St Peter's Church, Aston-by-Sutton facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St Peter's Church, Aston-by-Sutton
St Peter's Church, Aston-by-Sutton, from the southwest
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OS grid reference	SJ 555 785
Location	Aston Lane,Sutton Weaver, Cheshire WA7 3ED
Country	England
Denomination	Anglican
Churchmanship	Central
Website	Parish of Aston-by-Sutton, Little Leigh & Lower Whitley
History
Status	Parish church
Dedication	St Peter
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Heritage designation	Grade I
Designated	8 January 1970
Architect(s)	John Vanbrugh (?)
Architectural type	Church
Style	Georgian
Groundbreaking	1520s
Specifications
Materials	Sandstone, Roof of grey slate tiles
Administration
Parish	Aston-by-Sutton, St Peter
Deanery	Great Budworth
Archdeaconry	Chester
Diocese	Chester
Province	York

St Peter's Church is a beautiful old church located in the small village of Aston-by-Sutton, Cheshire. This village is close to the town of Runcorn in England. The church is very important, so it is listed as a Grade I building on the National Heritage List for England. This means it is a building of special historical interest.

St Peter's is an active Anglican parish church. It is part of the diocese of Chester. It is one of three churches in the area, along with St Michael and All Angels in Little Leigh and St Luke's in Lower Whitley. Experts describe the church as a "most pleasing" building from the late 1600s to early 1700s. It stands in a quiet spot on Aston Lane.

History of St Peter's Church

Early Beginnings of the Church

The very first religious building in Aston-by-Sutton was a small chapel. It was built in 1236 by Sir Thomas de Dutton. This chapel was known as the chapel of Poosey. Later, a new private chapel was built at Dutton Hall. Because of this, the Poosey chapel was no longer used and became a ruin.

The first chapel on the site of the current church was built in the early 1500s. It was finished by 1542. The only part left from this old chapel is a stone in the churchyard. This stone was once used to sharpen spears and knives!

Changes and Damage Over Time

The chapel was damaged during the English Civil War in the mid-1600s. In 1637, Sir Thomas Aston helped to fix and refurnish it. Later, in 1697, the main part of the church, called the chancel, was rebuilt. This was done for Sir Willoughby Aston. The architect for this work was Thomas Webb.

The larger main area of the church, called the nave, was rebuilt between 1736 and 1740. Over the years, more changes were made. For example, an organ room was added in 1897.

Bomb Damage and Restoration

St Peter's Church suffered serious damage on November 28, 1940. A land mine exploded nearby during World War II. This explosion damaged the roof and the inside of the church. The roof was replaced, but the church could not be used for services.

It remained empty until restoration work began on May 30, 1949. The repairs were finished in June 1950. The church was officially reopened on June 27, 1950. Before the bomb damage, it was one of the best-preserved early Georgian churches in the area. The explosion mostly affected the south side and the east end. The south porch and the organ room were completely destroyed. A grant of £35,000 helped with repairs in 2004.

Architecture of St Peter's Church

Outside the Church

St Peter's Church is built from local sandstone. Its roof is made of grey slate tiles. The church has a chancel (the area around the altar) and a nave (the main part where people sit). It also has porches on the north and south sides. At the west end, there is a tower with a small dome-shaped structure called a cupola belfry. This cupola has a round window and a clock.

The chancel is narrower than the nave. Both parts have a flat top edge called a parapet. There are no windows on the north side of the chancel. Instead, there is a door that once led to the special burial area for the local lord and his family. The south side has three round-headed windows. The north porch was built in 1736. The south porch and a sundial were rebuilt after the bomb damage.

Inside the Church

The floor in the chancel is original, from the 1600s. It has square white stones with small black marble pieces where they meet. The organ, built in 1906, is located in the west gallery. This gallery is supported by four wooden pillars. It has decorative panels and a fancy border called a cornice. You can reach it by a circular staircase.

The church has oak pews and an oak pulpit. The pulpit likely dates from the 1600s. It stands on an eight-sided base and is decorated with carvings. The altar table is also from the 1600s and is in the Jacobean style. The ceiling is smooth and plastered.

Above the south door, you can see the royal arms from 1664. Above the north door is a special heraldic panel from the early 1700s. It shows the symbols of the Aston family. The font, used for baptisms, was added in 1857. It is made of carved wood with a marble bowl and a domed lid.

There are also several memorials inside the church. These include painted and gilded tablets for members of the Aston family. One important monument from 1702 is for Sir Willoughby Aston. It features a shield held by small angel figures under a decorative canopy called a baldacchino. This monument is thought to have been made by a famous carver named Grinling Gibbons.

After the bomb damage, the organ was rebuilt. The church has one bell, which is inscribed "Crescent city 1870." It is believed to have been a ship's bell originally. The church records, like those for baptisms and deaths, go back to 1635.

Outside the Church Grounds

Churchyard Features

The churchyard has several interesting features. Parts of the sandstone wall around the churchyard, from the late 1600s, are listed as Grade II. The lych gate, a covered gateway at the entrance, was built in 1908 and is also Grade II listed.

There is an old red sandstone font in the churchyard, probably from the early 1600s. It has a unique circular base and an arched stone cover. Many old tombs are also listed as Grade II. These include tombs for the Okell family from the 1600s and 1700s, and others from the 1600s.

The Story of Chloe Gambia

One very special memorial in the churchyard is the grave of Chloe Gambia. Chloe was born in Gambia around 1760. She arrived in Liverpool in 1767 as a slave. She spent her life working as a servant for the Aston family. She eventually became their housekeeper.

Chloe died in 1838 at about 77 years old from breast cancer. Her gravestone tells her story:

Chloe Gambia a negress Who died at Aston Hall the 12th Sept. 1838 aged 77 years or thereabouts. She lived in the Aston family 70 years.

The churchyard also contains two war graves for soldiers from the King's Liverpool Regiment who died in World War I.

See also

• Grade I listed buildings in Cheshire West and Chester
• Grade I listed churches in Cheshire