St Michael's Church, Chester facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Michael's Church, Chester |
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St Michael's Church, Chester, from the southwest
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| OS grid reference | SJ 406,661 |
| Location | Corner of Bridge Street and Pepper Street, Chester |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| History | |
| Status | Redundant |
| Dedication | Saint Michael |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Heritage centre |
| Heritage designation | Grade II |
| Designated | 28 July 1955 |
| Architect(s) | James Harrison |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic, Gothic Revival |
| Closed | 1972 |
| Specifications | |
| Spire height | 70 feet (21 m) |
| Materials | Yellow sandstone, Grey slate roof |
St Michael's Church is a historic building on the corner of Bridge Street and Pepper Street in the city of Chester, England. It is no longer used for regular church services, which is why it's called a redundant church. Because of its historical importance, it is protected as a Grade II listed building.
For many years, the building was a heritage centre. In 2021, it reopened as a popular attraction called Sick To Death, which explores the strange and sometimes scary history of medicine.
Contents
History of the Building
Early History
A church has stood on this spot for a very long time. The first known church here was destroyed in a massive fire that swept through Chester in 1188. A stone church was built to replace it, and records show that the part of the church called the chancel was built in 1496.
The church was almost completely rebuilt in 1582. During the 1640s, a war called the Siege of Chester took place, and the church was even used as a prison. Later, in 1678, the chancel was made wider. A tall steeple, about 70 feet (21 meters) high, was added in 1710.
Changes in the 1800s
Between 1849 and 1850, much of the church was rebuilt again by an architect named James Harrison. This is the version of the building we mostly see today.
A New Purpose
The church stopped holding services in 1972. The city council took over the building and, in 1975, opened it as Britain's first heritage centre. It has since been home to different attractions, including the "Sick To Death" museum. Amazingly, the church's written records, called parish registers, have survived all the way from the year 1560.
Architecture and Design
St Michael's Church is built from a yellow-colored sandstone and has a grey slate roof. The building has a tower at the west end, a main hall called a nave, a side aisle, and a chancel at the front.
The Tower and the Rows
The tower is built in three levels, or stages. A very unusual feature is that the famous Bridge Street Row passes right through the bottom of the tower. You can walk through an open archway, with stone steps going up to the Row on one side and down to the street on the other.
The second level of the tower has windows and a clock. The top level has openings for bells and is decorated with gargoyles, which are stone carvings of strange creatures. The very top of the tower has a wall that looks like the top of a castle, with eight pointed decorations called pinnacles.
Inside the Church
Even though the church was rebuilt, some of its oldest parts were saved. Inside, you can still see the stone arches from the 15th century. The beautiful wooden roof over the chancel, built in 1496, was also kept.
There is also a monument inside dedicated to a man named Roger Comberbach, who died in 1771. Some of the windows have colorful stained glass made by the famous artists Clayton and Bell.
See also
- Grade II listed buildings in Chester (central)
- List of works by James Harrison
