St Peter's Church, Little Budworth facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Peter's Church, Little Budworth |
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St Peter's Church, Little Budworth, from the south
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| OS grid reference | SJ 598,655 |
| Location | Little Budworth, Cheshire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | St Peter, Little Budworth |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Dedication | St Peter |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* |
| Designated | 3 January 1967 |
| Architect(s) | John Douglas (restoration) |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Perpendicular, Neoclassical |
| Completed | 1871 |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Red sandstone Slate roof |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Little Budworth, St Peter |
| Deanery | Middlewich |
| Archdeaconry | Chester |
| Diocese | Chester |
| Province | York |
St Peter's Church is a historic church in the village of Little Budworth, Cheshire, England. It is a very important old building, protected by the government because of its special history and design. This means it is a Grade II* listed building.
The church is an active Anglican parish church. It belongs to the diocese of Chester. St Peter's Church stands on the highest point in the village. Its tall tower can be seen from far away.
There is some debate about the church's full name. In 1816, a historian named George Ormerod thought it was named after St Mary and All Saints. However, in 1526, a gift was made to "St. Peter of Budworth". Today, most people call it St Peter's Church. Some think its original name might have been "St Mary, St Peter and All Saints".
Contents
History of the Church
A church has stood on this spot since at least 1190. The tall west tower you see today was built between 1490 and 1526.
The main part of the church was rebuilt in stone around 1800. This happened because a rich merchant from Manchester, Ralph Kirkham, left money for it. The new church had a nave (the main part where people sit) and a sanctuary (the area around the altar) all in one open space.
The Egerton family, who lived nearby at Oulton Hall, were big supporters of the church. Their family burial vault was inside the church. This vault was sealed up in 1870.
In 1870–71, the inside of the church was updated by a Chester architect named John Douglas. During this work, old pews, a gallery (a balcony for seating), and the ceiling were removed. By 1936, the wooden roof was becoming unsafe. It was replaced with a stronger steel roof.
Church Design and Features
Outside the Church
The church is built from red sandstone. Its roof is made of slate. The church has a tall tower on the west side. The main part of the church has four sections, called bays, for the nave and chancel (the area near the altar).
The tower has strong corner supports called buttresses. It is built in three levels, separated by stone bands called string courses. The bottom level has an arched main door. Above the door is a window with three sections. Even higher, there is an empty niche (a small alcove).
On the south side of the tower, there is a clock face from 1785. It has the names of the churchwardens (people who help manage the church). The very top level of the tower has openings with louvred slats for the bells. The top of the tower has a decorative, castle-like wall called an embattled parapet.
On the south side of the church, there is a round-arched door and three round-arched windows. The north side has four similar windows. The east end of the church has a large, round-arched window with three sections.
Inside the Church
The ceilings inside the nave and chancel are curved and plastered, like a barrel vault.
The pulpit (where sermons are given) is from the Georgian period (around 1800). The font (used for baptisms) is from the 1600s and is painted. It has a bowl with decorative grooves and a carved cover. This painted font is one of the few left in Cheshire.
There is also a special family pew from the 1800s. You can find memorials to the Egerton family, including a brass plaque about an event in the Crimean War. Philip R. Egerton gave the church a painting by the famous artist Caravaggio, or someone from his art school. The painting shows The Deposition from the Cross.
A few small pieces of old pre-Reformation stained glass still remain. There is also a stained glass window that acts as a war memorial. It remembers members of the Egerton family who died in the First World War. This window was made by Heaton, Butler and Bayne.
The organ is very special. It was made by William Hill & Sons of London around 1860. It still has its original hand-pumped bellows! In the arch of the tower, there is an etched window from 2002.
The church has a ring of five bells. Three of these bells were made in 1714 by Rudhall of Gloucester. Another bell is from 1884, and the last one is from 1893. The church's parish registers, which record births, marriages, and deaths, go all the way back to 1561.
Churchyard
The churchyard is divided into an "Old Ground" and a "New Ground". It contains the war graves of four soldiers who died in World War I. Three of these graves are in the New Ground.
More to Explore
- Grade II* listed buildings in Cheshire West and Chester
- Listed buildings in Little Budworth
- List of church restorations, amendments and furniture by John Douglas
