Church Of St Helen

RIXTON WITH GLAZEBROOK

23/0/10013 MANCHESTER ROAD 15-MAY-06 Hollinfare St Helen's Church

II Small Anglican Church. c.1710. Extensively remodelled c.1882 with further C20 internal alterations. Red brick, stone slate roof. Simple Gothic Revival detailing.

PLAN: Simple linear plan, oriented east-west, with in-line nave and chancel. Entrance at W end below small cupola. EXTERIOR: 4 bays long, 3 bay nave and single bay chancel. 2-light mullioned windows with 4-centred arched heads below hoodmoulds. The S chancel window is a taller, 3-light stained glass version of the nave openings. Narrow 2-light window with stained glass to the E end. W end with arched main doorway with hoodmould, set between two 2-light windows, which extend into the gable apex. A central brick panel leads to the corbelled base of a small cupola with C18 sandstone capitals and replaced reinforced concrete Ionic pilasters and ogee dome. INTERIOR: Simple, undivided interior with W gallery of 1882 carried on paired columns at the centre of the nave. Elaborate gallery front with horizontal panels to base and trefoils above. Late C19 benches below arranged around 2 aisles. Panelled altar enclosure of C20 date, and introduced rather than contemporary late C19 reredos. Painted choir stalls flank the chancel side walls. Organ chamber in NE corner adjacent to chancel. Stained glass triptych of 1884, formerly in E window but now in chancel S window, depicts Jesus Christ, St John the Baptist and St Paul. Introduced E window depicts the Annunciation. Roof structure contains early C18 and C19 timbers. Door in E end leads to vestry and former schoolmaster's house, which is extensively altered and not of special interest, having lost its associated school.

HISTORY: The St Helen's Church site has its origins c.1497 when the Chantry Chapel of Hollinfare was established by Hamlet Massey, Lord of the Manor. It later became a chapel of ease to Warrington Parish Church and became known as St Helen's. Following extensive remodelling in 1710 there was continuous ministry. The interior was remodelled again in 1882, when the gallery was added and the present windows inserted.

SUMMARY OF IMPORTANCE: A small early C18 church remodelled in the late C19 that retains C18 brickwork and roof timbers along with well-designed and constructed C19 additions. Situated on the site of a C15 chantry chapel St Helen's represents over 500 years of worship in Hollinfare, and the evolution and development of an early C18 church through the C19 and C20.