Church Of St Chad

LONGSDON C.P. A53 SJ 95 SE 12/123 Church of St Chad - 1.2.67 - II*

Parish church. 1903-5 by Gerald Horsley. Rock-faced coursed stone; smooth dressings; blue machine tile roof; verge parapets. West tower and spire, nave, south porch, north aisle, vestry and chancel; inspired by the work of Norman Shaw and of a variation on the Perpendicular style. Tower: of approximately 3 stages on plinth (as remainder of Church); 3-stage angle buttresses; half-octagonal stair turret projection set to left of centre on south side and run out under bell-chamber; modillioned eaves; 3-light square-headed (with reticulated tracery) bell-chamber openings, 2 to a side set in rebates. Small, square- headed, 2-light windows to lower stages on north and west sides; 6-light pointed geometric 'Y'-tracery west window; broach spire with massive gargoyles at heads of broaches; large gabled lucarnes just over eaves to each face; further miniature range below apex. Porch: attached to south side of tower, artfully set between stair turret and buttress to right; pointed arch entry with label and shield stops, and inner vestibule. Nave: 3 bays, rather low divided by single-stage buttresses; 3-light pointed Geometric tracery windows. North aisle: catslide from nave; 3 bays,low walled, with buttresses between bays; square-headed 3-light C17-style windows; further, lower aisle bay continued to west beyond parapet to west of north aisle and set against tower wall; 2-light windows to north and west; gabled vestry set into aisle roof to east side with 2 single-lights and one 3-light mullion and transom window flanking central boarded door with Carnaervon-arch head. Chancel: roofed continuously with nave but of higher eaves, of 2 bays; high-set labelled pair of square-headed 2-light windows to south and 5-light low pointed east window with inscribed stone below "To the glory of God/this Church of St Chad is built by the sons/of John Robinson late of Westwood Hall, Leek/carrying out herein what he had himself/intended to do - this stone was laid/by the Right Rev Sir Lovelace T Stamer, Bart/Bishop of Shrewsbury : October 26 : 1903". Interior: of pale stone with darker dressings. 3-bay octagonal north arcade columns with moulded capitals; pointed chancel arch with moulded imposts; heavily corbelled angles to tower ceiling; arch brace collar; king post and upper collar truss roof; boarded soffit; boarded barrel-vaulted chancel roof. Pulpit: octagonal, timber. Font: on peninsular plinth set against west wall of tower; octagonal stone basin. Lectern: of unusual design in timber; large aedicular, rectangular plinth with conventional stand rising from centre. East window only in stained glass by Comper.

Listing NGR: SJ9590554614