St Boniface's Church, Bunbury

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St Boniface's Church, Bunbury

St Boniface's Church, Bunbury
St Boniface's Church, Bunbury (Cheshire)
St Boniface's Church, Bunbury
Shown within Cheshire
Basic information
Location Bunbury, Cheshire, England
Geographic coordinates 53°07′07″N 2°38′41″W / 53.1185, -2.6448Coordinates: 53°07′07″N 2°38′41″W / 53.1185, -2.6448
Religious affiliation Anglican
District Diocese of Chester
Ecclesiastical status Parish church
Leadership Rev. Rick Gates, vicar
Website St Boniface, Bunbury
Architectural description
Architect(s) Pennington and Bridgen
Architectural type Church
Architectural style Gothic
Year completed 1866
Specifications
Length 160 feet (49 m)
Width 42.5 feet (13 m)
Materials Red sandstone
Lead and slate roof

St Boniface's Church, Bunbury stands prominently in the village of Bunbury, Cheshire, England (grid reference SJ568581). It is a Grade I listed building.[1] The church dates mainly from the 14th century. Its features include the Ridley chapel, the alabaster chest tomb of Sir Hugh Calveley and the tomb of Sir George Beeston. Richards considers it is architecturally one of the most important examples of its period in Cheshire.[2] Clifton-Taylor includes it in his list of 'best' English parish churches.[3] It continues to be active as a parish church.[4]

Contents

[edit] History

From the eighth century a church has been on the site, initially a wooden Anglo-Saxon church. By 1135 a stone Norman church was present. The church was rebuilt in the decorated style in 1320. In 1385–86 Sir Hugh Calveley endowed it as a collegiate church,[5] which resulted in more rebuilding: much of the existing structure dates from this time.[6] A chantry chapel was added in 1527 by Sir Rauph Egerton of Ridley and nave galleries were added in the 1700s.[5] From 1863–66, restoration work was done by Pennington and Bridgen[1] when wall paintings, galleries, and box-pews were removed, the floor was tiled and a new roof constructed.[5] In 1940 a land mine seriously damaged the church.[5] The roof was replaced in 1950 by Marshall Sisson.[1]

[edit] Structure

The church, built in red sandstone with a lead and slate roof, is mainly perpendicular in style.[1] At the west end a tower leads to a broad six-bay nave and narrow eight-bay north and south aisles which enclose the tower. The three-bay chancel is narrower than the nave and leads to a sanctuary with a vestry to the north. To the south of the chancel is the Ridley chapel. A south porch extends from the fifth bay from the west.[7] The tower has a west doorway above which is a three-light window. The ringers' windows are single lancets and the belfry windows are of four lights. The top of the tower is surmounted by battlements and pinnacles.[2] The parapet of the north aisle consists of stone openwork with crocketed pinnacles; the parapet of the south aisle is crenellated.[1] Carved stones dating from the Norman period have been discovered beneath the floor of the church and these are stored in the south porch.[8]

[edit] Fittings and furniture

Fragments of wall paintings remain inside the church.[9] The octagonal stone font is dated 1662 and the oak communion rail dates from 1717. The choir stalls are of carved oak, as is the pulpit which rests on a stone base. The brass chandelier in Baroque style is dated 1756.[1] The chancel screen is by F. H. Crossley and is dated 1921. The screen to the south chapel is dated 1527. Its dado is painted with Early Renaissance motifs which are the earliest in Cheshire. In several windows are fragments of original stained glass. Windows by Kempe dated 1905 are in the south chancel wall and in the north chancel wall are windows dated 1952 by R. C. Evetts.[10]

Effigy of Sir Hugh Calveley
Effigy of Sir Hugh Calveley

In the chancel is the alabaster chest tomb of Sir Hugh Calveley, surrounded by spiked railings. It is the earliest alabaster tomb in Cheshire.[11] In the north wall of the sanctuary is the tomb of Sir George Beeston, commander of one of the ships which fought against the Spanish Armada, who died at the age of 102.[6] In the south wall of the sanctuary are a triple sedilia and a double-draining piscina.[11] In the south aisle are 15th century painted wooden panels which were formerly part of parclose screens; they were restored at the Victoria and Albert Museum in 1988.[12][7] In the north aisle is a standing effigy of Jane Johnson, who died in 1741. Around 1760, it was removed to the churchyard and buried on the instruction of the incumbent. It was rediscovered in the 19th century and restored to the interior of the church.[7] Also in the church are three memorial boards which are believed to have been painted by members of the Randle Holme family of Chester.[13] At the back of the church in the northeast corner are a number of stone coffin lids and defaced effigies dating from the 13th to the 15th centuries.[1] The communion plate includes a small paten from the early 17th century, a cup dated 1632, a paten and salver dated 1716, two flagons dated 1735 and two offertory plates dated 1737.[10] The tower has a peal of eight bells.[14] The parish registers begin in 1559 and the churchwardens' accounts in 1655.[2]

[edit] External features

The north gates to the church yard are listed Grade II[15] as are the west gates which were reconstructed as memorial gates around 1919.[16] In the church yard are two other structures listed Grade II, a red sandstone sundial dated 1710 [17] and a gravestone consisting of two sandstone slabs probably dating from the early 16th century.[18]

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Images of England: Church of St Boniface, Bunbury. English Heritage. Retrieved on 2007-07-15.
  2. ^ a b c Richards, Raymond (1947). Old Cheshire Churches. London: Batsford, 74–82. 
  3. ^ Clifton-Taylor, Alec (1974). English Parish Churches as Work of Art. London: Batsford, 147. ISBN 0 7134 2776 0. 
  4. ^ St Boniface Church, Bunbury. St Boniface Church, Bunbury. Retrieved on 2007-10-29.
  5. ^ a b c d A thousand years of worship. Bunbury parish church. Retrieved on 2007-07-25.
  6. ^ a b Bilsborough, Norman (1983). The Treasures of Cheshire. Manchester: The North West Civic Trust, 154. ISBN 0901347353. 
  7. ^ a b c Salter, Mark (1995). The Old Parish Churches of Cheshire. Malvern: Folly Publications, 26-27. ISBN 1871731232. 
  8. ^ St Boniface, Bunbury. Corpus of Romanesque Sculpture.
  9. ^ Candles, Wall Paintings and Incense. Bunbury parish church. Retrieved on 2007-07-25.
  10. ^ a b Pevsner, Nikolaus; Edward Hubbard [1971] (2003). The Buildings of England: Cheshire. New Haven: Yale University Press, 119–121. ISBN 0 300 09588 0. 
  11. ^ a b The Chancel. Bunbury parish church. Retrieved on 2007-07-25.
  12. ^ The South Aisle. Bunbury parish church. Retrieved on 2007-07-25.
  13. ^ Hess, John P. (2007–2008). "Backford's Memorial Boards: were they painted by a Randle Holme?". Cheshire History 47: 34–39. ISSN 0141-8696. 
  14. ^ Tower of Strength. Bunbury parish church. Retrieved on 2007-07-25.
  15. ^ Images of England: North gates to St Boniface's Churchyard. English Heritage. Retrieved on 2007-10-29.
  16. ^ Images of England: West gates to St Boniface's Churchyard. English Heritage. Retrieved on 2007-10-29.
  17. ^ Images of England: Sundial in St Boniface's Churchyard. English Heritage. Retrieved on 2007-10-29.
  18. ^ Images of England: Gravestone in St Boniface's Churchyard. English Heritage. Retrieved on 2007-10-29.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links