St Chad's Church, Wybunbury facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Chad's Church, Wybunbury |
|
|---|---|
Tower and lych gate of St Chad's Church, Wybunbury
|
|
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| OS grid reference | SJ 700 499 |
| Location | Wybunbury, Cheshire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Demolished, other than the tower |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* |
| Designated | 12 January 1967 |
| Architectural type | Church tower |
| Style | Gothic |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Sandstone ashlar Lead roof |
St Chad's Church was an Anglican church in the village of Wybunbury, Cheshire, England. Most of the church building has been taken down. However, its tall tower still stands today. This tower is very important. It is listed as a Grade II* listed building. This means it is a special historical building. The area where the church once stood is also a Scheduled Monument. This protects its historical importance.
Contents
History of St Chad's Church
Early Beginnings and Challenges
The Domesday Book mentions a priest in Wybunbury. This shows a church has been here for a very long time. The tower you see today was built in the 15th century. It was built on the site of an even older church.
By the year 1750, people noticed a problem. The tower's foundations were sinking. This made the tower start to lean. In the early 1790s, the church building was repaired or rebuilt.
Straightening the Leaning Tower
In 1833, the main part of the church was taken down. A clever engineer named James Trubshaw then straightened the leaning tower. He did this by carefully removing soil from the higher side. He also soaked the ground. This made the tower slowly settle back into a straight position.
After fixing the tower, Trubshaw rebuilt the main church building. He tried to make it look like the old one. This church was later replaced in 1892–93. A new church was designed by James Brooks. This church was then taken down around 1976.
Saving the Tower and Its Legacy
The tower was almost demolished too. But a group of villagers saved it! They formed the Wybunbury Tower Preservation Trust. The special method James Trubshaw used to straighten the tower was very important. It later helped engineers in the 1990s. They used a similar method to stabilize the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa.
Many churches on this site became unsafe. This was due to the ground moving. Because of this, a new church was built in 1978. It was built in a different part of the village. This new church still holds several items from the older churches.
Architecture of the Tower
Design and Materials
Only the tower of St Chad's Church remains now. Experts say it is one of the best towers in Cheshire. It still leans a little bit to the north. The tower is made from sandstone ashlar. This means it uses carefully cut stone blocks. It also has a lead roof.
The tower is square and has five main sections, called stages.
Special Features of the Tower
The main entrance is on the west side. It has a deeply set doorway. Just above this door is a window with three sections. On each side of the door and the window, there are special carved spaces called niches. These niches hold statues. They might be statues of bishops. Above the window, there is another niche. This one holds a statue of the Trinity.
The fourth section of the tower has a square wrought iron clock face. The fifth and top section has two openings. These are called belfry openings. This is where the church bells are.
The very top of the tower has a parapet. This is a low wall. It is battlemented, meaning it looks like the top of a castle wall. At each corner, there are pointed decorations called crocketed pinnacles. The tower holds a ring of six bells. These bells were made in 1791 by John Rudhall.
Other Features to See
The lych gate of the church still stands. A lych gate is a covered gateway to a churchyard. This one also serves as a war memorial. It helps us remember those who served.
