St Wilfrid's Church, Grappenhall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Grappenhall, St Wilfrid's Church |
|
|---|---|
St Wilfrid's Church, Grappenhall from the southeast
|
|
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| OS grid reference | SJ 638,863 |
| Location | Grappenhall, Warrington, Cheshire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Dedication | St Wilfrid |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade I |
| Designated | 8 January 1970 |
| Architect(s) | Paley and Austin (restoration) |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Norman, Gothic, Gothic Revival |
| Groundbreaking | 12th century |
| Completed | 1874 |
| Specifications | |
| Spire height | About 76 feet (23 m) |
| Materials | Red sandstone, slate roof |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Grappenhall |
| Deanery | Great Budworth |
| Archdeaconry | Chester |
| Diocese | Chester |
| Province | York |
St Wilfrid's Church is a very old and important church in Grappenhall, a village in Cheshire, England. It's known as a parish church, which means it serves the local community.
This church is so special that it's been given a Grade I listing by Historic England. This means it's considered a building of great historical importance. St Wilfrid's is an active Anglican church, part of the diocese of Chester.
Contents
Church History
The first church building here was built around the year 1120. It was a simple Norman style church, with a main hall (called a nave) and a smaller area for the altar (called a chancel). There might have even been a rounded end section called an apse.
Builders found parts of this original church when they did big repair work in 1873–74.
Over the years, the church grew. In 1334, a special small chapel, called a chantry chapel, was added by the Boydell family. This chapel was for prayers.
From 1529, much of the church was rebuilt using local sandstone. The old church was taken down, and new parts were added. These included a new nave, chancel, a side section (called a north aisle), and a tall tower at the west end.
In 1539, another side section, the south aisle, was added. This included the Boydell chapel. A porch was built in 1641, and the west wall was made stronger.
In 1833, the roof of the nave was raised to create a clerestory. This added more windows to let in light. In the 1850s, the south aisle was made even bigger, and a vestry (a room for clergy) was built.
A very large repair and update project, known as a Victorian restoration, happened in 1873–74. This work was done by architects named Paley and Austin. They put in new floors and roofs, making the church look much as it does today.
Church Design
Outside the Church
St Wilfrid's Church is built from red sandstone and has a slate roof. It has a tall tower at the west end, a long main hall (nave) and altar area (chancel), and side sections (north and south aisles). There's also a chapel, a vestry, and a south porch.
The tower has three main levels. It features a Tudor style door and a large window. Strong supports called buttresses help hold up the tower. In the middle of the tower are small windows, clock faces, and openings for the bells. The very top of the tower has a crenellated parapet, which looks like the top of a castle wall. The tower stands about 76 feet (23 meters) tall.
The main east window of the chancel is in the Perpendicular style, which is a type of Gothic architecture with tall, narrow panels. The east window in the north aisle has five sections. The windows in the clerestory (the upper part of the nave) are round-arched and appear in pairs.
You can still see some very old stone carvings on the wall of the south aisle. These are from the Norman period and show simple human heads.
Inside the Church
Inside the church, in the east wall of the north aisle, you can find a piscina (a basin for washing sacred vessels) and a credence table (a small table for church items).
There is a holy table from 1641 and the royal coat of arms of Queen Anne. In the chancel, there's a stone statue, called an effigy, of Sir William Boydell, who died in 1275. This statue was moved inside the church in 1874 and repaired.
The reredos, which is a decorative screen behind the altar, is carved from oak. Its design is based on the famous painting The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci.
The font, used for baptisms, is very old, possibly from the Norman era or even earlier. It was found again in 1873 during the church's restoration.
One window in the south aisle has stained glass from the 14th century, which was rearranged in 1834. It shows seven saints. Other windows in this aisle were made by Meyer of Munich. You can also find small pieces of medieval stained glass in other parts of the church.
The church has a ring of eight bells. Four of these were made around 1700. Another bell is from 1890, and the last three were made in 1899. The church's official records, called parish registers, go all the way back to 1573.
Outside the Church Grounds
On the outside wall of the church, just below the west window, there's a stone carving of a cat. Some people believe this carving might be the inspiration for the famous Cheshire cat from Alice in Wonderland!
In the churchyard, there's a sundial from 1714, which is also a listed historical item. Near the entrance to the churchyard, you can see a set of stocks. Stocks were used in the past to hold people as a form of punishment. The stone ends of these stocks are probably from the 17th century.
The churchyard is also home to five war graves. These are the graves of British service members who died during World War I and World War II.
Live at St Wilfrid's
The church hosts a series of classical music concerts called Live at St Wilfrid's. These concerts feature both talented young artists and famous performers from around the world.
See also
- Grade I and II* listed buildings in Warrington
- Grade I listed churches in Cheshire
- Norman architecture in Cheshire
- List of ecclesiastical works by Paley and Austin
