Building record 1000/1 - Church of St John

Church of St John, Alvanley, formerly site of a medieval oratory & chapel. Ormerod noted that "The oratory built by Catherine, widow of Ralph Arderne is destroyed and a chapel substituted in its room. It stood a few hundred yards from the Hall and its site is now occupied by the church dedicated to St John the Evangelist and erected in 1860"(1). A wooden plaque within the church has the inscription "S. John Evang Alvanley consecrated 1860. Built by Catherine Emma Arden. A place of worship has stood in this churchyard since 1540 on the site of an oratory built by Catherine Arden in 1446. The district became a separate parish in 1861". Following this is a list of curates & vicars, the earliest listed in 1677 (2). Present church is 1860 by J S Crowther. Red sandstone & gabled grey slate roof & chancel with n vestry (3). At least 3 of the tomb stones in churchyard are earlier than the church & bear the dates 1727,1737 & 1779 & are situated to w of the church (2).

<1> Ormerod, G., 1882, The History of the County Palatine and City of Chester, Ormerod G 1882 2/84 (Book). SCH1389.

<2> Ordnance Survey, 1870-1982, Ordnance Survey Archaeological Record Card, SJ47SE6/1964 (Index). SCH2487.

<3> Department of the Environment, 1971-2005, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, /4/14 (Report). SCH1934.