St Francis' Church, Chester facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Francis' Church, Chester |
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Church entrance
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| OS grid reference | SJ 405 660 |
| Location | Grosvenor Street, Chester, Cheshire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Website | StFrancisChester.co.uk/ |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Dedication | Saint Francis |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II |
| Designated | 6 August 1998 |
| Architect(s) | Benjamin Bucknell James O'Byrne |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Groundbreaking | 1862 |
| Completed | 1875 |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Sandstone, slateroofs |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Shrewsbury |
St Francis' Church is a beautiful building located on Grosvenor Street in Chester, Cheshire, England. It is a busy Roman Catholic church that serves the local community. This church is special because it is listed as a Grade II building on the National Heritage List for England. This means it is an important historical building that needs to be protected.
Contents
History of St Francis' Church
The construction of St Francis' Church began in 1862. It was designed by an architect named Benjamin Bucknell. The building project faced some challenges along the way. However, it was finally finished between 1874 and 1875 by another architect, James O'Byrne. The church was built for and is still looked after by the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin. These are a group of Catholic friars (religious brothers) who dedicate their lives to serving others.
Architecture and Design
St Francis' Church is built using red sandstone, which gives it a warm, natural look. The roofs are made of slate tiles in shades of grey and purple.
Exterior Features
At the front of the church, there is a special entrance area called a narthex porch. Above this porch, you can see a large window with five sections. Higher up, there are two smaller windows, each with two sections. These windows are in a style called Geometric, which means they have interesting shapes. Between these windows, there is a special carved space, or niche. Inside this niche, you will find a statue of Saint Francis, who the church is named after. Both the east and west ends of the roof have stone cross decorations called finials.
Inside the Church
The church is quite wide and does not have separate side sections, which are usually called aisles. The inside walls are covered with plaster, but they are designed to look like real stone. At the back of the church, there is a balcony area called a west gallery. This gallery holds the church's organ. The walls of the church are very thick. They have hollowed-out spaces inside that create small chapels and confessionals.
The Church Organ
The organ in St Francis' Church was first built in 1893 by a company called Gray and Davison. They added more parts to it the following year. Around 1998, the organ was carefully repaired and brought back to excellent condition by Rod Billingsley.
