Church Of St Mary

SJ 67 SW; 4/56

WEAVERHAM C.P., CHURCH STREET, Church of St Mary

3/1/1967

GV

I

Church: Tower mid C15, remainder C16,probably later C16, restorations of 1855 by Salvin, 1877 by Douglas when porch and vestry added. Ashlar red sandstone, Welsh slat roof. 5-bay nave and chancel, and aisles under roofs of parallel ridges and almost the same height, south porch, vestry and 4-stage west tower. South aisle has a moulded plinth, cill band and cornice, and an embattled parapet. The bays are divided by buttresses. The gabled south porch at the left end has a moulded 4-centred arched entrance on colonnettes with a label mould on carved head stops. Figure of Christ and inscription in the gable. Broad 4-centred arched 4-light aisle windows have minimal cavetto moulded tracery. The chapel window is slightly smaller. The east end, south aisle and nave windows are 5-light with uncusped panel tracery. North aisle is similar but of 4-lights. The north aisle is more barren than the south aisle and can be shown to have been added, but has a priest's door. The bold tower has diagonal buttresses, and bands at each floor. Band of cross motifs below parapet with gargoyles and an embattled parapet. Sharply pointed arch to the west door, restored 3-light west window and similar louvred bell openings in the top stage. South side has the Warburton arms.

INTERIOR: continuous 5-bay arcades in nave and chancel with no chancel arch. The arcades have octagonal piers with broad 4-centred arches. To the nave, the north aisle piers are thinner and their capitals differ from the chancel and the south aisle. Trusses in nave are sprung from stone corbels and are arch-braced with 2 diagonal struts. Roof contains 2 dormers of 3 semicircular headed lights. South aisle has flat ceiling of moulded wooden cross beams (a C19 restoration). North aisle has a very low pitched panelled ceiling with deeply moulded members. North aisle chapel screens have fielded panels and a turned column balustrade above. The Wilbraham chapel in the south aisle has a similar parclose screen and balustrade, but with plank and moulded muntin panelling to the chapel screen. Fine communion rail of 1709 of twisted balusters and reredos of reset linenfold panelling brought from Dutton Old Hall. Good C18 brass chandelier in chancel. Simple octagonal font on a plain column has ornate Jacobean wooden cover of 8 brackets and a tall finial.

This is a very large and complete church of the Post-Reformation period. The manor of Weaverham was held for 250 years by Vale Royal Abbey and so the church must have been rebuilt after the Dissolution by the new manorial owners.

Listing NGR: SJ6169374238