Church Of St Lawrence

The Church of St Lawrence is a late 12th-century church, with earlier fragments, located on Church Road in Frodsbam. It has undergone alterations and was restored by Bodley and Garner in 1883. The church is constructed of red sandstone and comprises a west tower, a nave of three and a half bays with aisles under separate ridges, north and south porches, a three-bay chancel, two-bay north and south chapels, and a crypt vestry west of the tower.

The three-stage west tower has a low ramp roof to a cellar vestry on the west side, diagonal west and square east buttresses, a three-light panel-tracery west window, a clock on the north and south faces, two-light bell openings, and a crenellated parapet. A Decorated window is located on the south side of the south aisle, while a three-light west window with intersecting tracery is on the north side. The north gabled porch, dating to 1724, has a plinth, round archway, and a cornice at impost level. The south gabled porch, dated 1715, features Tuscan pilasters, a round archway, and ball finials. The north aisle has two three-light curvilinear windows; the north chapel has two four-light Tudor-arched panel-tracery windows. The south windows were rebuilt between 1880 and 1883. Small Romanesque clearstorey windows are also present. Perpendicular windows are located on each side of the east bay of the chancel, and a seven-light panel-tracery east window is centrally positioned. The north chapel, now the organ chamber, has a five-light panel-tracery east window, while the south chapel has a five-light ogee-tracery east window. Crenellated parapets run along the roofline. Much of the exterior stonework was renewed by Bodley and Garner between 1880 and 1883.

Inside, the tower contains tall blank arches on the north and south sides, a fragment of Norman zig-zag moulding, and two figures dating to the mid-11th century. The arcades, restored, feature round columns, one octagonal column, square abaci, and single-stepped arches, terminating in narrow arches inserted by Bodley and Garner against the chancel wall. The chancel arch disappears into the side walls. Four-centred arches connect the chancel to the chapels. A good oak reredos, dating circa 1700, is located in the north chapel (now between the chapel and organ chamber), featuring two Corinthian columns and two pilasters. A communion rail, also dating circa 1700, has barleysugar balusters. The organ case is by John Oldrid Scott. Later 19th and 20th-century glass is found in the chancel and chapels. An oak chest and oak communion tables are also present. The principal features of interest include the 11th and 12th-century fabric, which is rare in Cheshire, and the north chapel reredos.