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, also known as St Catherine's Church, Birtles, is a special old building. It stands in a quiet spot on Birtles Lane, close to Birtles Hall, in Over Alderley, Cheshire, England. This church is listed as a Grade II* listed building. This means it's a very important historical building that is protected.
The church was first built 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 tower, which has eight sides instead of the usual four! Inside, you'll find amazing furniture and colorful stained glass that came all the way 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, it has joined with St Philip & St James, Alderley Edge.
Contents
History of St Catherine's Church
St Catherine's Church was built a long time ago, in 1840. It was created by Thomas Hibbert, who lived at Birtles Hall. At first, it was just a private chapel for his family. Later, in 1890, it became the main parish church for the areas of Birtles and Over Alderley.
What Does St Catherine's Church Look Like?
Outside the Church
The church is built with red bricks and has special buff-colored sandstone details. Its roof is made of Kerridge stone-slates, which are a type of flat stone tiles. At the southwest corner, you'll see its unique octagonal (eight-sided) tower.
The main part of the church has five sections, called bays. It also has a short chancel (the area near the altar), a porch on the south side, and a baptistry (where baptisms happen) on the north side. The tower has three levels, with stone bands separating each one. It has single windows and a fancy stone fence-like top with pointed decorations.
Inside the Church
The inside of St Catherine's Church is full of interesting items. Many of the stained glass windows and furnishings were collected by the Hibbert family from Germany and the Netherlands. The stained glass itself is very old, dating back to the late 1500s and early 1600s.
- Pulpit: There's a pulpit from 1686 with beautiful carvings. These carvings include a picture of the Annunciation (when an angel told Mary she would have a baby) and images of dolphins, little angels (called putti), and lions.
- Manorial Pew: You can also see a special seating area called a manorial pew. It's made from carved Flemish oak from the 1600s.
- Lecterns: The church has a medieval eagle lectern (a stand for reading). This might be the oldest one of its kind in England! There's also a second lectern that Mrs. Hibbert carved around 1894.
- Reredos: The reredos (a decorated screen behind the altar) has panels, lion masks, and flowers.
- Chandeliers: Two large brass chandeliers hang inside. They are copies of the ones found in the famous Milan Cathedral.
- Bells: The tower holds eight bells, which together can play a full musical octave. These bells were given to the church in 1895 by the three Hibbert sisters.
The stained glass windows are a mix of different pieces, put together very skillfully. They were made between 1541 and 1628. The inside walls of the church used to have frescoes (paintings done on wet plaster) created by Colonel Hugh Robert Hibbert, Thomas's son. He also built an organ for the chapel. The organ was later replaced in 1909. The frescoes were painted over in 1950. In 1999, two special etched glass memorials were added to remember Major Hugh and Mrs. Susan Hibbert.
See also
- Grade II* listed buildings in Cheshire East
- Listed buildings in Over Alderley
