St Cross Church, Knutsford facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Cross Church, Knutsford |
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St Cross Church, Knutsford, from the southeast
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| OS grid reference | SJ 756,786 |
| Location | Knutsford, Cheshire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | St Cross, Knutsford |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Dedication | Holy Cross |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* |
| Designated | 15 January 1974 |
| Architect(s) | Paley and Austin |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Brick with terracotta dressings and stone parapet Roof of red tiles and lead |
| Administration | |
| Parish | St Cross, Cross Town |
| Deanery | Knutsford |
| Archdeaconry | Macclesfield |
| Diocese | Chester |
| Province | York |
St Cross Church is a beautiful church located in Knutsford, a town in Cheshire, England. It's a very special old building that is protected because of its history and design. This means it's a "Grade II* listed building" on the National Heritage List for England.
St Cross Church is an active Anglican church, which is part of the Church of England. People gather here for services every Sunday and during the week. It's a central part of the community in Knutsford.
Contents
Building a Church: A Look at St Cross History
The very first church building was opened in February 1858. However, the main part of the church you see today was built later, between 1880 and 1881. It was designed by famous architects from Lancaster, named Paley and Austin.
When Was the Church Finished?
The church's tall tower was completed in 1887. The rest of the church, including the side sections called aisles, was finished in 1889. The total cost to build this amazing church was about £7,580 back then. Later, in 1906, the vestries (rooms used by the clergy) were made bigger by the same architectural firm.
Exploring the Church's Design
Outside the Church: What to See
St Cross Church is built using brick with special decorative terracotta details. It's designed in a style called Perpendicular Gothic, which means it has tall, straight lines and large windows. The roof is made of red tiles and lead.
The church has a main area called the nave, with side sections called aisles. There's a tower in the middle where the main parts of the church meet. It also has a chancel (the area near the altar) with smaller chapels on either side. You'll also find a two-story vestry on the south side and a porch on the west side of the north aisle.
Looking Up at the Tower
The tower has three main levels. The bottom level has a large window with four sections, decorated in a style called Decorated Gothic. Above this, there's a terracotta frieze, which is a decorative band. The middle level has small square windows. The top level holds the bell openings, where the bells are. The very top of the tower has a stone parapet (a low wall) with pointed decorations called pinnacles at the corners and in the middle of each side.
Inside the Church: Details and Art
Inside, the church has arches that separate the main area from the side aisles. The north side has three sections of arches, and the south side has two, with the vestry taking up one of the sections.
Special Features Inside
Both the screen that separates the chancel and the pulpit (where sermons are given) are made from carved wood. The church organ is located in the chapel on the south side of the chancel. On the south wall of the chancel, there's a special seating area called a sedilia, decorated with detailed terracotta carvings.
Art and Stained Glass Windows
You can find a unique bronze sculpture from 1607 on a pillar in the south nave. It shows a scene called the Deposition from the Cross, which is about Jesus being taken down from the cross.
The church also has two beautiful stained glass windows designed by the famous artist Edward Burne-Jones and made by Morris & Co. The large window at the west end of the church, made in 1893, shows the Adoration of the Magi (the wise men visiting baby Jesus). Another window, in the south aisle from 1899, tells the story of the Good Samaritan.
See also
- Grade II* listed buildings in Cheshire East
- Listed buildings in Knutsford
- List of ecclesiastical works by Paley and Austin
