St Mary's Church, Bruera

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St Mary's Church, Bruera

St Mary's Church, Bruera
St Mary's Church, Bruera (Cheshire)
St Mary's Church, Bruera
Shown within Cheshire
Basic information
Location Bruera, Cheshire, England
Geographic coordinates 53°08′20″N 2°50′28″W / 53.1388, -2.8410Coordinates: 53°08′20″N 2°50′28″W / 53.1388, -2.8410
Religious affiliation Anglican
District Diocese of Chester
Architectural description
Architect(s) W. M. Boden
Architectural type Church
Architectural style Norman, Gothic
Year completed 1896
Specifications
Materials Red sandstone
Slate roof

St Mary's Church, Bruera is in the small settlement of Bruera, which lies between the villages of Saighton and Aldford, in Cheshire, England (grid reference SJ437605). It is a Grade II* listed building. It contains Norman elements but has been subjected to alterations and modifications, particularly in 1896.[1]

Contents

[edit] History

The settlement of Bruera is not recorded in the Domesday Book and the first mention of the church is in the Chartulary of St Werburgh's, Chester dating from around 1150. It was then a chapel in the parish of St Oswald's, Chester.[2] Richards states that the church was in existence in Saxon times[3] but this is disputed.[2] The fabric of the present church dates from the Norman period and there have been a number of additions and restorations since. The Norman south doorway was rebuilt in the 14th century. Also in the 14th century and later windows were modified and in the 15th century a south chapel was added.[3] The east window is decorated in style and the south chapel is perpendicular.[4] A major restoration was carried out in 1896 by W. M. Boden at expense of the 1st Duke of Westminster involving the south porch and vestry, and a belfry was added.[1]

[edit] Structure

The church is built in red sandstone with a slate roof. At the west end is an oak-framed, louvred belfry with a low square shingled spire.[1] The plan consists of a nave without aisles and a chancel. To the south are a porch, a chapel and a vestry.[5] The chancel arch is basically Norman, but there have been later modifications. The south doorway contains Norman masonry[3] and includes ten voussoirs, four of which have carvings.[2][1]

[edit] Fittings and furnishings

The altar table and chancel gates date from the 18th century while the sanctuary chairs are Jacobean. On the south wall are the arms of Charles II.[3] The font is a stone baluster with a hollowed trough dating probably from the 17th century.[1] The stained glass in the north window dated 1897 is in the Arts and Crafts style.[4] The chapel contains wall memorials to Sir Robert Cunliffe, who died in 1778, and to Sir Ellis Cunliffe, who died in 1769, both with putti, by Joseph Nollekens. The parish registers date from 1657.[3]

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e Images of England: Church of St Mary, Saighton. English Heritage. Retrieved on 2007-10-28.
  2. ^ a b c St Mary, Bruera, Cheshire. Corpus of Romanesque Sculpture of Great Britain and Ireland. Retrieved on 2007-10-28.
  3. ^ a b c d e Richards, Raymond (1947). Old Cheshire Churches. London: Batsford, 70–74. 
  4. ^ a b Pevsner, Nikolaus; Edward Hubbard [1971] (2003). The Buildings of England: Cheshire. New Haven: Yale University Press, 118. ISBN 0 300 09588 0. 
  5. ^ Salter, Mark (1995). The Old Parish Churches of Cheshire. Malvern: Folly Publications, 25. ISBN 1871731232.