St Mary's Church, Sandbach
Encyclopedia
St Mary's Church, Sandbach is in the town of Sandbach
, Cheshire
, England. The church has been designated by English Heritage
as a Grade II* listed building. It is an active Anglican
parish church
in the diocese of Chester
, the archdeaconry of Macclesfield and the deanery of Congleton.
records the presence of a priest and a church on the site of the present church. This was replaced by another church erected about the time of Henry VII
. This church was built in sandstone
which became badly weathered
. The present church dates largely from the considerable degree of rebuilding by Sir George Gilbert Scott
in 1847–49. Much of the existing fabric was replaced and the remaining fabric was encased in new stone. The east end of the church was extended by some 40 feet (12 m) and the tower was rebuilt as a copy of the former tower. The Style is Perpendicular. The builders were Cooper and Son of Derby. The stone, which came from quarries in the Mow Cop
area, was given by Sir Philip Grey Egerton M.P.
Part of the west end had to be repaired in 1894–95 following a fire. A choir vestry
by Austin and Paley was added in 1930.
The parish register
s date from 1562 and are complete. The churchwarden
s' accounts prior to 1888 are lost.
nave
and a choir of five bays
, with aisle
s, side chapels, and a tower at the west end. The choir vestry projects from the northwest. The tower is unusual in that it stands on three open arches through which passes a public footpath. The style is mainly Perpendicular and some medieval
masonry is still present in the arcades
.
dates from 1859; it is made of Caen stone
and was constructed by Thomas Stringer. It has a Greek Palindrome
inscription, that reads "NIYON ANOMHMA MH MONAN OYINE". This translated means "Wash my sin not my countenance only". An older octagonal font dated 1669 and decorated with acanthus
leaves is used as a flower bowl. Scott arranged the memorials around the walls of the aisles. One of these is a marble
relief
to the memory of Rev. John Armistead, who was vicar from 1828 to 1865. It was designed by G. F. Watts
and sculpted by George Nelson in 1876. Another is to John Ford, who died in 1839, which includes a life-size allegorical
female figure by an altar. The roofs are dated 1661. The roof over the north aisle includes a large coat of arms
in a wreath. In the chapels and chancels is stained glass by William Wailes
, and in the north aisle is a window by Kempe
.
is of eight bells. Four of the bells were cast by Rudhall of Gloucester
in 1719. The founder of a bell dated 1782 is unknown. Four later bells by John Warner and Sons are dated 1857, 1858 and 1868.
Sources c.1100 - 1865. Sources: 1919-1983.
Sandbach
Sandbach is a market town and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. The civil parish contains four settlements; Sandbach itself, Elworth, Ettiley Heath and Wheelock....
, Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
, England. The church has been designated by English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
as a Grade II* listed building. It is an active Anglican
Anglicanism
Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
parish church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
in the diocese of Chester
Diocese of Chester
The Diocese of Chester is a Church of England diocese in the Province of York based in Chester, covering the county of Cheshire in its pre-1974 boundaries...
, the archdeaconry of Macclesfield and the deanery of Congleton.
History
The Domesday BookDomesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
records the presence of a priest and a church on the site of the present church. This was replaced by another church erected about the time of Henry VII
Henry VII of England
Henry VII was King of England and Lord of Ireland from his seizing the crown on 22 August 1485 until his death on 21 April 1509, as the first monarch of the House of Tudor....
. This church was built in sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
which became badly weathered
Weathering
Weathering is the breaking down of rocks, soils and minerals as well as artificial materials through contact with the Earth's atmosphere, biota and waters...
. The present church dates largely from the considerable degree of rebuilding by Sir George Gilbert Scott
George Gilbert Scott
Sir George Gilbert Scott was an English architect of the Victorian Age, chiefly associated with the design, building and renovation of churches, cathedrals and workhouses...
in 1847–49. Much of the existing fabric was replaced and the remaining fabric was encased in new stone. The east end of the church was extended by some 40 feet (12 m) and the tower was rebuilt as a copy of the former tower. The Style is Perpendicular. The builders were Cooper and Son of Derby. The stone, which came from quarries in the Mow Cop
Mow Cop
Mow Cop is an isolated village which straddles the Cheshire–Staffordshire border, and is thus divided between the North West and West Midlands regions of England...
area, was given by Sir Philip Grey Egerton M.P.
