church, Birtles. It stands in a quiet spot on Birtles Lane, close to Birtles Hall, in Over Alderley, Cheshire, England. This church is a very important historical building, listed as Grade II*.
It started as a private chapel for the Hibbert family. Now, it serves as a parish church for the local community. One cool thing about it is its unusual octagonal (eight-sided) tower. Inside, you can find special furniture and stained glass windows that were brought from Germany and the Netherlands. The church is even mentioned in a book called England's Thousand Best Churches. It is an active Anglican church, part of the diocese of Chester. Since 2022, its church group has joined with St Philip & St James, Alderley Edge.
Contents
History of St Catherine's Church
St Catherine's Church was built in 1840. It was created as a private chapel by Thomas Hibbert, who lived at Birtles Hall. Later, in 1890, it became the main parish church for the areas of Birtles and Over Alderley.
Architecture of the Church
Outside the Church
The church is built with red bricks and has details made from buff-colored sandstone. Its roof is covered with special stone-slates from Kerridge. At the southwest corner, there is an interesting octagonal tower.
The main part of the church, called the nave, has five sections. There is also a short chancel (the area near the altar), a porch on the south side, and a baptistry (a place for baptisms) on the north side. The tower has three levels, each separated by stone bands. It has single windows and is topped with a decorative stone fence-like structure and pointy stone decorations called pinnacles.
Inside the Church
The beautiful stained glass windows and furniture inside the church were collected by the Hibbert family. They brought these items from Germany and the Netherlands. The stained glass itself is very old, dating back to the late 1500s and early 1600s.
The church has a pulpit (where sermons are given) from 1686. It features carved pictures, including one of the Annunciation on the front. The back of the pulpit has carvings of dolphins, small angel-like figures called putti, and lions. There is also a special pew (a long bench) for the family, made from carved 17th-century oak from Flanders.
One of the most interesting items is a medieval eagle lectern. This is a stand for reading, shaped like an eagle, and it might be the oldest one of its kind in Cheshire. Another lectern was carved by Mrs. Hibbert around 1894. The reredos (a screen behind the altar) is decorated with panels, lion faces, and flowers. Two large brass chandeliers hang inside, which are copies of chandeliers found in Milan Cathedral.
The tower holds eight bells, which can play a full musical octave. These bells were given to the church in 1895 by the three Hibbert sisters. The stained glass is a mix of different pieces, with dates ranging from 1541 to 1628.
The inside walls of the church used to have frescoes (paintings on plaster) created by Colonel Hugh Robert Hibbert, who was Thomas's son. He also built an organ for the chapel. This organ was later replaced in 1909 by a new one from Peter Conacher of Huddersfield. The church had improvements and renovations in 1949, 1951, and 1983. The frescoes were painted over in 1950. In 1999, two special etched glass memorials were added for Major Hugh and Mrs. Susan Hibbert, created by artist Simon Whistler.
See also
- Grade II* listed buildings in Cheshire East
- Listed buildings in Over Alderley
