Building record 2023/1/1 - Church of St Oswald

<1> Richards R, 1947, Old Cheshire Churches, p.33-38 (Book). SCH2309.

The church is first mentioned in the thirteenth century and soon afterwards it was given by the barons of Dunham Massey to the Benedictine Priory at Birkenhead. At the Dissolution the advowson was made over to the See of Chester. Of the medieval church very little now remains and, apart from the tower and much of the chancel, all was rebuilt in the late nineteenth century. The sixteenth century tower is square and Perpendicular in style, with a more recent battlemented parapet. The gargoyles are weird and ferocious looking, and below are representations of the following rural scenes: a hen followed by her chickens, a dog chasing a rabbit, a goose in flight and a fox on the prowl.

The chancel retains some fourteenth century masonry and a very fine three-light pointed east window of about 1375. The windows in the south wall are later and belong to the Perpendicular period. The nave was rebuilt in stone and brick in the Italian classic style in 1728-31, only to be almost entirely refaced in 1879 in a Gothic style. Many masons' marks are to be found in the church; on the tower, the west doorway, west window and in the north-east corner of the belfry ringing chamber. Over the chancel arch is a modern painting of the creation. The other wall paintings are by Edward Frampton.

Backford preserves one of the county's very few surviving aumbries; a wall cupboard near the altar used to store items such as the communion plate, relics, priests' vestments and church records. There is also an ornamental chancel chair, made from the original Jacobean oak altar rails and a Seventeenth Century oak chest, reputedly made from timbers from Chester Cathedral, and inscribed "Tho. Peirson: Will. Davies: Churchwardens, 1636.". Of the former piscina in the chancel, little now remains-the bowl having been replaced by stone ledge on which is fitted a reading desk. The seventeenth century holy table is now kept in the vestry. It has twisted legs and acorn ends similar to the sanctuary chairs. The church contains a number of painted wooden memorial panels.

<2> English Heritage, 2005, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, 55385 (Digital Archive). SCH4666.

Church. Chancel, C14th, tower C15th, nave rebuilt 1728-31, and remodelled 1877-9 by Ewan Christian. Sandstone, graded slate roof. West tower, 3 bay nave, chancel, north vestry. Perpendicular buttressed tower has chamfered plinth, rebuilt embattled parapet with crocketted finial. 3-light traceried bell openings. Some narrow slit openings. West front has restored 3-light window over doorway which has four-centred arched head. Both have hood moulds with animal and human figure stops. Stone bands have shields and figure heads. Figure gargoyles below parapet. Nave has three, 2-light traceried windows and south porch. Chancel: East window has intersecting tracery. N window has Y-tracery. South wall has C14th doorway and two, 3-light Perpendicular windows in deep recesses. Clasping buttresses. Stone cross at east end. Interior. Nave arcades have cylindrical piers supporting pointed arches. Tall pointed arch beneath tower. Wall paintings by E Frampton. E window possibly by Wailes. Six heraldic tablets painted on wood, probably by Randle Holmes, dating 1624-1683 to Margel and Birkened families. Monuments: Samuel Griffiths (1796) by E. Spencer. Tablet, urn and obelisk for Baskerville Glegg (1843) by Sanders. C17th altar (now in vestry) has twisted legs and acorn ends similar to two sanctuary chairs. 3 oak chests, two dated 1636 and 1702. Stone tympanum, formerly over porch, inscribed: This church was built AD 1728 Robt Denson Vicar, now leaning against S. wall of tower in churchyard.

<3> Sulley, P, 1889, The Hundred of Wirral, p.96 (Book). SCH3174.

<4> Ordnance Survey, 1870-1982, Ordnance Survey Archaeological Record Card, SJ37 SE2 1964 (Index). SCH2487.

<5> Hess J, 1997, Parish Church of St Oswald's, Backford Cheshire: Survey of Memorial Insciptions 1997 (Book). SCH3877.

Full inventory and description of the memorial inscriptions within the church.

<6> Various, Various, Oral communication to the HER, Russell, D 21/08/2014 (Oral Communication). SCH2330.

The stone tympanum mentioned in (2) is now located inside the church on the sill of West window.