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
Part of the west end had to be repaired in 1894–95 following a fire. A choir vestry
Vestry
A vestry is a room in or attached to a church or synagogue in which the vestments, vessels, records, etc., are kept , and in which the clergy and choir robe or don their vestments for divine service....
by Austin and Paley was added in 1930.
The parish register
Parish register
A parish register is a handwritten volume, normally kept in a parish church or deposited within a county record office or alternative archive repository, in which details of baptisms, marriages and burials are recorded.-History:...
s date from 1562 and are complete. The churchwarden
Churchwarden
A churchwarden is a lay official in a parish church or congregation of the Anglican Communion, usually working as a part-time volunteer. Holders of these positions are ex officio members of the parish board, usually called a vestry, parish council, parochial church council, or in the case of a...
s' accounts prior to 1888 are lost.
Exterior
The plan of the church consists of a clerestoriedClerestory
Clerestory is an architectural term that historically denoted an upper level of a Roman basilica or of the nave of a Romanesque or Gothic church, the walls of which rise above the rooflines of the lower aisles and are pierced with windows. In modern usage, clerestory refers to any high windows...
nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
and a choir of five bays
Bay (architecture)
A bay is a unit of form in architecture. This unit is defined as the zone between the outer edges of an engaged column, pilaster, or post; or within a window frame, doorframe, or vertical 'bas relief' wall form.-Defining elements:...
, with aisle
Aisle
An aisle is, in general, a space for walking with rows of seats on both sides or with rows of seats on one side and a wall on the other...
s, side chapels, and a tower at the west end. The choir vestry projects from the northwest. The tower is unusual in that it stands on three open arches through which passes a public footpath. The style is mainly Perpendicular and some medieval
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
masonry is still present in the arcades
Arcade (architecture)
An arcade is a succession of arches, each counterthrusting the next, supported by columns or piers or a covered walk enclosed by a line of such arches on one or both sides. In warmer or wet climates, exterior arcades provide shelter for pedestrians....
.
Interior
The fontBaptismal font
A baptismal font is an article of church furniture or a fixture used for the baptism of children and adults.-Aspersion and affusion fonts:...
dates from 1859; it is made of Caen stone
Caen stone
Caen stone or Pierre de Caen, is a light creamy-yellow Jurassic limestone quarried in northwestern France near the city of Caen.The limestone is a fine grained oolitic limestone formed in shallow water lagoons in the Bathonian Age about 167 million years ago...
and was constructed by Thomas Stringer. It has a Greek Palindrome
Palindrome
A palindrome is a word, phrase, number, or other sequence of units that can be read the same way in either direction, with general allowances for adjustments to punctuation and word dividers....
inscription, that reads "NIYON ANOMHMA MH MONAN OYINE". This translated means "Wash my sin not my countenance only". An older octagonal font dated 1669 and decorated with acanthus
Acanthus (ornament)
The acanthus is one of the most common plant forms to make foliage ornament and decoration.-Architecture:In architecture, an ornament is carved into stone or wood to resemble leaves from the Mediterranean species of the Acanthus genus of plants, which have deeply cut leaves with some similarity to...
leaves is used as a flower bowl. Scott arranged the memorials around the walls of the aisles. One of these is a marble
Marble
Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite.Geologists use the term "marble" to refer to metamorphosed limestone; however stonemasons use the term more broadly to encompass unmetamorphosed limestone.Marble is commonly used for...
relief
Relief
Relief is a sculptural technique. The term relief is from the Latin verb levo, to raise. To create a sculpture in relief is thus to give the impression that the sculpted material has been raised above the background plane...
to the memory of Rev. John Armistead, who was vicar from 1828 to 1865. It was designed by G. F. Watts
George Frederic Watts
George Frederic Watts, OM was a popular English Victorian painter and sculptor associated with the Symbolist movement. Watts became famous in his lifetime for his allegorical works, such as Hope and Love and Life...
