St John the Evangelist's Church, Chelford facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St John the Evangelist's Church, Chelford
St John the Evangelist's Church, Chelford, from the south
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OS grid reference	SJ 819 740
Location	Chelford, Cheshire
Country	England
Denomination	Anglican
Website	St John the Evangelist, Chelford
History
Status	Parish church
Dedication	John the Evangelist
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Heritage designation	Grade II*
Designated	14 April 1967
Architectural type	Church
Completed	c. 1902
Specifications
Materials	Brick with stone dressings Slate roof
Administration
Parish	St John the Evangelist, Chelford, with Lower Withington
Deanery	Knutsford
Archdeaconry	Macclesfield
Diocese	Chester
Province	York

St John the Evangelist's Church is a historic church located southeast of the village of Chelford, Cheshire, England. It is a very important building, listed as a Grade II* listed building. This means it has special historical or architectural importance and is protected. The church is an active Anglican parish church, serving the local community. It belongs to the diocese of Chester and works closely with St Peter's Church in Lower Withington.

History of the Church Building

The very first church on this site was likely a simple chapel. It was probably made of wood during the Middle Ages. This wooden chapel was later replaced between 1774 and 1776. The new church was a plain brick building with slightly pointed windows.

In 1840, a tall tower was added to the west side of the church. Later, in 1902, the chancel was made longer. The chancel is the part of the church where the altar is located.

Church Architecture and Design

Outside the Church

St John the Evangelist's Church is built from brick. It has special stone decorations called "stone dressings" and a roof made of slate. The church has a main area called the nave, which has four sections or "bays." There is also a chancel with two bays and a tower on the west side.

The tower has a tall, pointed roof called a "spire" that sits back a bit. The tower itself has three levels. It has strong supports called "buttresses" at the corners. The top of the tower has a decorative wall with square shapes, known as an "embattled parapet." The spire is shaped like an octagon and is covered with diamond-shaped slates. A weather vane sits at its very top. On the west side of the tower, you can see an arched doorway and a clock face.

Inside the Church

Inside the church, you can find old box pews from the 1700s. These are like individual wooden boxes where families used to sit. The gallery, which is an upper floor area, has been enclosed. It is now used as a meeting room.

The walls inside the church have paintings in the Art Nouveau style. This style was popular around the early 1900s and features flowing lines and natural shapes. The pulpit, where sermons are given, and the altar rails are also in the Art Nouveau style. The choir stalls, where the choir sits, were designed by Percy Worthington in 1903. The floor in the chancel area is made of a stone mosaic, which is a pattern created with small pieces of stone.

The church also has beautiful stained glass windows. Some of these are war memorials from 1920 and 1921. They were designed by J. H. Dearle and made by a famous company called Morris & Co.. In the porch, which is the entrance area, there is a memorial window from 2009. It was created by an artist named Samantha Land.

You can also see an old painted memorial board from 1654. It has a poem written on it. The church has a set of six bells. These bells were made in 1885 by Mears and Stainbank, a company from the Whitechapel Bell Foundry.

Outside the Church Grounds

The churchyard, which is the area around the church, contains a special grave. It is the war grave of a soldier from the Cheshire Regiment who died in the First World War.

See also

• Grade II* listed buildings in Cheshire East
• Listed buildings in Chelford