St Mary's Church, Eastham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary's Church, Eastham |
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St Mary's Church, Eastham, from the southeast
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| OS grid reference | SJ 361 800 |
| Location | Eastham, Wirral, Merseyside |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Churchmanship | Broad church |
| Website | Eastham, St Mary |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Dedication | Virgin Mary |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II |
| Designated | 27 December 1962 |
| Architect(s) | David Walker John Douglas |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic, Gothic Revival |
| Completed | 1880 |
| Specifications | |
| Spire height | 115 feet (35 m) |
| Materials | Stone with tiled roofs |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Eastham |
| Deanery | Wirral South |
| Archdeaconry | Chester |
| Diocese | Chester |
| Province | York |
St Mary's Church is a historic church located in the village of Eastham, which is part of Wirral, Merseyside, England. It's a special building because it's officially listed as a Grade II listed building, meaning it's important and protected. Today, it's still an active Anglican church, serving the local community.
Contents
A Look Back: Church History
People have worshipped at this spot for a very long time. Records show there was a priest in Eastham even before the Domesday Book was written, which was way back in 1086! The church you see today has parts from many different time periods.
A big renovation project happened between 1876 and 1880, led by an architect named David Walker. But some parts are much older. For example, some of the stone walls on the north side are from the 12th century. The main part of the church, called the nave, was mostly built in the 13th century. The tall tower started in the 14th century, and the side sections, called aisles, were added in the 15th century. The entrance porch on the south side is from the 16th century. The tower was rebuilt in 1752, and the chancel (the area around the altar) was updated in 1863–64 by John Douglas, an architect from Chester.
Church Design and Features
St Mary's Church is built from stone and has roofs covered with tiles. Let's explore what it looks like inside and out.
Outside the Church
The church has a tower at its west end, with a small room called a vestry next to it. The main part of the church, the nave, has four sections. There are wide aisles on both the north and south sides, and a porch on the south side. The chancel is at the east end, with a special area called the Stanley chapel to its north and another vestry to its south. The Stanley chapel and the south porch are built in a style called Perpendicular Gothic, which was popular for churches. The tower has a unique pointed roof, known as a broach spire, with interesting gabled points and three levels of small windows called lucarnes.
Inside the Church
The bottom part of the tower is used as a baptistry, which is where baptisms take place. Here, you'll find a round baptismal font from the 12th century, built in the Norman style.
At the east end of the south aisle, there's a very long wooden chest from the late 16th century, measuring about 9 feet (2.7 metres). This was used to store important church documents.
The Stanley chapel holds two special tombs. One is made of alabaster and remembers Charlotte, Lady Stanley, who passed away in 1662. The other is made of sandstone and honors Sir William Stanley, who died in 1612. Other memorials in the church remember important people like Sir Rowland Stanley (died 1613) and Lady Haggerston (died 1836).
In the north aisle, you can see the Royal arms of King George III and a board from 1709 listing donations to the church. The organ case includes three carved panels with the family symbols of the Poole family.
The beautiful stained glass windows in the south window and the small roof windows (dormers) were made by E. Frampton in 1888 and 1890. There's also stained glass by another artist named Charles Eamer Kempe, created between 1889 and 1903. The church has a set of six bells that were made in 1922 by John Taylor and Company. The church's official records, called parish registers, go all the way back to 1598!
Outside the Church Grounds
In the churchyard, you'll find a sundial from 1798, which is also a Grade II listed item. There's also a very old yew tree in the churchyard. People say it was already growing there in 1152, making it incredibly ancient! The churchyard is also a resting place for fourteen service members who died in World War I and a Merchant Navy officer from World War II.
More to Explore
- Listed buildings in Eastham, Merseyside
- List of church restorations, amendments and furniture by John Douglas