and sculpted by George Nelson in 1876. Another is to John Ford, who died in 1839, which includes a life-size allegorical
Allegory
Allegory is a demonstrative form of representation explaining meaning other than the words that are spoken. Allegory communicates its message by means of symbolic figures, actions or symbolic representation...
female figure by an altar. The roofs are dated 1661. The roof over the north aisle includes a large coat of arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
in a wreath. In the chapels and chancels is stained glass by William Wailes
William Wailes
William Wailes, , was the proprietor of one of England’s largest and most prolific stained glass workshops.- Biographical :Wailes was born and grew up in Newcastle on Tyne, England’s centre of domestic glass and bottle manufacturing. His first business was as a grocer and tea merchant...
, and in the north aisle is a window by Kempe
Charles Eamer Kempe
Charles Eamer Kempe was a well-known Victorian stained glass designer. After attending Twyford School, he studied for the priesthood at Pembroke College, Oxford, but it became clear that his severe stammer would be an impediment to preaching...
.
Bells
The ringRing of bells
"Ring of bells" is a term most often applied to a set of bells hung in the English style, typically for change ringing...
is of eight bells. Four of the bells were cast by Rudhall of Gloucester
Rudhall of Gloucester
Rudhall of Gloucester was a family business of bell founders in the city of Gloucester, England, who between 1684 and 1835 produced over 5,000 bells. The business was founded by Abraham Rudhall and the earliest ring of bells he cast was for St Nicholas' Church, Oddington in 1684. He came to be...
in 1719. The founder of a bell dated 1782 is unknown. Four later bells by John Warner and Sons are dated 1857, 1858 and 1868.
External features
The churchyard walls, gateways and railings to south-east and north of the church are listed Grade II.Rectors c.1100 - 1256
- before 1128 Steinulf the Priest
- before 1153 Roger de Lech
- c.1230 Thomas
Victors c.1300 - 1887
- Before 1327 Richard Burgillion (d.1327)
- 7 Apr 1327 Philip de Goodrich Castle (de Castro Godrici)
- 15 Jan 1344 William de Mere
- 23 Jun 1348 Thomas Chaumpain
- 7 Sep 1349 William de Upton (alias Welton)
- 15 Oct 1349 John de Tydrynton
- 7 Mar 1371 Randle del Ford
- 18 Oct 1401 Thomas de Hassall
- 21 Sep 1418 Thomas Hassall
- 7 May 1455 James Whiteacres
- Sep 1465 Randle Penketh
- 7 Mar 1481 Roger Clifton
- c.1517 Hugh Brereton
- 15 Sep 1535 Thomas Smyth
- 27 Sep 1548 Richard Smyth
- 19 May 1554 Peter Prestland
- 23 May 1576 John Shaw
- 1616 Laurence Wood
- 16 Nov 1630 Thomas Tudman
- c.1648 Joseph Cope
- c.1662 Thomas Tudman
- 15 May 1674 William Hayes
- 19 Mar 1695[6] Thomas Welles, M.A.
- 13 May 1729 Hugh Mee, M.A.
- 13 Apr 1733 Samuel Allon, B.A.
- 25 Sep 1736 Blayney Baldwyn, M.A.
- 13 May 1739 Henry Baldwyn, M.A.
- 21 Apr 1773 Peter Haddon, M.A.
- 13 Jan 1787 Richard Lowndes Salmon, M.A.
- 20 Feb 1828 John Armitstead, M.A.
- 20 Oct 1865 John Richard Armitstead, M.A.
- 1919 John Hornby Armitstead, M.A.
- 1941 Reginald Norton Betts, M.A.
- 1964 Geoffrey Thomas Wykes, B.A.
- 1972 John Basil Rigby
- 9 Sep 1983 David W.G. Stocker, BA
- [...] (unconfirmed)
- 2008 Revd. Thomas Shepherd
Sources c.1100 - 1865. Sources: 1919-1983.