St Thomas' Church, Henbury facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Thomas' Church, Henbury |
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St Thomas' Church, Henbury, from the south
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| OS grid reference | SJ 881 736 |
| Location | Church Lane, Henbury, Cheshire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Churchmanship | Central churchmanship |
| Website | St Thomas, Henbury |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II |
| Designated | 28 November 1984 |
| Architect(s) | Richard Lane |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Groundbreaking | 1844 |
| Completed | c. 1870 |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Stone, tile roof |
| Administration | |
| Parish | St Thomas, Henbury |
| Deanery | Macclesfield |
| Archdeaconry | Macclesfield |
| Diocese | Chester |
| Province | York |
St Thomas' Church is a beautiful church located on Church Lane in the village of Henbury, Cheshire, England. It is an active Anglican church, meaning it belongs to the Church of England. It serves as a parish church, which is a local church for a specific area. The church is part of the diocese of Chester, which is a larger church region. St Thomas' Church is also a special building because it's listed as a Grade II listed building. This means it's an important historical building that needs to be protected.
Contents
History of St Thomas' Church
This church was built a long time ago, between 1844 and 1845. It was designed by an architect named Richard Lane from Manchester. Later, around 1870, a part of the church called the chancel was added.
What the Church Looks Like
Outside the Church
St Thomas' Church is made of stone and has a roof covered with tiles. It has a main area called the nave with five sections. It also has a chancel, a small room on the southeast side called a vestry, and a tall tower at the west end.
The tower has two main parts and strong buttresses (supports) on its corners. On top of the tower is an eight-sided broach spire, which is a pointy roof that goes straight up. The bottom part of the tower has a window with two lights and fancy stone patterns called tracery. Above this window, there's a clock face.
Higher up on the tower, you'll see openings with wooden slats called louvred lancet bell openings, where the church bells are. The spire has small windows called lucarnes on every other side. There's also a small stair turret where the tower meets the church's west wall.
Along the sides of the church, the windows are tall and narrow, also known as lancet windows. The window at the east end has three lights and decorative shapes at the top, like two six-leaf shapes (sexfoils) and one five-leaf shape (cinquefoil). There's a porch on the south side of the church with a pointed roof, which is called a gable.
Inside the Church
When you go inside, you'll see a large arch leading to the chancel. This arch is deeply chamfered, meaning its edges are cut at an angle. A hidden staircase leads from the chancel to the pulpit, where sermons are given.
At the west end of the church, there's a gallery supported by thin iron columns. The floor in the chancel is covered with special Minton encaustic tiles and mosaic patterns. All the beautiful stained glass windows in the church were put in when it was first built in 1844.
You can also find some interesting monuments inside. There are two stone tablets from 1869 made by an artist named Matthew Noble. There's also a memorial from 1888 created by Harry Hems. The church has a large organ with two manuals (keyboards), located in the west gallery. It was built in 1948 and moved to its current spot in 1985.
Other Features Outside the Church
At the northern entrance to the churchyard, there's a lych gate. This is a roofed gateway that was traditionally used for sheltering coffins before burial. It's also a Grade II listed building, just like the church. It's made of timber with a tile roof and sits on a stone base called a plinth. The ends of its roof have decorative wooden carvings called bargeboards.
The churchyard also contains the graves of soldiers who died in wars. There's one grave from World War I and two from World War II.
See also
- Listed buildings in Henbury, Cheshire
