Building record 1899/1 - Church of St Andrew

<1> Richards R, 1947, Old Cheshire Churches, p.321-3 (Book). SCH2309.

The church at Tarvin was first built in the late twelfth century and belonged to the Bishops of Lichfield and Coventry, the manorial lords. The advowson was vested in the Bishop of Chester only during the last century. Of the fourteenth century remodelling there survives the south wall, the south aisle arcade; the Bruen Chapel retains its original fourteenth century windows. The tower arch also appears to belong to the fourteenth century. The remainder of the building was remodelled in the fifteenth century, with the exception of the chancel, which was remade in the eighteenth century. The fine tower was rebuilt in the fifteenth century. There are three scratch dials on the south wall of the church.

<2> English Heritage, 2005, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, 55762 (Digital Archive). SCH4666.

Church: nave and south aisle later fourteenth century, tower and north aisle late fifteenth century, chancel mid eighteenth century, mid eighteenth century and several later nineteenth century renovations and one of 1908 by F P Oakley. Ashlar red sandstone, Welsh slate roof. Five-bay nave and aisles under separate roofs, two-bay chancel, south porch and five-stage west tower. South front is a great mixture. Projecting gabled porch has broad four-centred arched doorway, heavily moulded with raised imposts. Aisle bays divided by buttresses and aisle has moulded plinth. To left of porch is a two-light window with trefoil head and pierced quatrefoil. To right is a Venetian window with leaded glazing and interacting tracery, two scratch dials below. Fourth bay has a Victorian window and fifth bay a rectangular two-light cyma-moulded window with flowing tracery and a label mould. Three-light aisle east window with reticulated tracery. Chancel has two two-light Victorian windows but a semi-circular headed priest's door with key block. Three-light Victorian Decorated window. In contrast north aisle is all one period, exuberant Perpendicular. Moulded plinth, enriched buttresses, band with gargoyles and embattled parapets above the windows. These are broad four and five-light, with three-centred arched heads, the tracery restored except for the east window, and label moulds on fabulous animal and human corbels. Fourth bay has a four-centred arched doorway. The tower has a moulded plinth, heavy clasping pilasters, moulded bands at each stage and a band of quatrefoils below the gargoyles and embattled parapet. Four-centred arched west door is recessed behind a moulded and rebated doorcase crowned by a crocketted ogee head on angel corbels. Empty niches to either side with vaulted and crocketted heads. Restored four-light west window, niche and corbels, Queen Victoria Jubilee clock, and pair of two-light louvred bell openings in successive stages. Interior: Entry through west door under tall tower arch. Low five-bay arcade to south aisle on octagonal piers with nineteenth century carved leaf capitals, and label moulds on carved head corbels. At the east end is a Tudor arch with cusped reveals perhaps formerly containing a monument. Squint window between north aisle chapel and chancel. Taller double-chamfered arcade on slender octagonal piers with plain capitals to north aisle. Ornate false hammerbeam roof with carved console brackets and pendants. All arrises dentilated. Tiebeam at east end has inscription. THIS ROVFE WAS MADE ANNO DOMINI 1650 RAPHE WRIGHT, JOHN BRUEN, CHURCH WARDINS CHARLS BOOVTH WILL VENABLES CAPINTRS. South aisle has a fourteenth century wooden screen with trefoil headed arcade and pierced quatrefoils. Late fourteenth century wagon roof of closely set pairs of arch braced rafters (used as type illustration in J Harris and J Lever Illustrated Glossary of Architecture, 1966). Chancel with nineteenth century fittings except for Flemish reredos of c1500 and copper memorial tablet to Henry Hardware (died 1584). Perpendicular-style octagonal font with nineteenth century lead bowl dated 1330.

<3> Ordnance Survey, 1870-1982, Ordnance Survey Archaeological Record Card, SJ 46 NE 2 (Index). SCH2487.

Many restorations have been made, two of which are commemorated by plaques within the church, these are dated 1876 and 1903 and the latter is described as an “extensive scheme of restoration including the tower, north aisle and roof of the nave…”. The church which is dedicated to St. Andrew is still in use for ordinary religious purposes. [Davies DA, Field Inspector, 14/08/1959].

In normal use. [Rigg J, Field Inspector, 17/07/1964].

<4> Harris J & Lever J, 1966, Illustrated Glossary of Architecture 850-1830, Fig.27 (Book). SCH1465.

The south aisle has a wagon roof of fourteenth century date. Illustrated in as a type example.

<5> Pevsner N & Hubbard E, 1971, The Buildings of England: Cheshire, p.624-5 (Book). SCH3078.

The late fifteenth century tower has the same clasping buttresses as Macclesfield. Doorway flanked by niches and crowned by an ogee gable above which runs a quatrefoil freeze. The church is in a mix of styles, with each attempt to update left incomplete. Dating from the fourteenth century are the nave, chancel and south aisle with its east chapel. The north aisle dates from the sixteenth century. The chancel was rebuilt in the eighteenth century. The doors and windows of the south aisle date from the eighteenth century, as does the vestry. Of the former, only one survives, the others replaced in the gothic style by the restoration of 1876. The eighteenth century vestry was also removed at this time, revealing two original windows.

The tower arch, too high for the existing roof, contains fourteenth century mouldings (older than the tower). The south arcade contains a narrow panelled arch at it’s eastern end, which may have accommodated a tomb. It’s roof dates from the fourteenth century. The hammer beam nave roof is dated 1650 and signed by the carpenters Charles Booth and William Venables. The south chapel has a decorated gothic wooden screen. The church contains a number of seventeenth century painted memorial boards.