Monument record 1230/2/2 - Church of St Peter

<1> English Heritage, 2005, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, 58558 (Digital Archive). SCH4666.

Chapel. 1675-9 with early eighteenth century tower, moved to present site in 1927-29 having been previously adjacent to the Old Hall. Red Flemish bond brick with stone dressings and stone slate roof. Three-bay nave with one-bay ante-chapel with gallery over. Tower to west end. North front: four bays, the three to left having three stone dressed mullioned and transomed lights with Tudor heads and hood moulds. Buttresses to left and between windows with off sets. Right hand bay has arched doorway with tablet over with inscription and winged angle head above that with pediment to top. Stone quoins to corners and ball finials above stone kneelers, at half way points and at apexes of shaped gables. Five-light pointed eastern window. The south front repeats the arrangements for the north front save that a passageway (q.v.) was added in 1927-9 linking the chapel to the house. West front: two lateral upper arched windows with stone surrounds with shaped gable above. Superimposed tower of c.1714 of three stages, the lower one being wider and having stone quoins and a two-light Tudor window with hood mould. Parapet with stone balusters and ball finials. Recessed clock stage above with diamond-shaped clock faces to three sides. Belfry stage above this with two-light louvred Tudor openings with stone surrounds. Parapet above with stone balusters and ball finials. Interior: coved ceiling, panelling in Jacobean style to lower walls divided by Ionic pilasters with swags across capitals and entablature with winged angles heads to the frieze. Reading desk to south east with ball finials and two large gilded winged angels heads to front. Octagonal pulpit with arched panels, panelled sounding board and spiral balusters. Communion rail with similar spiral' balusters. Stall fronts have bolection moulded panels. Stalls arranged down each side. Western screen with central double doors in arched doorcase with Ionic half-columns to either side with panelled plinths. Winged angels heads to frieze. Broken pediment over with split pea-pods to angles. Sculpture of St Peter holding keys in centre of pediment. Some panels of Flemish stained glass and one window of 1895 by Morris and Co. designed by Burne-Jones depicting the patron saints of the second Lord de Tabley's children.

<2> Richards R, 1947, Old Cheshire Churches, p.260-2 (Book). SCH2309.

Detailed description.

<3> Hartwell C, Hyde M, Hubbard E & Pevsner N, 2011, The Buildings of England: Cheshire (2011 revision), p.620-1 (Book). SCH7059.

The chapel was relocated from the moat to this location c.1927-9. It originally dates from 1675-8, but the architectural style is dated for this period. The tower dates from 1724. The interior is deliberately reminiscent of the chapel of Brasenose College Oxford.