Church Of St Ruthen

The Church of St Ruthen is a parochial chapel that now serves as a parish church. It features fabric that is partly medieval or from the 16th century, with significant rebuilding in the 17th and 18th centuries, and a major restoration in 1877. The church is primarily constructed of uncoursed yellow and red sandstone rubble for the nave's north and south walls, which have a chamfered plinth that steps at the east end. The west wall is made of late 18th century reddish-brown brick, while the chancel is built of red brick with stone dressings. The roofs are covered with machine tiles.

The structure includes a nave and a polygonal chancel, along with a west porch and vestry, and a lean-to brick shed on the north side. The nave consists of three bays, and all the windows are late 19th century paired lancets with circular openings above, except for the west window, which dates to around 1877 and features two cusped square-headed lights. There is a blocked south door with a massive 4-centred arch, likely from the late 16th century. A 20th century wooden bell-turret is located at the west end, above the late 19th century red brick gabled porch and vestry, which has a blocked door that once led to a now-dismantled organ gallery on the right. The contemporary lean-to on the north side is also noted.

The late 19th century polygonal chancel replaces an 18th century chancel and has flat-headed windows on the north and south sides, with an east window in the Decorated style featuring three cusped lights. Inside, there is a notable 17th century roof with four bays, double-purlins, cambered tie beams, and collars, although only the central truss remains unaltered. The interior also includes a late 17th century panelled pulpit and an early 19th century font with a marble bowl and baluster-shaped shaft, which was originally in the Church of St George in Pontesbury but was transferred to Longden in 1864. The chapel was likely founded as the private chapel of the barons of Longden.