Building record 10077 - St Olave's Church

Church of St Olave was given by Richard Pincerna (an ancestor of the Butlers, Barons of Warrington) in the time of Richard, Earl of Chester (1101- 1120) to the Abbey of St Werburgh, although it is believed to be of late Saxon origin (CHER 9032). This gift was confirmed in 1119, with the land adjoining the church and two enclosures in the city market place (1-3).

Finance was always a problem with the church, possibly because of the smallness of the parish. In 1394- 5, the Bishop decreed that the church could not support a rector and so it was ordered to be 'incorporated for ever' with St Mary's-on-the-Hill. However, the church acquired a separate existence in 1434, and seven rectors were presented from 1434-1459. Drawing by Randle Holme (Harleian Ms 2073 F. 39) shows the church c.1660 with bellcote, of similar appearance today. After 1644, the church fell into disuse and the minister of St Michael’s looked after the parish. In 1700-1, a brief was issued for repair of the fabric.

In 1726, the church funds augmented by Queen Anne's Bounty. In 1802, a new wooden steeple was built and covered with lead. In 1831, the church was described as a low miserable building of red stone. The church struggled on until 1839-41 when it became part of the Parish of St Michael. In 1860, it underwent considerable repairs by James Harrison and was used as a free school to educate the poor of the parish until 1941.

The present building is sandstone. At some time it was extended to the east. Bellcote, west doorway and three light windows above were renewed last century. The small doorway on northern side shown in Randle Holme drawing and Batenham print is now walled up. Print by G Batenham pre 1843 shows a very large west door and no west window. The entrance was via steps to a small side door. Print of 1843 (in CCL) shows west window. The large two-stepped buttress placed against the northern wall also shown in Randle Holme drawing has been removed (2&3).

<1> Alldridge N.J, 1981, Aspects of the topography of early medieval Chester (Article in Journal). SCH5931.

<2> Richards R, 1947, Old Cheshire Churches, Richards R 1972 /836-843 (Book). SCH2309.

<3> Ormerod, G., 1882, The History of the County Palatine and City of Chester, Ormerod G 1882 1/344-345 (Book). SCH1389.

<4> Pevsner N & Hubbard E, 1971, The Buildings of England: Cheshire, /152 1971 (Book). SCH3078.

<5> Harris, B.E., 1979, Bartholomew City Guides - Chester, /137 (Book). SCH394.

<6> Jones, D., 1957, The Church in Chester 1300-1540, /67-68 (Book). SCH3106.

<7> Gastrell F, 1845-1850, Notitia Cestriensis, or historical notices of the diocese of Chester, Gastrell F 1845/109-111 (Article in Journal). SCH2290.

<8> Morris, Rupert H (Rev.), 1894, Chester in the Plantagenet & Tudor Reigns, /115 (Book). SCH946.

<9> Department of the Environment, 1971-2005, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, 2/117 (Report). SCH1934.

<10> Ordnance Survey, 1870-1982, Ordnance Survey Archaeological Record Card, SJ46NW69 1976 (Index). SCH2487.

<11> English Heritage, 2005, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Digital Archive). SCH4666.

<12> Chester Archaeology, 1985-1990, Chester Rows Research Project Archive (Paper Archive). SCH6789.

<13> Matrix Archaeology, 2013, St. Olave's Church, Lower Bridge Street, Chester. Historic Building Assessment (Client Report). SCH7076.