St Michael's Church, Ditton facts for kids
St Michael's Church is a beautiful old church located in Ditton, a town near Widnes in Cheshire, England. It's a special place because it's listed as a Grade II* building, which means it's really important and protected for its history and architecture. It's an active Roman Catholic church, where people still go to worship today.
Quick facts for kids St Michael's Church, Ditton |
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St Michael's Church, Ditton, from the northwest
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| OS grid reference | SJ 494 853 |
| Location | Ditton, Widnes, Cheshire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Founder(s) | Lady Mary Stapleton-Bretherton |
| Dedication | St Michael |
| Consecrated | 1876 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* |
| Designated | 31 October 1983 |
| Architect(s) | Henry Clutton Bartlett and Purnell |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Completed | 1879 |
| Construction cost | £16,000 (equivalent to £1,160,000 in 2021) |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 120 feet (37 m) |
| Width | 60 feet (18 m) |
| Spire height | 120 feet (37 m) |
| Materials | Red ashlar sandstone Slate roof |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Liverpool |
Contents
A Look Back: The Church's History
This church was built because a group of German Jesuits (who are members of a Catholic religious order) came to Ditton. They had to leave their home country in 1872 due to a political conflict called the Kulturkampf, which aimed to reduce the power of the Catholic Church in Germany.
These Jesuit students of Theology (the study of religious faith) formed a community at Ditton Hall. Between 1876 and 1879, they built this church. The church was designed by an architect named Henry Clutton.
Who Paid for the Church?
Building the church cost a lot of money, about £16,000 back then. This would be worth a huge amount today! A kind lady named Mary Stapleton-Bretherton, who lived at Ditton Hall, paid for the entire church. Later, in 1979, the inside of the church was updated by designers Bartlett and Purnell.
Exploring the Church's Design
Outside the Church
St Michael's Church is made from red ashlar sandstone, which is a type of finely cut stone. Its roof is made of slate. The church has a cruciform shape, meaning it looks like a cross from above, with short side sections called transepts. It also has a tall tower at the west end.
The tower has three levels and a steep, pointed roof. You enter the church through the main door at the west end of the tower. Above this door are three tall, narrow windows called lancet windows. Higher up, there are openings with louvred slats for the bells, and a decorative railing called a balustrade.
The large, round windows with beautiful stained-glass in the ends of the chancel (the area around the altar) and transepts are called rose windows. Other windows around the church are also lancet windows. At the very east end, there are two lancet windows separated by a large stone pillar.
Inside the Church
The ceiling inside the church is shaped like a half-barrel, made of hardwood, and stretches over the main part of the church (the nave) and the chancel. In the north transept, you'll find the church organ. In the south transept, there are small rooms called confessionals.
The chancel has walls made of yellow sandstone and a floor made of shiny marble. The walls in the nave are plastered smooth. The altar and the lectern (where readings are given) are made from Clipsham stone. The colorful stained-glass windows were brought all the way from Cologne, a city in Germany. The organ, which makes music for the church, was built in 1879 by a company called Gray & Davison.
See also
- Grade I and II* listed buildings in Halton (borough)
- List of Jesuit sites
- Listed buildings in Widnes
- Mary Stapleton-Bretherton
