Building record 262/1 - Calveley Church

<1> Department of the Environment, 1971-2005, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, 56735 (Report). SCH1934.

Formerly a Coach house, late seventeenth century which was converted, mid nineteenth century, into a private chapel serving Calveley Hall. Following the demolition of the Hall, the chapel became the Parish Church of Calveley within the ecclesiastical parish of Bunbury. Jacobean style. Whitened brickwork with tiled roof. Three-bay nave, one-bay chancel. Rectangular plan with organ chamber and porch projections (north). Nineteenth century timber framed porch, on sandstone plinth, and with three-light stained glass lattice mullion windows both sides. The porch opening has a cambered head inscribed ‘The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in’ and contains an oak door hung on strap hinges. The nave and chancel have stone mid-level transome cross windows with stained lattice glazing. The Vestry, at the west end of the nave, has a two-light mullion window in a wide Tudor arched sunken panel, (the former carriage arch) there is a second similar window high in the gable. The chancel has a six-light mullion and transome east window with Christ and angel figures in stained glass in upper section. Single mullion windows to gable and east side of organ chamber. Stone dressed openings with oak panel doors to vestry and organ chamber. The gables of the chancel, vestry and organ chamber have stone copings with kneelers and pyramid finials to kneelers and apex. Interior: Oak panelled reredos to window transome level flanked by lower panelling with carved frieze. The panelling is again reduced in height between the altar and choir then becomes plainer for full length of choir and nave. Choir stalls, with spindle work to front stalls, are separated from the nave by a five arched screen, in Jacobean style, with strapwork decoration and the inscription ‘Laudate Dominum’ under a high standing carved oak crucifix. The pulpit, which repeats the five arch arrangement, is attached to the screen (north) and the oak lectern (south) also has matching strapwork features. There are two ancient carved oak religious panels, flanking the vestry entrance and a bronze wall memorial in the choir. The chancel has a segmental ceiling of fifteen oak panels with diamond motif. The nave and choir have rough braced trusses supporting ridgetree and two runs of purlins. Exposed rafters plastered in between.

<2> Ormerod, G., 1882, The History of the County Palatine and City of Chester, Vol.II p.286 (Book). SCH1389.

‘…A chapel of ease was erected here about the year 1838. A school was also built in or about the year 1876, by subscription, containing accommodation for 180 children of both sexes…’

<3> Hartwell C, Hyde M, Hubbard E & Pevsner N, 2011, The Buildings of England: Cheshire (2011 revision), p.200-1 (Book). SCH7059.

A seventeenth century barn converted to a coach house for the adjacent Calveley Hall and then converted into a chapel around 1838. This L-shaped building comprises whitewashed brick and a seventeenth century tie-beam roof. A blocked sandstone arch at the western end of the building probably dates from the conversion to a coach house. There are stone mullioned and transomed windows, copings and finials, all probably added during the remodellings of 1896 and 1911. The porch, organ chamber and Jacobean style furnishings date from 1911.

<4> Bagshaw S, 1850, History, Gazetteer, and Directory of the County Palatine of Chester, p.600 (Book). SCH383.

'…A small Chapel of Ease was errected near the old Hall about twelve years ago [c.1838], which is licensed for divine worship…'

<5> St Boniface Church, 1954-2016, The Parish Link, May 2000 (Newsletter). SCH8717.

The church, along withCalveley Hall, was used as a hospital during the First World War.