Church in Cheshire, England
St Mary's Church, Widnes St Mary's Church, Widnes, from the West
53°20′56″N 2°43′58″W / 53.3488°N 2.7329°W / 53.3488; -2.7329 OS grid reference SJ 513,838 Location Widnes , Cheshire Country England Denomination Anglican Churchmanship Evangelical Website St Mary, Widnes Status Parish church Consecrated 1910 Functional status Active Heritage designation Grade II* Designated 31 October 1983 Architect(s) Austin and Paley Architectural type Church Style Gothic Revival Groundbreaking 1908 Completed 1910 Construction cost £16,669 Capacity 770 Length 1,785 feet (544 m) Width 80 feet (24 m) Nave width25.5 feet (8 m) Materials Red sandstone Ruabon tiles and lead Province York Diocese Liverpool Archdeaconry Warrington Deanery Widnes Parish St Mary, Widnes Rector Revd Janice Collier Vicar(s) Revd Jeremy Duff Curate(s) Revd Dawn Harrison Reader(s) Chris Holleran Churchwarden(s) Alma Lowe, Bill Johnson
St Mary's Church is in the West Bank area of Widnes , Cheshire , England. The church is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II* listed building .[ 1] Anglican parish church in the diocese of Liverpool , the archdeaconry of Warrington and the deanery of Widnes. Together with the churches of St Paul, Widnes, and St Mary, Hale , it forms the South Widnes Team.[ 2] Lancaster architects Austin and Paley .[ 3] [ a]
History
The first church in West Bank, known as Widnes Dock Church and dedicated to St Mary , was opened in 1858. This church was never completed and consisted only of the nave . It had been built on chemical waste which subsided, leading to bulging of the walls and twisting of the roof. In the early 1900s a new site was obtained near the promenade, and money was raised for a new church. The foundation stone was laid on 14 May 1908 and the church was opened on 12 November 1910. The church was designed by Austin and Paley, cost £16,669 in total (equivalent to £2,150,000 in 2023),[ 7] [ 8]
Architecture
Exterior
The church is built in red flecked sandstone , and the nave roof is in Ruabon tiles. The aisle roofs are in lead. Its plan consists of a five-bay nave with a clerestory , north and south aisles which embrace a west tower, and north and south transepts , a chancel .[ 1] Perpendicular style. The north transept is in one bay and includes the organ . The south transept is in three bays and forms a Lady chapel . The tower has a projecting octagonal staircase on the southeast corner and buttresses on the southeast corner.[ 1] frieze of the Te Deum parapet of the south and east sides of the church.
Interior
The furnishings are of oak and were designed by the architects. The font is made of Darley Dale stone. The stained glass in the east window depicts the Ascension and an Apocalyptic Vision and was designed by Shrigley and Hunt . The three-manual organ was built by Wm. Hill and Son in 1902 and restored and enlarged between 1936 and 1947 by Henry Willis & Sons .[ 10]
External features
Wayside pulpit An octagonal wayside pulpit is set into the boundary wall of the church. Also designed by Austin and Paley, it is constructed in red sandstone and approached by six steps. The text "Go out into the highways and compel them to come in that my house may be filled" (from Luke 14:23 ) is cut into its masonry. It is listed at Grade II.[ 11]
See also
References
Notes
^ The church is also described by Brandwood et al as "a magnificent essay in space and light, equal to, if very different from, the best churches of the time by masters such as Giles Gilbert Scott and Temple Moore ".[ 4]
Citations
^ a b c Historic England , "Church of St Mary, Widnes (1130420)" , National Heritage List for England , retrieved 15 August 2012 ^ Deanery of Widnes Anglican Diocese of Liverpool , retrieved 8 August 2012 ^ Brandwood et al. (2012) , p. 165.^ Brandwood et al. (2012) , p. 167^ UK Retail Price Index inflation figures are based on data from Clark, Gregory (2017), "The Annual RPI and Average Earnings for Britain, 1209 to Present (New Series)" , MeasuringWorth , retrieved 7 May 2024
