St Laurence's Church, Frodsham facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St Laurence's Church, Frodsham
St Laurence's Church, Frodsham, from the south
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OS grid reference	SJ 520 773
Location	Frodsham, Cheshire
Country	England
Denomination	Anglican
History
Status	Parish church
Dedication	St Laurence
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Heritage designation	Grade I
Designated	8 January 1970
Architect(s)	Bodley and Garner
Architectural type	Church
Style	Norman, Gothic
Completed	1883
Specifications
Materials	Red sandstone
Administration
Parish	Frodsham
Deanery	Frodsham
Archdeaconry	Chester
Diocese	Chester
Province	York

St Laurence's Church is located on Church Road in Frodsham, Cheshire, England. This church isn't in the middle of the town. Instead, it sits high up in an area called Overton, looking out over Frodsham. It's a very important old building, officially listed as Grade I. This means it's super special and protected because of its history and design. It's an active Anglican parish church and is part of the diocese of Chester.

A Look Back: The Church's History

The Domesday Book, a very old record from 1086, shows there was a church with a priest right here a long, long time ago. In 1093, the church's income (called tithes) was given to St Werburgh's Abbey in Chester. Later, around the 1270s, these tithes went to Vale Royal Abbey, which was started by King Edward I.

After the monasteries were closed down, the church's income and the right to choose its priest went to Christ Church, Oxford. Frodsham was one of the oldest church areas in Cheshire. It included several nearby villages like Kingsley, Norley, Manley, Alvanley, and Helsby. Over time, some of these villages became separate church areas of their own.

The church building you see today started to take shape around 1180. It's made from local red sandstone. In the 1300s, the chancel (the part of the church near the altar) was made longer, and the tower was built. In the 1400s, the chancel was made even longer and taller. In the 1500s, chapels were added to the north and south sides.

A lot of rebuilding work was done on the church between 1880 and 1883 by architects Bodley and Garner. They removed old galleries and plaster ceilings that had been put in around 1740.

Church Design: Inside and Out

Outside the Church

The church is built using red sandstone. It has a balanced design with a tower at the west end. It features a main area called the nave, with aisles on both sides. There are also two chapels and a chancel with a sanctuary (the holiest part).

The north entrance porch is from 1715, and the south porch is from 1724. The tower has three levels. It has strong corner supports called buttresses, a large window, and a clock on the north and south sides. The top of the tower has a crenellated (castle-like) edge. The aisles and chancels also have these crenellated tops.

On the south wall of the tower, you can see some old carved stones from the Saxon and Norman times. The north chapel is now called the Blessed Sacrament Chapel, and the south chapel is known as the Lady Chapel.

Inside the Church

The inside of the nave is considered one of the best examples of Norman architecture in Cheshire. Even though parts of the arches have been repaired, they still have some original Norman pieces.

In the sanctuary, there's a special basin called a piscina, which was made from an old stone support from the 1300s. There are also seats for the clergy called sedilia. The chancel has memorials, mostly for the Ashley family, who lived in a nearby house. The altar rails with their twisted supports are from the 1600s.

A large, three-level brass candelabra (a fancy candle holder) was made in Birmingham in 1805. The pulpit (where sermons are given) is from the Victorian era, replacing an older one. On the north wall of the nave, you can still see the sounding board from the old pulpit. Next to the pulpit is a memorial to Rev William Charles Cotton, who was the vicar here from 1857 to 1879.

The font (used for baptisms) was designed by Bodley and Garner in 1880. The church's organ was built in 1882-83. The beautiful wooden case around the organ was designed by John Oldrid Scott. The reredos (a decorated screen behind the altar) in the north chapel is from around 1700 and features fancy columns.

The stained glass windows include one in the baptistry from 1917, showing the Good Shepherd. There are also three windows from the 1930s by A. K. Nicholson. An altar table from 1678 and the parish chest from 1679 were both made by Robert Harper. Most of the church's silver and gold items were given by the vicar, Rev. Francis Gastrell, around 1760.

The organ was built by Binns in 1882–83 and rebuilt by the same company in 1923. It was rebuilt again in 1982 by Sixsmith. The church has a set of eight bells. Six of these bells were made in 1734. The other two bells are from 1911. The church's old records, called parish registers, start in 1558.

Outside the Church Grounds

In the churchyard, there are three structures that are also listed as Grade II, meaning they are important and protected.

• First, there's a war memorial. It was created by the artist Alec Miller and dedicated in 1921.
• Second, you'll find a sundial from 1790. It has a copper dial and a pointer (called a gnomon) on a sandstone stand.
• Third, there's a tomb for the Wright family from around 1806. It looks like a short, square pillar on a stone base.

The churchyard is also the resting place for 21 soldiers from the Commonwealth who died in World War I and World War II. You can also find the grave of Prince Warabo here. He was the teenage son of King Jaja from Nigeria. Prince Warabo was sent to a school in Frodsham but sadly passed away in 1882.

See also

• Grade I listed buildings in Cheshire West and Chester
• Grade I listed churches in Cheshire
• Listed buildings in Frodsham
• Norman architecture in Cheshire