Church Of St Chad

The Church of St Chad is a chapel-of-ease built in 1881 by John Douglas. The church is constructed of red brick with timber framing in the upper parts, and has plain tile roofs and a shingled spirelet. It comprises a five-bay nave, a single-bay chancel, and a central tower linked to a south vestry and a north annexe housing the organ.

The nave has timber window frames with three and four cusped ogee-headed lights, set within closely spaced timber studs. There are two pointed west windows designed to resemble late 14th-century Perpendicular details, complete with linked returned hood moulds. A two-light window above the west windows has a square head and straight hood mould. A pointed south door is set within an ashlar surround and moulded arch, accompanied by a gabled south porch with a pointed opening and king-post roof.

The two-stage tower has a single-story south vestry and north organ annexe with lean-to roofs and rectangular loops; a door is situated at the west end of the vestry. The upper stage of the tower displays rectangular panel framing and tension braces, with a gabled stair turret to the south side. The chancel features a five-light east window, with Perpendicular tracery and a square head, along with two-light windows to the north and south, also with Perpendicular tracery.

Inside the church, the tower’s east and west arches are constructed of brick with quarter roll and fillet mouldings. The nave showcases arch-braced collar roof trusses with wall posts, braces springing from these, and king posts above the collar. The tower is ceiled with a network of beams and a plank floor. A segmental pointed arch to the north provides access to the organ, while a pointed vestry door is positioned to the south. An eight-bay blind arcade runs above door level to the south. North and south chancel windows feature segmental pointed rere-arches.

Notable fittings include an octagonal stone font, a full set of contemporary pews, a wooden pulpit with a stone base and steps, and open cusped arches. There is also a lectern, benches with poppyheads, a wooden altar rail with traceried panels, and stained glass depicting scenes from the life of Christ in the east window, dated 1890.