Building record 988/1/0 - Church of St Lawrence, Overton

Church of St Lawrence, Church Road, Overton. The Parish Church of Frodsham, situated in Overton village. Late 12th century with earlier fragments, alterations various dates and restoration by Bodley & Garner 1883. Red sandstone, west tower; nave with aisles under separate ridges; north and south porches; chancel with north and south chapels; crypt vestry west of tower. Crenellated parapets. Much exterior stonework renewed by Bodley & Garner 1880-83. Interior: tower has tall blank arches north and south, a fragment of Norman zig-zag moulding and two mid 11th century figures. Good oak reredos in north chapel with two Corinthian columns and two pilasters c.1700. Communion rail c.1700. Oak chest and oak communion tables. Principal features of interest are 11th/12th century work, rare in Cheshire, and the north chapel reredos (1). Vicars from 1209 (2). Full architectural description (1 & 2). A possible pre-Norman grave slab, with the 'cross-in- circle' motif is built into the internal wall of the tower. However, it could date to the 12th century (3). The slab fragment is 0.2m x 0.1m and is built high into the wall in the south-west corner of the tower (4). It is defaced, but shows representations of figures (5). Richards suggests the Saxon carving is of Christ in Glory & the sole surviving piece of the Domesday Church (6). These suggest that the pre-Norman church stood on the existing site (7). Church is mentioned in Domesday & in 1093 the Norman Hugh Lupus gave the tithes to the abbot of St Werburgh's Chester. The tithes later passed to Vale Royal Abbey. Frodsham was constituted a vicarage in 1358. At the disolution the advowson passed to the Dean & Chapter of Christ Church Oxford, by whom the tithes were leased to various Cheshire families (6). The Chancery of the Church is built on the Frodsham Anchorite Cell SMR Ref: 988/1/1. For air photos, see NJH 3487/24; 3490/10,l2; 3491/1,2,44; 3493/20.

<1> Department of the Environment, 1971-2005, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, /2/61 (Report). SCH1934.

<2> Department for the Environment, Various, Provisional List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, /9/1 1964 (Report). SCH2744.

<3> Lancashire & Cheshire Antiquarian Society, 1883 -, Transactions of the Lancashire & Cheshire Antiquarian Society, 68/8 & 11 Bu'Lock J D 1958 (Journal/Periodical). SCH3293.

<4> Ordnance Survey, 1870-1982, Ordnance Survey Archaeological Record Card, SJ57NW11 1976 (Index). SCH2487.

<5> Frodsham Local History Group, 1985, Discovering Old Frodsham, /18 (Booklet-Leaflet). SCH1051.

<6> Richards R, 1947, Old Cheshire Churches, Richards R 1947 /157-160 (Book). SCH2309.

<7> Thomspon, P, 1980, Frodsham: The Archaeological Potential of a Town, /5 (Report). SCH1251.

<9> Higham N J, 1984-9, Professor Nick Higham's Aerial Photographs, 1986/1/24, 1986/4/11, 13 & 1986/6/20 (Aerial Photograph). SCH7659.

<10> Longley D, 1977-1978, Longley Archive, /no.504 (Paper Archive). SCH2005.