St John the Baptist's Church, Aldford facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St John the Baptist's Church, Aldford |
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St John the Baptist's Church, Aldford,
from the southwest |
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 St John the Baptist's Church, Aldford
Location in Cheshire
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| 53°07′44″N 2°52′11″W / 53.1290°N 2.8698°W | |
| OS grid reference | SJ 419,595 |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Churchmanship | Traditional Anglican |
| Website | https://aldfordandbruerachurches.wordpress.com |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Dedication | St John the Baptist |
| Consecrated | 1866 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II |
| Designated | 1 June 1967 |
| Architect(s) | John Douglas |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Groundbreaking | 1865 |
| Completed | 1866 |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Red sandstone with a slate roof and a shingled spire |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Aldford |
| Deanery | Malpas |
| Archdeaconry | Chester |
| Diocese | Chester |
| Province | York |
St John the Baptist's Church is located in the village of Aldford, Cheshire, England. It is an active Anglican parish church, meaning it is still used for services today. The church is a very special old building. It is protected as a Grade II listed building. This means it is important for its history and architecture.
Some experts have described the church as "expensive" and "very traditional" in its design. It works closely with two other churches nearby: St Peter's in Waverton and St Mary's in Bruera.
Contents
History of St John's Church
This church was built in 1866. It stands where an older church used to be. A famous architect named John Douglas designed it. A wealthy person, Richard Grosvenor, 2nd Marquess of Westminster, paid for its construction.
In 1902, a small room called the vestry was changed into a chapel. A new vestry was also added at that time. This work was done by the architectural firm Douglas and Minshull.
Church Architecture and Design
Outside the Church: Exterior Features
The church is built from red sandstone. Its roof is made of grey-green slate. The tall, pointed part of the roof, called the spire, is covered with shingles. The building style looks like churches from the late 13th century.
The church has a tower at the west end. It also has a main hall called a nave with a row of windows high up, known as a clerestory. There are side sections called aisles on the north and south. The chancel is the area around the altar. It has a chapel on its north side.
There is also a south vestry and a south porch. The tower has three levels and a tall, eight-sided spire. A small, eight-sided stair turret with its own tiny stone spire is on the southwest side of the tower.
Narrow, tall windows called Lancet windows are on the first and second levels of the tower. Above these are two bell-openings side by side. At the very top, there is an open parapet with decorative supports. A round rose window can be seen on the north wall of the chapel.
Above the south entrance, you can see a damaged stone with a special message. This stone came from the older church that was here before. The porch is made of striped stone and has a pointed, curved ceiling.
Inside the Church: Interior Details
The inside walls of the church are made of smooth, cut stone. The walls of the tower and chancel have a special pattern carved into them. The arched walkways, called arcades, are supported by shiny limestone columns.
Both the pulpit (where sermons are given) and the font (used for baptisms) are made of marble. Behind the altar, there is a decorative screen called a reredos. It has five panels with beautiful mosaics made by Salviati.
The stained glass in the east window of the chapel is from the 19th century. It was created by Morris & Co. and designed by Burne-Jones. Inside the church, you will find special plaques and statues called memorials. Some of these came from the church that stood here before.
One memorial remembers Lieut. Job Watson Royle, who died in 1812 during the Battle of Badajoz. Another is a wooden tablet for Frances Jones, who passed away in 1719. In the vestry, there is a board listing gifts given to the church between 1682 and 1723. At the bottom of the tower, you can see a list of all the rectors (church leaders) dating back to around 1300.
The church organ was first built by William Hill. It was later changed by Robert Hope-Jones and then again around 1997 by David Wells. The church has a ring of six bells. Four of these bells were made in 1865 by Mears & Stainbank. The other two were made by John Taylor & Co.
External Features and Churchyard
Around the church, there are three other structures that are also protected as Grade II listed buildings.
Churchyard Cross
In the churchyard, there is a red sandstone cross. It stands on a base with four steps. The base of the cross is very old, from the medieval period. The top part and the cross itself were added in 1901. The cross has a carving of the Crucifixion. A plaque on it says it was restored in 1901 in memory of Hugh Grosvenor, 1st Duke of Westminster.
Sundial
You can also find a sundial in the churchyard. It has a copper plate on a stone pillar. This sundial likely dates back to the 18th century.
Churchyard Walls and Gates
The walls and gates around the churchyard were built around 1866. The walls are made of rough, squared red sandstone. The gates are made of oak wood.
War Grave and Castle Remains
There is also a war grave in the churchyard for an Army Service Corps soldier from World War I. To the north of the church, you can see the remains of Aldford Castle. These include earthworks (mounds of earth) and some old stone pieces.
- Adjoining listed buildings
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Churchyard cross
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Sundial
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Churchyard wall and gate
See also
- Listed buildings in Aldford
- List of new churches by John Douglas