^ Brandwood et al. (2012) , p. 247.^ "NPOR [N10775]" , National Pipe Organ Register British Institute of Organ Studies , retrieved 1 July 2020 ^ Historic England, "Wayside pulpit to Church of St Mary, Widnes (1325946)" , National Heritage List for England , retrieved 15 August 2012
Sources
Brandwood, Geoff; Austin, Tim; Hughes, John; Price, James (2012), The Architecture of Sharpe, Paley and Austin , Swindon: English Heritage , ISBN 978-1-84802-049-8 Diggle, Rev. G. E. (1961), A History of Widnes , Widnes: Corporation of Widnes, OCLC 450270 Pollard, Richard; Pevsner, Nikolaus (2006), Lancashire: Liverpool and the South-West , The Buildings of England, New Haven and London: Yale University Press , ISBN 0-300-10910-5
External links
Churches in Cheshire
St Mary's Church, Acton Alderley Edge Methodist Church St Philip's Church, Alderley Edge St John the Baptist's Church, Aldford Christ Church, Alsager St Mary Magdalene's Church, Alsager St John the Evangelist's Church, Alvanley St Mark's Church, Antrobus St Cross Church, Appleton Thorn St Elizabeth's Church, Ashley St John the Evangelist's Church, Ashton Hayes St Mary's Church, Astbury St Peter's Church, Aston-by-Sutton Audlem Baptist Church St James' Church, Audlem St Oswald's Church, Backford St Michael's Church, Baddiley Christ Church, Barnton St Bartholomew's Church, Barrow St Bertoline's Church, Barthomley Holy Trinity Church, Bickerton St Wenefrede's Church, Bickley Bollington Methodist Church St John the Baptist's Church, Bollington St Oswald's Church, Bollington Church of St Mary the Virgin, Bosley St Paul's Church, Boughton St Oswald's Church, Brereton Brown Knowl Methodist Church St Mary's Church, Bruera St Boniface's Church, Bunbury St Mary's and St Michael's Church, Burleydam St Nicholas' Church, Burton St John's Church, Burwardsley St John the Evangelist's Church, Byley Holy Trinity Church, Capenhurst Holy Trinity Chapel, Capesthorne St John the Evangelist's Church, Chelford English Presbyterian Church of Wales, Chester Chester Cathedral Christ Church, Chester Holy Trinity Church, Chester Northgate Church, Chester St Andrew's Church, Chester St Francis' Church, Chester St John the Baptist's Church, Chester St Peter's Church, Chester Church of St Mary-on-the-Hill, Chester St Michael's Church, Chester St Nicholas' Chapel, Chester St Olave's Church, Chester St Thomas of Canterbury Church, Chester St Werburgh's Church, Chester Welsh Presbyterian Church, Chester Zion Chapel, Chester St Nicholas' Chapel, Cholmondeley St James' Church, Christleton All Saints Church, Church Lawton St Bartholomew's Church, Church Minshull St Mary's Church, Coddington St Mary's Church, Congleton St Peter's Church, Congleton St Michael's Church, Coppenhall St John's Church, Cotebrook St Barnabas' Church, Crewe St Mary's Church, Crewe St Peter's Church, Crewe Union Street Baptist Church, Crewe St Michael and All Angels Church, Crewe Green Christ Church, Croft Christ Church, Crowton All Saints' Church, Daresbury St Wilfrid's Church, Davenham St Peter's Church, Delamere St Mary's Church, Disley St Michael's Church, Ditton St John's Church, Doddington St Mary's Church, Dodleston St Luke's Church, Dunham on the Hill Christ Church, Eaton St Mary's Church, Eccleston Christ Church, Ellesmere Port St Chad's Church, Farndon St Luke's Church, Farnworth Forest Chapel St Laurence's Church, Frodsham St James' Church, Gawsworth St Wilfrid's Church, Grappenhall St Luke's Church, Goostrey St Mary and All Saints' Church, Great Budworth All Saints Church, Great Saughall Baptist Chapel, Great Warford St John the Baptist's Church, Guilden Sutton St Mary's Church, Hale St Mary's