Church Of St Paul (C Of E) And The Langford-Brooke Monument

This Anglican church was built between 1853 and 1855 to designs by Anthony Salvin, and partly rebuilt in 1856 following a fire. It is constructed of coursed rock-faced sandstone with slate roofs and sandstone copings, in the Early English style, with a north side aisle and bell turret.

Exterior

The church features pointed arched windows to the east and west ends and south side, with geometrical stone tracery of varying designs, leaded lights, stained glass, and hoodmoulds. Buttresses support the front and rear elevations, with diagonal buttresses to each end elevation.

The three-bay nave has two large pointed arched windows on the right side of the south elevation; the rightmost contains stained glass, while a small cusped lancet window is positioned to the far left. An entrance porch at the west end of the south elevation is surmounted by a shaped cross finial, with a cusped lancet window on the left return and a tiled floor. The south doorway within the porch has a pointed arched ashlar surround incorporating slender flanking columns, with timber double doors featuring studding and strap hinges. An inner vestibule has panelled double doors with a segmental pointed three-light leaded overlight.

The lower two-bay chancel at the east end contains two stained glass pointed arched windows and a doorway with a carved surround and shaped head containing a studded door with decorative strap hinges. Tall stained glass windows occupy the east and west gable ends.

The north side aisle has three small paired cusped leaded-light lancet windows, and a lancet window with stone tracery on the right return at the west end. A vestry at the northeast corner has a lancet window in the east wall (partially obscured by a timber lean-to shed in front) in the same style as that at the west end of the north side aisle. A slender octagonal chimney stack with alternate chamfered sides, part of the heating system, rises from the vestry.

A square bell turret is set on the ridge behind the west gable end, with shingle sides and a hexagonal roof, and three-light leaded windows to the north and south sides. Cross-shaped finials of varying design crown the building, including a Celtic cross finial at the east end of the chancel and a fleuree style cross finial at the east end of the nave.

Interior

The interior has plastered walls and a floor of plain and geometric tiles in the aisle and chancel (with a diapered design at the west end of the aisle), mosaic flooring with a fleur-de-lys design at the altar, and a slightly raised timber floorboard floor over most of the nave.

The nave and north side aisle contain mid-19th century pews, with tiered pews in the choir area. A timber choir rail features curvilinear tracery, and a panelled dado runs along the walls. The nave has arched brace roof trusses (the two at the west end are queen post trusses), while the chancel has a panelled wagon-style roof with angled sides and gold-coloured foliage bosses.

The extremely ornate carved timber rood screen by Frederick Herbert Crossley (1908) incorporates tracery decoration, flora and fauna imagery, and carved shields displaying the initials of saints associated with St Paul's Church. The lower part of the screen has solid panels with cusped ogee heads and quatrefoils, with the carved central lower panels representing the fall and redemption of mankind. The upper parts of the screen and central doorway feature pierced cusped ogee-style openings. The rood beam incorporates carved shields displaying symbols of the Passion. An inscription on the east side of the rood beam reads: "To the Glory of God and in loving memory of Mary O'Neil, who departed this life December 2nd A.D. MCM". An inscription on the transom bar reads: "Kathorina Longridge me fieri curavit per Fredericum Crossley sculptorem, Arthuro Symonds, hujus ecclesiae Vicario, A.S. MCMVIII", roughly translated as "Katharine Longridge caused me to be made by Fred Crossley, sculptor/carver, Arthur Symonds being vicar, the year of salvation 1908". A large decorative carved timber rood (cross) hangs from the tie beam of the roof truss above the rood screen, possibly also by Frederick Herbert Crossley.

A raised timber pulpit set on a stone base stands to the right of the screen, with a decorative traceried timber hood incorporating panelling behind. The carved timber reredos features cusped panels. An organ is located on the left side of the chancel behind the choir stalls, and an arched vestry door on the right has a studded door with decorative strap hinges.

Gold relief lettering applied to the north and south sides of the base of the chancel roof reads: "In memory of Thomas William Langford Brooke of Mere who laid the foundation stone of this church April 4th 1853. He died Sept 14th 1872 Aged 29 years". The chancel roof incorporates wood carvings depicting badgers (the Langford-Brooke family emblem) and swans (representing Over Tabley).

The large stained glass east window, in memory of Thomas William Langford-Brooke, incorporates a circle of angels around Christ. Two chancel windows in similar style are possibly by Henry James Salisbury of St Albans, circa 1884. The large stained glass west window, in memory of Henry Langford-Brooke, depicts St Peter and St Paul. A stained glass south window, in memory of Reverend Mather, depicts St Peter feeding sheep (left light) and St Paul bidding farewell to the Elders of Ephesus (right light). Both of these windows are by Christopher Whall, circa 1900.

Associated Monuments

A sandstone grave monument with a plain low tomb chest with angled sides and a crow-stepped tablet is set to the southeast of the entrance porch. This monument is to Henry Lewis Brooke, carved by Eric and Macdonald Gill circa 1909. The carved nowy-headed panel in the lower part of the tablet incorporates a badger (the Langford-Brooke family emblem). Sans Gill lettering (now weather-worn) beneath the image reads: "Henry Lewis Brooke, Langford-Brooke, March 24 1842, December 17 1907, Well Beloved". A large carving of the tree of life occupies the upper part of the tablet, set within a raised border.

Subsidiary Features

A low rock-faced sandstone churchyard wall with gableted gate piers, featuring a cusped tympanum at the centre of the south wall in line with the church entrance, surrounds the churchyard.

History

St Paul's Church, Over Tabley was constructed between 1853 and 1855 to the designs of Anthony Salvin at a cost of £1,316 for the Reverend Joseph Horder. The foundation stone was laid by Thomas William Langford-Brooke. The Langford-Brookes, who owned nearby Mere Hall, provided the land for the church. The church was consecrated on 18 March 1855, but in the same year a boiler fire destroyed much of the building. It was subsequently restored to the original designs and reopened in 1856. In 1878, wood panelling was brought in from a church at Witton and installed as a dado.

During the 1880s, Fred Crossley was a farm worker from Yorkshire employed in Over Tabley. Mrs Mather, the vicar's wife, organised wood carving classes in the village, which Fred attended. His great skill led to him eventually developing his own business in Chester and writing a number of books on church woodwork and carving, and Cheshire. In 1908, the chancel screen carved by Fred Crossley was presented to the church by Miss Katherine Longridge.