St Mary's Church, Disley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary's Church, Disley |
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St Mary's Church, Disley, from the southeast
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| OS grid reference | SJ 974 845 |
| Location | Disley, Cheshire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Churchmanship | Evangelical |
| Website | St Mary, Disley |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Consecrated | 1558 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* |
| Designated | 27 November 1963 |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic, Gothic Revival |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Buff sandstone, flat roof [part s/steel, part asphalt] |
| Administration | |
| Parish | St Mary, Disley |
| Deanery | Chadkirk |
| Archdeaconry | Macclesfield |
| Diocese | Chester |
| Province | York |
St Mary's Church is an Anglican church located in the village of Disley, Cheshire, England. It sits on a hill, offering views over the village. This church is very old and important, recognized as a Grade II* listed building on the National Heritage List for England. This means it's a special historic building that needs to be protected.
Contents
History of St Mary's Church
The church was first planned as a private chapel for Sir Piers Legh of Lyme Park in the early 1500s. However, Sir Piers passed away before it was finished. The building was constructed between 1527 and 1558. In 1558, it was officially opened and became a parish church for the local community. Later, in 1828, extra sections called Aisles were added to the church by Thomas Lee. These were made even bigger in 1835 by Samuel Howard.
Church Architecture and Design
Exterior Features
St Mary's Church is built from a light brown stone called sandstone. It originally had a lead roof, but this was replaced with newer materials in the 1980s. The church's layout includes a porch and a tall tower at the west end. It also has a main area called the nave with windows high up, and side sections known as north and south aisles. There's also a chancel, which is the part of the church near the altar.
The tower has four levels and strong corner supports called buttresses. The top of the tower has a decorative, castle-like edge called a parapet, with bases for eight pointed decorations called pinnacles. On top of the tower, you can see a wrought iron weather vane. This weather vane is quite special because it used to be on Stockport parish church. The tower also has large windows for light and openings with slats (called louvred bell openings) where the bells are. On the south side of the tower, there's a sundial to tell the time using the sun. The main entrance porch was originally on the south side of the church. It also has a castellated top with pointed pinnacles and a cross in the middle.
Inside the Church
Inside St Mary's, you'll find galleries at the back (west end) and above the side aisles. During a big renovation in the 1800s, the original 16th-century roof was kept. Many people think this roof is the most beautiful part of the church. It's a special type of roof called a camber beam roof, and it's decorated with detailed carvings. You can see moulded patterns, decorative bosses, angels, and other designs.
The church has many memorials, including several dedicated to members of the Legh family from Lyme Park. One memorial is for Thomas Legh, who died in 1857, and another for William Legh, who died in 1898. There's also a special floor memorial for Joseph Watson, who was the park keeper at Lyme for over 64 years and lived to be 104! On the front of the west gallery, you can see the coat of arms of King George IV. The windows contain beautiful stained glass from the Middle Ages, brought from other parts of Europe.
The church organ was built in 1836 by Samuel Renn and has been updated several times since. The original organ case from 1836 is still there. St Mary's has a set of six bells, all made in 1837. The church records, called parish registers, go all the way back to 1591.
Outside the Church Grounds
Around the church, there are other interesting historical features. The lych gate, which is a covered gateway to the churchyard, was built in 1891 and is also a listed building. You can also see the box tomb of Samuel Brady, dating back to 1814, which is another listed monument. In 1958, the base for two Anglo-Saxon crosses was found in the churchyard. This ancient cross base is also a listed building and a Scheduled Monument, meaning it's a nationally important archaeological site. The churchyard is also the resting place for soldiers who died in World War I and World War II, and a Master from the Merchant Navy.
See also
- Grade II* listed buildings in Cheshire East
- Listed buildings in Disley
