St Mary's Church, Nantwich facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary's Church, Nantwich |
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St Mary's Church, Nantwich
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 St Mary's Church, Nantwich
Location in Cheshire
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| 53°04′02″N 2°31′14″W / 53.0671°N 2.5206°W | |
| OS grid reference | SJ 651 523 |
| Location | Nantwich, Cheshire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | St Mary's, Nantwich |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade I |
| Designated | 19 April 1948 |
| Architect(s) | George Gilbert Scott (restoration) |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic |
| Specifications | |
| Height | 101 feet (31 m) |
| Materials | Red sandstone |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Nantwich |
| Deanery | Nantwich |
| Archdeaconry | Macclesfield |
| Diocese | Chester |
| Province | York |
St Mary's Church is a beautiful church in Nantwich, Cheshire, England. It's listed as a Grade I building, which means it's very important and protected. Some people even call it the "Cathedral of South Cheshire." Many think it's one of the best medieval churches in all of England!
This amazing building was started in the 1300s. It has been changed a lot over time. A big restoration happened in the 1800s by Sir George Gilbert Scott. The church and its unique octagonal (eight-sided) tower are made from red sandstone. Inside, you can see cool features like the special ceiling in the choir, carved stone seats, and detailed wooden carvings. St Mary's is still an active church today.
Contents
History of St Mary's Church
The first church here was a small chapel connected to Acton church. Around 1130, both churches came under the care of Combermere Abbey, a monastery. Building the current church began around 1340. It was built in the Decorated style, which was popular then. The builders came from Yorkshire and used local sandstone.
Building stopped between 1349 and 1369. This was probably because of the terrible Black Death plague. By the 1380s, Nantwich was doing well again, and building restarted. New master masons, linked to Lichfield and Gloucester, took over. They built in the Perpendicular style. In 1405, the south transept (a part of the church) became a special chapel. Later, in the late 1400s or early 1500s, the south porch was added. The nave roof was also made higher, and new windows were put in.
After the monasteries were closed down, six small chapels were removed in 1548. Between 1572 and 1577, the transept ceilings were fixed. From 1615 to 1633, the church floor was raised because of flooding. A gallery was built at the west end, and the walls were painted white with Bible verses. During the English Civil War, the church was used as a prison. Royalist soldiers captured at the battles of Nantwich and Preston were held there.
More changes happened between 1727 and 1777. North and south galleries were added, along with a new west door. Windows were also repaired. However, by 1789, the church was in bad shape. People said it was "so ruinous that the inhabitants cannot safely assemble." In the 1800s, Sir George Gilbert Scott led a huge restoration project. He removed the galleries and old memorials. The floor was lowered, and transept roofs were made steeper. Much of the old stone was replaced with new sandstone. Not everyone liked all of Scott's changes. Some felt too much of the old church was altered. The south porch was restored in 1878 by local architect Thomas Bower.
Architecture of St Mary's
Outside the Church
St Mary's Church is built from red sandstone. It has a cruciform (cross-shaped) design. The church has a main area called the nave with aisles on each side. There's a two-story south porch and a central tower. It also has north and south transepts (the arms of the cross shape). The chancel is at the east end, and a two-story treasury is to its north. The tower is square at the bottom and becomes eight-sided at the top.
The church shows a clear change in building styles. This is because work stopped during the Black Death. The chancel has "Decorated" style windows on the sides. These have fancy crockets (leaf-like carvings) and decorated buttresses (supports). But the large east window is in the "Perpendicular" style. The aisle windows and most north transept windows are Decorated. In the south transept, some windows are Decorated, and others are Perpendicular. The tower's bell openings are Decorated. Many people think the tower is the most impressive part of the church.
Inside the Church
On the south wall of the nave, you can still see where the original roof line was. There are also faint remains of 19th-century paintings with Bible verses. The nave has a Jacobean pulpit (a raised stand for preaching). It was made in 1601. Another stone pulpit from the late 1300s looks like a large cup. It is decorated with stone patterns. The wooden roof over the central crossing was designed by Scott. The north transept roof is older, from the Tudor period. In the north transept, you can find an aumbry (a small cupboard for sacred items). There's also an old oven with a chimney, once used for baking Communion wafers. This transept also holds an oak chest from 1676.
The south transept has another piscina (a basin for washing sacred vessels). It also has an alabaster effigy (a sculpted image) of Sir David Craddock, who died around 1384. This effigy was damaged during the Civil War. Sir David was once the Mayor of Bordeaux. The south transept also has a tomb from 1614. It was moved here from another church in 1982. This tomb has effigies of Sir Thomas Smith and his wife, Anne. There are also several brass memorials. At the back of the church, you can see the Jubilee curtains. These were made in 1977 to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II's Silver Jubilee. In the porch, the stone ceiling from 1879 has a carving of a green man. Outside the porch are carvings of the Four Evangelists.
Chancel and its Carvings
The chancel ceiling has a stone lierne vault with almost 70 carved bosses from the 1300s. The bosses at the east end show scenes from the life of Mary. Those at the west end show Christ's Passion and Resurrection. Each choirstall has a carved wooden triple-arched canopy. These canopies are known for being very complex. Some say they are the finest in England. Below the canopies are Victorian carvings of angels and strange creatures. There are also carvings of mermaids, centaurs, wyverns, and musical angels. At the back of the choir stalls are 20 misericords from the 1400s. Each one has a different carving underneath. These include Saint George and the Dragon, the Virgin and a unicorn, and a pelican feeding its young.
The altar table is from 1638. In the north wall of the sanctuary is another aumbry. On the opposite wall are a canopied piscina and three special seats called sedilia, also with canopies. These canopies are considered amazing examples of 14th-century stonework. The reredos (a screen behind the altar) was added in 1919. It has carvings of Christ on the Cross, Mary, John, and the four national saints: Saints George, Andrew, Patrick, and David.
Stained Glass and Organ
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The stained glass in the west window is from 1875. It shows the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple. Another window by the same artists shows Enoch, Noah, Job, and Abel. A window from 1985 shows the Creation. Another from 1901 shows the Good Shepherd. On the south wall, a 1919 window shows Richard the Lionheart and military symbols. Some windows still have pieces of old medieval glass. The north transept has a window with stained glass by Kempe. It includes medieval glass and shows the Tree of Jesse. The south transept has a window from 1855. The large east window was re-glazed in 1876. It shows scenes from the life of Christ.
The church's organ was first built in 1809. It was moved and rebuilt several times. The current organ was built in 1890 by Forster and Andrews. Its oak case was designed by Thomas Bower. It has been rebuilt and improved several times since then.
The church's old records go back to 1539. They tell a lot about Nantwich's history. The church also has a ring of eight bells. Four were made in 1713, and the other four in 1922.
St Mary's Church Today
St Mary's Church is very active and welcomes many people each Sunday. It offers different types of services, from traditional to modern. During the week, there are activities for children, young people, and adults. The main priest is the Revd. Dr. Mark Hart. The Director of Music is Alison Phillips, and the Organist is Simon Russell. The church also hosts various events, like concerts. The Nantwich Choral Society often performs here because the church has "superb" acoustics.
See also
- Grade I listed buildings in Cheshire East
- Grade I listed churches in Cheshire
- Listed buildings in Nantwich
