St Oswald's Church, Bidston facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Oswald's Church, Bidston |
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St Oswald's Church, Bidston, from the south
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| OS grid reference | SJ 283 903 |
| Location | Bidston, Birkenhead, Wirral, Merseyside |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Churchmanship | Evangelical |
| Website | St Oswald's, Bidston |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II |
| Designated | 29 July 1950 |
| Architect(s) | W. & J. Hay, G. E. Grayson |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic, Gothic Revival |
| Completed | 1882 |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Coursed and squared rubble Westmorland slate roof with ridge cresting |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Bidston |
| Deanery | Birkenhead |
| Archdeaconry | Chester |
| Diocese | Chester |
| Province | York |
St Oswald's Church is a historic church located in Bidston, which is part of Birkenhead in Merseyside, England. It is an important building, listed as a Grade II listed building, meaning it's protected for its special historical or architectural interest. The church is still active today, serving as an Anglican parish church within the diocese of Chester.
Contents
Church History
The very first church building on this spot was built way back in the 13th century. The tall tower you see today was added later, in 1520. Most of the church was rebuilt between 1855 and 1856 by architects W. and J. Hay. They used a style called Gothic Revival, which brought back ideas from medieval Gothic buildings. In 1882, the chancel (the part of the church near the altar) was extended by another architect, G. E. Grayson.
Church Design and Features
Outside the Church
The church is built from large, cut stone blocks called coursed and squared rubble. Its roof is made of Westmorland slate, a strong type of stone, and has decorative ridge cresting along the top. The church has a tower on the west side, a main area called the nave, and side sections known as north and south aisles. There's also a porch on the south side and the chancel at the east end.
Above the west door, you can see heraldic shields with designs that show they were made between 1504 and 1521. The tower has three levels, with strong supports called angle buttresses and a decorative top edge known as an embattled parapet.
Inside the Church
Inside the chancel, there's a special seat for the clergy called a sedilia, which was added in 1882. The reredos (a screen behind the altar) is a beautiful mosaic artwork showing The Last Supper. Above it, there's a wooden canopy with a carved frieze.
The church has many stunning stained glass windows. Some were made by famous artists and companies like Morris & Co., Robert Anning Bell, and Frank O. Salisbury. The organ, which has two manuals (keyboards), was built in 1929 by Henry Willis & Sons.
The church also has a ring of six bells. Five of these bells were made in 1868, and the sixth was added in 1882. They were all made by Robert Stainbank at the Whitechapel Bell Foundry. The church's old records, called parish registers, go all the way back to 1679, and the churchwardens' accounts (records of money spent) start in 1767.
Churchyard and Memorials
The churchyard, which is the area around the church, contains four war graves. These graves honor people who died serving their country in different branches of the military. There is a British Army Colonel from World War I, and a Royal Air Force officer, a Royal Navy sailor, and a Merchant Navy sailor from World War II.
See also
- Listed buildings in Bidston
- List of works by Grayson and Ould
