kids encyclopedia robot

St Mary's Church, Halton facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
St Mary's Church, Halton
St Mary's Halton 2.jpg
St Mary's Church, Halton, from the south
Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
OS grid reference SJ 5373 8192
Location Halton, Runcorn, Cheshire
Country England
Denomination Anglican
Website St Mary, Halton
History
Status Parish church
Consecrated 1852
Architecture
Functional status Active
Heritage designation Grade II
Designated 23 April 1970
Architect(s) Sir George Gilbert Scott
Architectural type Church
Style Gothic Revival
Completed 1852; 173 years ago (1852)
Specifications
Materials Red sandstone, slate roof
Administration
Parish St Mary, Halton
Deanery Frodsham
Archdeaconry Chester
Diocese Chester
Province York

St Mary's Church is a special old church located in Halton, a village that is now part of Runcorn, Cheshire, England. It is an active Anglican church, meaning it is part of the Church of England. The church is listed as a Grade II building, which means it is an important historical building that needs to be protected.

History

For many centuries, a small chapel stood near Halton Castle. However, by the end of the English Civil War, this chapel was in ruins. It was a simple, square building with a small bell tower on one end. The people who used the chapel could not afford to fix it. They asked the bishop for money to help.

Enough money was given to rebuild the chapel, and it was used until the mid-1800s. By 1847, the roof needed big repairs. Four years later, everyone agreed that a brand new church was needed instead. Sir Richard Brooke of Norton Priory provided the money for the new church.

The famous architect Sir George Gilbert Scott was chosen to design the building. The new St Mary's Church was officially opened on November 12, 1852. Halton Church used to be a "chapel of ease," which meant it was a smaller church connected to the main parish church in Runcorn. But in June 1860, St Mary's became its own separate parish.

Halton Vicarage
Halton Vicarage

A rich lawyer named Sir John Chesshyre helped build the house next to the church, called the vicarage, in 1739. He also funded the Chesshyre Library in 1733. This library was for the church leader and other educated people. Today, the library is a meeting room connected to the church hall.

Architecture

Outside the Church

St Mary's Church is built from local red sandstone, and its roof is made of slate. The church has a main area called the nave with four sections. On each side of the nave are narrower walkways called aisles. There is also a porch on the south side.

The chancel, which is the part of the church where the altar is, has a lower roof than the nave. On the east end of the nave roof, there is an eight-sided tower for the bell. To the north of the chancel is a room for the organ, and to the south is a special chapel built to remember people.

Inside the Church

The roofs inside the nave and chancel are shaped like the inside of a barrel, which is called a wagon roof. The screen behind the altar, known as the reredos, is made of marble. The wooden benches for the churchgoers have special carvings on their ends called poppyheads.

The beautiful stained glass window at the west end of the church was likely made around the 1850s by David Evans. Another stained glass window in the north aisle, from about 1893, was created by Henry Holiday. It shows a picture of Christ with children. There is also a window from around 1912 by George Wragge that shows the story of the Good Samaritan.

A monument remembering Sir Richard Brooke, from 1889, was made by Douglas and Fordham. It is a stone tablet with a cross design surrounded by carved leaves.

See also

kids search engine
St Mary's Church, Halton Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.