St John the Baptist's Church, Knutsford
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| St John the Baptist's Church Knutsford |
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  Shown within Cheshire
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| Basic information | |
|---|---|
| Location | Knutsford, Cheshire, England |
| Geographic coordinates | Coordinates: |
| Religious affiliation | Anglican |
| District | Diocese of Chester |
| Year consecrated | 1744 |
| Ecclesiastical status | Parish church |
| Leadership | Rev. Nigel Atkinson, Vicar |
| Website | St John's, Knutsford |
| Architectural description | |
| Architect(s) | J. Garlive Alfred Darbyshire |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Architectural style | Neoclassical |
| Year completed | 1879 |
| Construction cost | £4,000 |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Brick with stone dressings Slate roof |
St John the Baptist's Church, Knutsford is in the town of Knutsford, Cheshire, England (grid reference SJ753785). It is a Grade II* listed building.[1] It continues as an active parish church.[2]
Contents |
[edit] History
Knutsford was a chapel of ease in the parish of St Mary's Church, Rostherne until the 18th century. In 1741 an Act of Parliament was obtained for it to become a distinct parish.[3] The church was built between 1741 and 1744 at a cost of £4,000, the architect being J. Garlive. In 1879 an apsidal chancel was replaced by a flat one by Alfred Darbyshire.[4]
[edit] Structure
The church is built in neoclassical style in brick with stone dressings and a slate roof. The plan of the church consists of a west tower, a two-storeyed nave and a shallow chancel. The tower is in four stages with a west doorway over which is a round-arched window, a clock and round-arched belfry windows. The top of the tower has a parapet with modillion brackets swept between urns. The parapet of the nave has alternating solid and balustraded panels. At the southwest is a doorway in a pedimented case with a rusticated architrave and a round-arched inner door. There is a similar doorway at the northwest. The nave has a classical arcade of four bays with Tuscan columns on high bases carrying semicircular arches.[1]
[edit] Fittings and furnishings
Galleries are on the north, west and south sides.[1] The font is made of marble and has an oak cover. It dates from the time of building of the church but spent some time in the garden of a private house. An old parish chest is in the tower and in the church is a two-tier brass candelabrum donated in 1768. On the north wall is a pyramidal memorial to Ralph Leycester of Toft who died in 1776.[3] Also in the church is a memorial to Elizabeth Leigh who died in 1823 which is signed by Richard Westmacott.[4] Two memorial boards are in the church which are believed to have been painted by members of the Randle Holme family of Chester.[5] The ring is of six bells. The sixth bell was added in 1748 when the rest of the bells were recast. The communion plate includes a silver chalice and paten from the middle of the 17th century and a large silver flagon dated 1768. The parish registers begin in 1581.[3]
[edit] External features
In the churchyard is a stone sundial probably dating from the late 18th century. It consists of a baluster-like pedestal on circular plinth. It is listed Grade II.[6]
[edit] Notes
- ^ a b c Images of England: Church of St John the Baptist. English Heritage. Retrieved on 2007-09-11.
- ^ St John's, Knutsford. St John's, Knutsford. Retrieved on 2007-11-08.
- ^ a b c Richards, Raymond (1947). Old Cheshire Churches. London: Batsford, 195–197.
- ^ a b Pevsner, Nikolaus; Edward Hubbard [1971] (2003). The Buildings of England: Cheshire. New Haven: Yale University Press, 250–251. ISBN 0 300 09588 0.
- ^ Hess, John P. (2007–2008). "Backford's Memorial Boards: were they painted by a Randle Holme?". Cheshire History 47: 34–39. ISSN 0141-8696.
- ^ Images of England: Sundial in Churchyard. English Heritage. Retrieved on 2007-11-08.
[edit] External links
- Thornber, Craig (2005-05-27). A Scrapbook of Cheshire Antiquities: Knutsford.
