Church Of St Oswald

SJ 37SE BACKFORD C.P. CHURCH LANE (NORTH SIDE)

3/2 Church of St Oswald 1.6.67 GV II*

Church. Chancel, C14th, tower C15th, nave rebuilt 1728-31, and remodelled 1877-9 by Ewan Christian. Sandstone, graded slate roof. West tower, 3 bay nave, chancel, north vestry. Perpendicular buttressed tower has chamfered plinth, rebuilt embattled parapet with crocketted finial. 3-light traceried bell openings. Some narrow slit openings. West front has restored 3-light window over doorway which has four-centred arched head. Both have hood moulds with animal and human figure stops. Stone bands have shields and figure heads. Figure gargoyles below parapet. Nave has three, 2-light traceried windows and south porch. Chancel: East window has intersecting tracery. N window has Y-tracery. South wall has C14th doorway and two, 3-light Perpendicular windows in deep recesses. Clasping buttresses. Stone cross at east end. Interior. Nave arcades have cylindrical piers supporting pointed arches. Tall pointed arch beneath tower. Wall paintings by E Frampton. E window possibly by Wailes. Six heraldic tablets painted on wood, probably by Randle Holmes, dating 1624-1683 to Margel and Birkened families. Monuments: Samuel Griffiths (1796) by E. Spencer. Tablet, urn and obelisk for Baskerville Glegg (1843) by Sanders. C17th altar (now in vestry) has twisted legs and acorn ends similar to two sanctuary chairs. 3 oak chests, two dated 1636 and 1702. Stone tympanum, formerly over porch, inscribed: This church was built AD 1728 Robt Denson Vicar, now leaning against S. wall of tower in churchyard.

Pevsner & Hubbard. Richards R., Old Cheshire Churches Morten 1973.

Listing NGR: SJ3980871693