Church, Halton St Mary's Church, Handbridge All Saints Church, Handley St Peter's Church, Hargrave St John's Church, Hartford All Saints Church, Harthill St Matthew's Church, Haslington St Philip's Church, Hassall Green St Paul's Church, Helsby St Thomas' Church, Henbury St John's Church, High Legh St Mary's Chapel, High Legh St Luke's Church, Holmes Chapel Church of St Mary of the Angels, Hooton St Michael's Church, Hulme Walfield Holy Trinity Church, Hurdsfield St James' Church, Ince St Philip's Church, Kelsall St John the Evangelist's Church, Kingsley Brook Street Chapel, Knutsford St Cross Church, Knutsford St John the Baptist's Church, Knutsford St Peter's Church, Little Budworth St Michael and All Angels Church, Little Leigh St Oswald's Church, Lower Peover St Luke's Church, Lower Whitley Lymm Baptist Church St Mary's Church, Lymm King Edward Street Chapel, Macclesfield St Alban's Church, Macclesfield St George's Church, Macclesfield St Michael's Church, Macclesfield St Paul's Church, Macclesfield St Peter's Church, Macclesfield Macclesfield United Reformed Church St Oswald's Church, Malpas St Michael's Church, Marbury St James' and St Paul's Church, Marton St Michael and All Angels, Middlewich St Peter's Church, Minshull Vernon Minshull Vernon United Reformed Church St Wilfrid's Church, Mobberley St Stephen's Church, Moulton St Mary's Church, Nantwich St Mary's and St Helen's Church, Neston St Mary's Church, Nether Alderley St John the Evangelist's Church, Norley St Michael's Church, North Rode Holy Trinity Church, Northwich St Helen Witton Church, Northwich St Luke's Church, Oakhanger St Peter's Church, Oughtrington St Catherine's Church, Over Alderley St Lawrence's Church, Over Peover St Paul's Church, Over Tabley St Chad's Church, Over Over United Reformed Church St Thomas' Church, Parkgate St Peter's Church, Plemstall Poole Methodist Chapel St Christopher's Church, Pott Shrigley St George's Church, Poynton St Peter's Church, Prestbury St Mary's Church, Pulford Holy Trinity Church, Rainow St Mary's Church, Rostherne All Saints' Church, Runcorn Holy Trinity Church, Runcorn Jenkin Chapel St Mary's Church, Sandbach Sandbach Methodist Church St John the Evangelist's Church, Sandbach Heath St John the Evangelist's Church, Sandiway All Saints Church, Scholar Green St Edith's Church, Shocklach St Michael's Church, Shotwick All Saints Church, Siddington St John the Baptist's Church, Smallwood All Saints Chapel, Somerford St Lawrence's Church, Stoak St Thomas' Church, Stockton Heath St Matthew's Church, Stretton St Peter's Church, Swettenham St Peter's Church, Tabley St Helen's Church, Tarporley St Andrew's Church, Tarvin St Alban's Church, Tattenhall All Saints Church, Thelwall St Mary's Church, Thornton-le-Moors St John's Church, Threapwood St Mary's Church, Tilston St Jude's Church, Tilstone Fearnall St John the Evangelist's Church, Toft St Chad's Chapel, Tushingham St Chad's Church, Tushingham Holy Ascension Church, Upton-by-Chester St Leonard's Church, Warmingham Holy Trinity Church, Warrington St Alban's Church, Warrington St Elphin's Church, Warrington St John the Evangelist's Church, Warrington St Mary's Church, Warrington St Peter's Church, Waverton Methodist Church, Weaverham St Mary's Church, Weaverham Wesley Methodist Church, Chester All Saints' Church, Weston, Cheshire St John the Evangelist's Church, Weston Christ Church, Wheelock St Mary's Church, Whitegate St Ambrose Church, Widnes St Bede's Church, Widnes St Marie's Church, Widnes St Mary's Church, Widnes St Saviour's Church, Wildboarclough Christ Church, Willaston Dean Row Chapel, Wilmslow St Bartholomew's Church, Wilmslow St Michael's Church, Wincle St John the Evangelist's Church, Winsford St Oswald's Church, Winwick Church of St Mary the Virgin, Wistaston St Oswald's Church, Worleston St Margaret's Church, Wrenbury
