St John the Evangelist's Church, Winsford facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St John the Evangelist's Church, Winsford |
|
|---|---|
West end of St John's Church, Winsford
|
|
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| OS grid reference | SJ 635 663 |
| Location | Delamere Street, Over, Winsford, Cheshire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Churchmanship | Conservative Evangelical |
| Website | St John, Over |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Founder(s) | Hugh Cholmondeley, 2nd Baron Delamere |
| Dedication | St John the Evangelist |
| Consecrated | June 1863 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II |
| Designated | 12 March 1986 |
| Architect(s) | John Douglas |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Groundbreaking | 1861 |
| Completed | 1863 |
| Construction cost | £5,000 |
| Specifications | |
| Spire height | 140 feet (43 m) |
| Materials | Sandstone, grey slate roof |
| Administration | |
| Parish | St John the Evangelist, Over |
| Deanery | Middlewich |
| Archdeaconry | Chester |
| Diocese | Chester |
| Province | York |
St John the Evangelist's Church is a beautiful church located in Over, which is part of Winsford, Cheshire, England. It is a special building because it is listed as a Grade II listed building, meaning it's important to protect. This church is an active Anglican parish church, which means it serves the local community. It belongs to the diocese of Chester.
Contents
Building a New Church
In 1860, a man named Hugh Cholmondeley, 2nd Baron Delamere, decided to build a new church. He wanted to create it in the center of Over as a special way to remember his wife, Sara. At that time, Over was a village separate from Winsford.
Choosing an Architect
Lord Delamere hired John Douglas, an architect from Chester. Douglas was just starting his career. He was also working on Lord Delamere's home, Vale Royal Abbey. This church was the very first one Douglas designed!
Opening the Church
A new church area, called a parish, was created for St John the Evangelist. It was made from parts of two other parishes: St Mary, Whitegate and St Chad, Over. The church was officially opened and blessed in June 1863 by John Graham, who was the Bishop of Chester.
Changes Over Time
Over the years, the church has had some updates. In 1961, a new room for the choir was added to celebrate the church's 100th birthday. A special area called the Lady Chapel was opened in 1972. New doors were put on the outside porch in 1979.
Church Design and Features
The church is built using Runcorn sandstone and has a grey slate roof. It is designed in a style called Decorated Gothic, which is a type of Gothic Revival style.
Main Parts of the Church
The church has a long main area called a nave with a high section of windows called a clerestory. On either side of the nave are north and south aisles. There is also a chancel near the altar. A tall tower stands at the southwest corner, and a room called a vestry is at the northeast.
The Tower and Spire
The tower has three main parts and a tall, pointed top called a spire. It has strong corner supports called buttresses. In the top part of the tower, there are openings for the bells and clock faces on three sides. There isn't a clock face on the south side because when the church was built, there were only open fields there. The spire is about 43 meters (140 feet) high. It has small windows called lucarnes and a decorative wrought iron cross at the very top.
Inside the Church
Inside, the east end of the church has stone panels. There is also a beautiful white alabaster model showing the Last Supper.
Special Memorials Outside
In the churchyard, which is the area around the church, you can find many memorials. One important memorial remembers people who died in a cotton mill fire in Over in 1874. This memorial is made of yellow sandstone and has writings on it, including a quote from St Mark's Gospel. It also lists the names of the four people who died, including a baby who was only three months old. This memorial is also a Grade II listed structure.
St John's Church Today
Today, St John's Church is a very active place. It holds regular services on Sundays and Wednesdays. The church is also a place for important life events like baptisms, weddings, and funerals. It is very involved in the Winsford community and hosts other special events.
