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St Oswald's Church, Winwick
St Oswald's Church, Winwick.jpg
St Oswald's Church, Winwick, from the south
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OS grid reference SJ 604,928
Location Winwick, Cheshire
Country England
Denomination Anglican
Website St Oswald's Winwick
History
Status Parish church
Dedication St Oswald
Architecture
Functional status Active
Heritage designation Grade I
Designated 9 August 1966
Architect(s) A. W. N. Pugin (1847–49)
Paley and Austin (1869)
Henry Paley (1931–34)
Architectural type Church
Style Gothic, Gothic Revival
Completed 1849
Specifications
Materials Sandstone
Administration
Parish Winwick
Deanery Winwick
Archdeaconry Warrington
Diocese Liverpool
Province York

St Oswald's Church is a historic church located in the village of Winwick, Cheshire, England. It is a very important building, recognized as a Grade I listed building. This means it has special historical or architectural importance. The church is still actively used today for Christian worship as part of the Anglican faith.

History of St Oswald's Church

A church has stood in Winwick for a very long time. Records show one existed here in 1086, mentioned in the Domesday Book. The oldest parts of the current church, like the bottom of the north arcade, are from the early 1200s. Other sections, such as the Legh Chapel and the organ room, were built around 1330.

Key Building Dates

  • 1358: The tall west tower was constructed.
  • 1580: Most of the main part of the church (the nave) and its north side were built.
  • 1648: The church was damaged during the Battle of Red Bank. Oliver Cromwell's soldiers used it after the battle.
  • 1720: A new entrance porch was added on the south side.
  • 1836: The south side of the nave was rebuilt using older stones.
  • 1847–1849: The back part of the church, including the chancel and sanctuary, was rebuilt by a famous architect named Pugin. This work was done for the 13th Earl of Derby.
  • 1869: The church's spire was rebuilt, and the building was repaired and updated by architects Paley and Austin.
  • 1887: Captain Edward Smith, who later became the captain of the Titanic, got married in this church.
  • 1931–1934: The tower was repaired, and a new room for the clergy (the vestry) and another entrance were added by Henry Paley.

Architecture and Design

St Oswald's Church is built from sandstone and has a metal roof. It has a large tower at the west end and a long main hall called the nave. On either side of the nave are aisles, and there are special chapels at the east end of each aisle. One chapel belongs to the Legh family, and the other to the Gerard family.

Exterior Features

The church tower has three levels and a spire that rises above it. On the west side, there is a door with a large window above it. Next to the window are statues of Saints Anthony and Oswald. You can also see a carved pig! The tower has clock faces and openings for bells. The top edges of the tower and the south aisle have decorative battlements, like a castle.

On the west end of the chancel, there is a small bellcote for a bell. The south wall of the church was rebuilt in the early 1500s. A special message in Latin was carved into it, honoring St Oswald. It talks about him as a king and saint, and mentions the people who rebuilt the wall.

Inside the Church

The main hall (nave) and the side aisles have beautiful oak roofs from 1711. The Legh Chapel also has a special paneled roof from the 1500s.

  • Legh Chapel: Here you can find a brass plaque from 1527 for Sir Peter Legh and his wife. It's unique because it shows a "Knight and Priest" wearing both church clothes and armor. There are also other memorials to the Legh family.
  • Gerard Chapel: This chapel has an old font from around 1400, which is a basin used for baptisms. There's also a brass plaque for Peter Gerard from 1495.
  • Ancient Cross: On a window ledge in the Gerard Chapel, you can see part of an Anglo-Saxon preaching cross. This cross is very old, dating back to about 750 AD!
  • Furnishings: The pews, furniture, and stained glass in the chancel were designed by Pugin.
  • War Memorial: A wooden screen between the nave and the tower was put up in 1920 to remember those who served in the First World War.
  • Organ and Bells: The church organ was built around 1838. The church also has a set of six bells. Five of them were made in 1711, and the sixth was added in 1882.

Churchyard and Memorials

The churchyard is the burial ground around the church. Two soldiers from World War I are buried here. They are remembered with a special memorial placed by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

St Oswald's Well

About 1 mile (1.6 km) north of the church, there is a special holy well dedicated to St Oswald. It's located in a field near the A573 road. The well has old stone walls and is covered by a stone slab. This well is also a scheduled monument, meaning it's protected for its historical importance.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Iglesia de San Oswald (Winwick) para niños

  • Grade I and II* listed buildings in Warrington
  • Grade I listed churches in Cheshire
  • Scheduled Monuments in Cheshire (1066–1539)
  • Listed buildings in Winwick, Cheshire
  • List of ecclesiastical works by Paley and Austin
  • List of ecclesiastical works by Austin and Paley (1916–44)
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