Building record 1818/1 - Church of All Saints

Church of All Saints, Whitchurch Road. About 1200 the church was given by Alan de Boydell to Abbey of St Werburgh. After Dissolution, advowson passed to Dean & Chapter of Chester Cathedral. All original masonry of C12 lost, only C16 tower survived 1854 restoration (1). Present building: 1512 tower. 1661 roof, but reused in restoration of 1853-5 by James Harrison, 1891 chancel & vestry. Ashlar red sandstone, Welsh slate roof. 3-bay nave,1-bay chancel, 3-stage West tower, vestry & South porch. 2-centred arched entrance to porch & rectangular & pointed windows in Decorated style in nave. Chancel has lancet & 3-light East window with reticulated tracery. Tower has diagonal buttresses & 4-centred head to West door under label mould with carved head stops. A dated (1512) & inscribed tablet to either side of 3-light West window. 3-light louvered bell openings & gargoyles support embattled parapet. Interior: Good hammerbeam roof to nave, carved brackets carry inscription RD 1661, JE 1661 & wind-braced purlins. Narrow chamfered chancel arch on engaged octagonal columns. There is a similar but taller arch to tower. There is an octagonal font on a restored octagonal shaft. Tower closely resembles that at St Alban's, Tattenhall & has same mason's marks (RN: 1821/2). There is a full architectural description in (2). A pair of Medieval but quite Celtic looking sandstone heads are located either side of the entrance porch to this church (4).

<1> Richards R, 1947, Old Cheshire Churches, Richards R 1947 /175-178 (Book). SCH2309.

<2> Department of the Environment, 1971-2005, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, /5/72 (Report). SCH1934.

<3> Ordnance Survey, 1870-1982, Ordnance Survey Archaeological Record Card, SJ45NE8/1964 (Index). SCH2487.

<4> Various, Written Communication to the HER, The Manchester Museum, Petch. M, 1991. (Written Communication). SCH3756.