St Mary's Church, Nether Alderley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary's Church, Nether Alderley |
|
|---|---|
St Mary's Church, Nether Alderley,
from the south in 2008 |
|
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| OS grid reference | SJ 842 761 |
| Location | Nether Alderley, Cheshire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | St Mary's Church |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Dedication | St Mary |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade I |
| Designated | 14 April 1967 |
| Architect(s) | Cuffley and Starkey Paley and Austin (Restorations) |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Buff and red sandstone Kerridge stone-slate roof |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Alderley |
| Deanery | Knutsford |
| Archdeaconry | Macclesfield |
| Diocese | Chester |
| Province | York |
St Mary's Church is an Anglican church located in Nether Alderley, Cheshire, England. It was built a very long time ago, in the 14th century. Over the years, new parts were added, and it had a big makeover in the late 1800s. This church is so important that it's listed as a Grade I building on the National Heritage List for England.
The church was built in the Gothic style, which is known for its tall arches and detailed stonework. It has always been connected to the Stanley family of Alderley, a local noble family. Some cool things to see inside include a beautiful tower, the special Stanley family seating area (called a pew) with its own outside staircase, and a font from the 1300s. There are also old monuments to the Stanley family members. Outside, you'll find a former schoolhouse from the 1600s, a medieval church cross, and the Stanley Mausoleum, a special burial place built in 1909. There's even a very old yew tree in the churchyard.
St Mary's is still an active parish church today. It is part of the diocese of Chester.
Contents
Church History
The oldest parts of St Mary's Church were built around the year 1300. But it's likely that an even older church, made of wood, stood here before that. The church was first named after Saint Lawrence. Later, its name was changed to Saint Mary.
In the 1400s, a clerestory was added. This is a row of windows above the main part of the church. The tower was built in 1530. Around 1600, the special Stanley family pew was added. In 1803, a gallery for musicians was put in at the west end of the church.
The chancel, which is the area around the altar, was completely rebuilt in 1856. The Stanley family paid for this work. In 1860, a vestry was built. The church had a big restoration between 1877 and 1878. During this time, the floor was lowered, the pulpit was replaced, and old plaster was removed. The old box pews were also replaced with new oak seats.
The tower clock, which was made in 1743, was fixed up in 1997. In 2000, the wooden frame that holds the bells was made stronger with steel. The Stanley pew was also restored.
Church Design and Features
Outside the Church
St Mary's Church is built from buff and red sandstone. This stone came from nearby Alderley Edge. The roof is made of Kerridge stone slates. The church has a tower at the west end. It also has a main area called the nave with aisles on both sides. There's a chancel at the east end with a vestry next to it. A porch is on the south side.
The tower has strong supports called buttresses. The main door on the west side has old carvings from the 1300s. Above this door is a window with three sections. Higher up, there are windows for the bell ringers and a diamond-shaped clock. The very top of the tower has a battlement (like a castle wall) and bases for eight pinnacles. Below the top edge, there are large, funny-looking gargoyles.
On the roof of the nave, there's a small bellcote at the west end. The Stanley pew sticks out from the south porch. Inside the porch, you can see grooves in the stone. These were made when people sharpened their arrows a long time ago.
Inside the Church
The main roof of the nave might be from the early 1500s. It's shaped like a barrel. The Stanley pew, from the early 1600s, is at an upper level. You get to it by climbing steps from outside the church. The front of this pew is beautifully carved. It shows six panels with coats of arms (family symbols). Experts say it's one of the best and most unique pews of its kind in Cheshire.
At the west end of the church, there's a musicians' gallery from the late 1700s. Its front panel has painted coats of arms. This gallery holds the organ. An old wooden chest for documents in the tower is from 1686.
The font is from the 1300s. It was actually buried in the churchyard during the time of the Commonwealth of England (when England was a republic). It was dug up in 1821 and put back in the church in 1924. It's a simple round bowl on four short columns. It's considered a great example of 14th-century work. The church also has two very old Bibles, a Vinegar Bible and a Breeches Bible.
The chancel has memorials to the Lords Stanley of Alderley. One memorial is for John Stanley, 1st Baron Stanley of Alderley. It shows his effigy (a statue of him) in his robes, lying under a canopy. Another memorial is for his son, Edward Stanley. His effigy holds a scroll, and a dog lies at his feet. There's also a brass engraving showing his wife and children. A memorial tablet for John Constantine Stanley, who died in 1878, is also here.
The stained glass in the east window, from 1856, was made by William Wailes. Another stained glass window in the chancel, from 1909, was made by Morris & Co.. The east window in the north aisle, from 1920, is by Irene Dunlop. The stained glass window to the left of the pulpit was given by the Greg family of Styal Mill. The window at the west end of the north aisle is in memory of the wife of Edward John Bell, who was the rector from 1870 to 1907. It was made by Clayton and Bell in 1877.
The tower has a ring of six bells for change ringing. Five of them were made in 1787. The sixth was made in 1847. There's also a seventh, unused bell from 1686, which is historically important. The church's records of births, deaths, and marriages (parish registers) start in 1629. The churchwardens' accounts begin in 1612.
Outside the Church Grounds
The old schoolhouse in the churchyard is made of sandstone and was built in 1628. The school room was on the ground floor, and the teacher lived upstairs. A large room was added in 1817. In 1908, the building was fixed up and given to the church by Lord Stanley. It is now used as a parish hall and is also a listed building.
Other important features in the churchyard include:
- The medieval church cross.
- The Stanley Mausoleum (a special building for burials).
- The churchyard walls, gate posts, and gates.
All of these are also listed buildings.
The mausoleum was built in 1909 by Edward Lyulph, 4th Lord Stanley. He died in 1925, and his ashes, along with those of his wife, are inside. The mausoleum is made of buff and red sandstone and has a Kerridge stone-slate roof. It was designed in a style called neo-Jacobean. Inside, there's a white marble sarcophagus (a stone coffin). The yew tree in the churchyard is incredibly old, about 1,200 years old!
Rediscovering the Crypt
People knew that there was a hidden vault under the church. This vault was said to hold the remains of some members of the Stanley family. But no one knew exactly where it was until an architect found it in 2007. A stone slab was moved, revealing steps leading down to a crypt under the chancel. Inside, there were six coffins. Four of these held the bodies of the first and second Lords Stanley and their wives. After all the details were recorded, the crypt was sealed up again.
What Happens at St Mary's Today?
St Mary's Church holds many different Anglican services on Sundays. It also offers various church activities for people to join. The church is open for visitors at certain times, and you can even get a guided tour. A church magazine is published every month.
See also
- Grade I listed buildings in Cheshire East
- Grade I listed churches in Cheshire
- Listed buildings in Nether Alderley
- List of ecclesiastical works by Paley and Austin
