St Peter's Church, Swettenham
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| St Peter's Church, Swettenham | |
St Peter's Church, Swettenham |
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  Shown within Cheshire
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| Basic information | |
|---|---|
| Location | Swettenham, Cheshire, England |
| Geographic coordinates | Coordinates: |
| Religious affiliation | Anglican |
| District | Diocese of Chester |
| Ecclesiastical status | Parish church |
| Architectural description | |
| Architect(s) | J. M. Derrick |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Architectural style | Romanesque Revival Gothic Revival |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Brick and stone Slate roofs |
St Peter's Church, Swettenham is in the village of Swettenham, Cheshire, England (grid reference SJ801672). It is a Grade II* listed building.[1]
Contents |
[edit] History
It is considered that a Norman church followed by a timber framed church was on the site of the present church. This was encased in brick in 1720 and the timber framework was lost partly at this time and partly during later restorations.[2] In 1846 a restoration was carried out by J. M. Derrick in Romanesque style and a further restoration in 1865 was in Gothic Revival style.[1] Another restoration took place in 1926.[2]
[edit] Structure
The plan of the church consists of a west tower, a four-bay nave with north and south aisles, a two-bay chancel and a north porch. The tower is built in brick, as is the wall of the north aisle, while the wall of the south aisle is stone. The roofs are of slate. On the west face of the tower is a door above which is a window and above that a clock in a diamond-shaped wooden frame. On the top of the tower is a brick parapet with a stone coping and vase finials on the corners, and a weather vane on a high-standing metal support.[1] Above the north porch is a sculpture of an ass's head upon the coronet of a marquess, which is the crest of the Mainwaring family.[3]
[edit] Fittings and furniture
The pulpit is thought to date from the time of Queen Anne and was placed in the church around 1722. The altar rails are placed round three sides and in the church are three Jacobean chairs. Two fonts are present, one dating from the 18th century and the other from the Romanesque restoration.[2] To the south of the altar is a stained glass window which contains some medieval glass.[2][4] In the south aisle walls are four Gothic monuments. On north aisle wall are painted commandment boards.[1] A fragment of a Saxon cross is set high in the wall between the nave and the south aisle. In the vestry above the Bryce family memorial is mounted an old fiddle which was played in the church until about 1811. [3] The ring is of three bells, two of which are dated 1627 and 1689. The silver communion plate includes a chalice dated 1705. The parish registers begin in 1547 and the churchwardens' accounts in the 17th century.[2]
[edit] Notes
- ^ a b c d Images of England: Church of St Peter, Swettenham. English Heritage. Retrieved on 2007-10-14.
- ^ a b c d e Richards, Raymond (1947). Old Cheshire Churches. London: Batsford, 314–316.
- ^ a b Thornber, Craig (2002 & 2005). A Scrapbook of Cheshire Antiquities: Swettenham. Retrieved on 2007-10-14.
- ^ Swettenham, St Peter. Corpus Vitrearum Medii Aevi.
