St Elphin's Church, Warrington facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St Elphin's Church, Warrington
St Elphin's Church, Warrington
Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
OS grid reference	SJ 616,885
Location	Warrington, Cheshire
Country	England
Denomination	Anglican
Website	St Elphin, Warrington
History
Status	Parish church
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Heritage designation	Grade II*
Designated	6 December 1949
Architect(s)	Frederick Francis and Horace Francis
Architectural type	Church
Style	Gothic, Gothic Revival
Completed	1867
Specifications
Number of spires	1
Spire height	281 feet (86 m)
Administration
Parish	Warrington
Deanery	Warrington
Archdeaconry	Warrington
Diocese	Liverpool
Province	York

St Elphin's Church is a very old and important church in Warrington, Cheshire, England. It's a parish church, which means it serves the local community. This church is so special that it's listed as a Grade II* building on the National Heritage List for England. This means it's a really important historical place! St Elphin's is an active Anglican church, part of the Anglican Diocese of Liverpool.

History of St Elphin's Church

A place of worship has been on this spot since about 650 AD. That's over 1300 years ago! A priest in Warrington was even mentioned in the Domesday Book, a famous survey from 1086.

Early Beginnings

Legend says the first church here was built by Saint Oswald. He built it for his friend, Saint Elphin, who was the first priest until he passed away in 679. The oldest parts of the church you see today are in the chancel and the crypt. These parts are from a church built in 1354 by Sir William Boteler.

Changes Over Time

The church was badly damaged during the English Civil War by the Roundheads. After that, the tower was rebuilt in 1696, and the main part of the church, called the nave, was rebuilt in 1770. A side section, the south aisle, was added in the early 1800s.

Most of the church's current look comes from a big renovation between 1859 and 1867. This work was done by architects Frederick and Horace Francis. During this time, the tall spire was added. The church bells were remade in 1698 and again in 1884. In 1950, they were remade once more, and the clock was replaced.

Special Chapels Inside

• St Ann's Chapel: This chapel was started by Thomas Massey, a rector (church leader) of Warrington from 1448 to 1464. It belonged to the Massey family for many years. Later, the Patten family took it over and used it as a burial place.
• Lady Chapel: Sir John Boteler founded this chapel in 1290. He and other family members were buried here. In 1943, it became the chapel for the South Lancashire Regiment. Later, in 1976, it became the chapel for the Queen's Lancashire Regiment.

Architecture and Design

The church has a wide main area (the nave) and wide side sections (north and south aisles). At the end of each aisle is a chapel. In the middle, where the main parts of the church meet, there's a central tower with a very tall spire. The chancel is at the eastern end.

Inside the Church

• Galleries: In the side aisles, there are galleries with pews (church benches) that have doors.
• Reredos: This is a decorative screen behind the altar. It was made in 1933 and decorated further in 1999 by Ronald Sims.
• Stained Glass: Some of the beautiful stained glass windows were designed by Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin. They were damaged during World War II but have been repaired. Other windows are by A. Gibbs.
• Monuments: You can find memorials to important people inside. These include tablets for Dr Thomas Percival (who died in 1804) and Thomas Lyon (who died in 1818).
• Regimental Chapel: This chapel in the south transept has several old monuments. These include a statue of Lady Alicia Boteler from the early 1300s and an alabaster monument to Sir John Boteler (who died in 1463) and his wife. The screen in this chapel is a memorial from 1903 for the Second Boer War. The stained glass here is a memorial for World War II, made in 1947 by Hugh Ray Easton.
• St Ann's Chapel: This chapel in the north transept has monuments to the Massey and Patten families.

The Church Organs

A large pipe organ was installed in 1876. It was rebuilt several times over the years. In 1902, it was split into two parts and placed in galleries. In 1946, it was rebuilt again, with parts moved to the west end and the south transept. This large pipe organ is no longer used. Instead, in 2005, a modern electronic organ was installed. It has many different sounds and is also played with three keyboards and pedals.

The Tall Spire

The church is famous for its very tall spire, which is 281 feet (86 m) high!

• It is the fifth highest parish church spire in the UK.
• It is the eighth highest spire in all of England.

Outside the Church

The main gateway to the church is from the 1700s. It has two stone gate posts with decorative tops and urns. Between them are two iron gates with a curved iron arch above. On the sides, there are low stone walls and smaller iron gates for people walking. This gateway is also a listed building. The cobblestones and pavement leading to the gateway are also listed. The church and its grounds are part of the Church Street Conservation Area.

See also

• Grade I and II* listed buildings in Warrington
• St Elphin's School - a school founded by St Elphin's Church
• Listed buildings in Warrington (unparished area)
• Church Street (Warrington)