Christ Church, Macclesfield
Encyclopedia
Christ Church, Macclesfield is a redundant
Anglican
church in Great King Street, Macclesfield
, Cheshire
, England. It has been designated by English Heritage
as a Grade II* listed building, and is under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust
. It is open to visitors at advertised times. The church was in use until 1981. It remains consecrated
and is used occasionally for services.
was not big enough to cope with the needs of the growing population of the town. In 1772 David Simpson
was appointed curate to the church but was deprived of his curacy because of his evangelical
beliefs and preaching. Simpson had been invited to Macclesfield by Charles Roe
, a local industrialist. Roe built Christ Church for David Simpson, who became its first vicar.
The body of the church was built in seven months in 1775 and the church was opened on Christmas Day of that year. The tower was built the following year. Its height is 107 feet (33 m) which is out of proportion to the body of the church. It was built to this height to compete with the height of the tower of St Michael's Church. The church originally contained a large pulpit
. David Simpson was a close friend of John Wesley
, the founder of Methodism
. Unusually for an Anglican church, Simpson invited Wesley to preach there on at least 12 occasions. Christ Church was vested
in the Trust on 1 June 1985.
style. Its plan consists of a tower at the west end, a nave
and a short chancel
. The tower has west and north doors. Above the west door is a window with an elliptical head. The third stage contains elliptical windows, some of which are blind, and above these clock faces. The belfry windows are of two lights and louvre
d. The top has an embattled parapet above a cornice
. The exterior of the nave and chancel are expressed as two storeys, with a cornice between. Above is a parapet over another cornice. At the east end is a Palladian
window with round windows and doors on each side. In the middle of the north elevation is a door with a pediment
above. This is surrounded with rusticated
stone extending up to the parapet with another pediment at the top. The parapets of the tower and body of the church were originally surmounted by pinnacle
s but these are no longer present.
s and a small marble
font
. The stained glass in the east window is by William Wailes
. There is glass in a window on the south side of the church by Morris & Co.
On the south wall is a monument to Charles Roe in black and white marble dated 1784 by John Bacon. It is in low relief and carries a bust
of Roe, with images of the church, Roe's silk mill and his copper works. Also on the south wall is a monument to David Simpson. The three-manual
organ was made by Gray & Davison in 1875. The ring
is of ten bells which are still used regularly. Nine of these were cast in 1777 by Rudhall of Gloucester
. The other three are by John Taylor and Company; one of these is dated 1902, the other 1947.
The three-decker pulpit and choirstalls have been dismantled and put into storage. There are several items of carving from the "Macclesfield School of Carving" within the church. The most notable is a fine Edwardian reredos
altar screen. This was dis-assembled during a restoration program by over enthusiastic conservators to return the look of the Church to its Georgian original.
Redundant church
A redundant church is a church building that is no longer required for regular public worship. The phrase is particularly used to refer to former Anglican buildings in the United Kingdom, but may refer to any disused church building around the world...
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...
church in Great King Street, Macclesfield
Macclesfield
Macclesfield is a market town within the unitary authority of Cheshire East, the county palatine of Chester, also known as the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. The population of the Macclesfield urban sub-area at the time of the 2001 census was 50,688...
, 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. It 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, and is under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust
Churches Conservation Trust
The Churches Conservation Trust, which was initially known as the Redundant Churches Fund, is a charity whose purpose is to protect historic churches at risk, those that have been made redundant by the Church of England. The Trust was established by the Pastoral Measure of 1968...
. It is open to visitors at advertised times. The church was in use until 1981. It remains consecrated
Consecration
Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service, usually religious. The word "consecration" literally means "to associate with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different groups...
and is used occasionally for services.
History
In the second half of the 18th century the parish church of Macclesfield, St Michael'sSt Michael's Church, Macclesfield
St Michael and All Angels Church, Macclesfield overlooks Market Place in the town of Macclesfield, 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...
was not big enough to cope with the needs of the growing population of the town. In 1772 David Simpson
David Simpson (priest)
Rev David Simpson, M.A. was an Anglican priest who spent most of his career in Macclesfield, Cheshire, England.-Early life and education:...
was appointed curate to the church but was deprived of his curacy because of his evangelical
Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
beliefs and preaching. Simpson had been invited to Macclesfield by Charles Roe
Charles Roe
Charles Roe was an English industrialist. He played an important part in establishing the silk industry in Macclesfield, Cheshire and later became involved in the mining and metal industries.-Early life and career:...
, a local industrialist. Roe built Christ Church for David Simpson, who became its first vicar.
The body of the church was built in seven months in 1775 and the church was opened on Christmas Day of that year. The tower was built the following year. Its height is 107 feet (33 m) which is out of proportion to the body of the church. It was built to this height to compete with the height of the tower of St Michael's Church. The church originally contained a large pulpit
Pulpit
Pulpit is a speakers' stand in a church. In many Christian churches, there are two speakers' stands at the front of the church. Typically, the one on the left is called the pulpit...
. David Simpson was a close friend of John Wesley
John Wesley
John Wesley was a Church of England cleric and Christian theologian. Wesley is largely credited, along with his brother Charles Wesley, as founding the Methodist movement which began when he took to open-air preaching in a similar manner to George Whitefield...
, the founder of Methodism
Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
. Unusually for an Anglican church, Simpson invited Wesley to preach there on at least 12 occasions. Christ Church was vested
Vesting
In law, vesting is to give an immediately secured right of present or future enjoyment. One has a vested right to an asset that cannot be taken away by any third party, even though one may not yet possess the asset. When the right, interest or title to the present or future possession of a legal...
in the Trust on 1 June 1985.
Exterior
The church is built in brick with stone facings in GeorgianGeorgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
style. Its plan consists of a tower at the west end, a 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 short chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
. The tower has west and north doors. Above the west door is a window with an elliptical head. The third stage contains elliptical windows, some of which are blind, and above these clock faces. The belfry windows are of two lights and louvre
Louvre
The Musée du Louvre – in English, the Louvre Museum or simply the Louvre – is one of the world's largest museums, the most visited art museum in the world and a historic monument. A central landmark of Paris, it is located on the Right Bank of the Seine in the 1st arrondissement...
d. The top has an embattled parapet above a cornice
Cornice
Cornice molding is generally any horizontal decorative molding that crowns any building or furniture element: the cornice over a door or window, for instance, or the cornice around the edge of a pedestal. A simple cornice may be formed just with a crown molding.The function of the projecting...
. The exterior of the nave and chancel are expressed as two storeys, with a cornice between. Above is a parapet over another cornice. At the east end is a Palladian
Palladian architecture
Palladian architecture is a European style of architecture derived from the designs of the Venetian architect Andrea Palladio . The term "Palladian" normally refers to buildings in a style inspired by Palladio's own work; that which is recognised as Palladian architecture today is an evolution of...
window with round windows and doors on each side. In the middle of the north elevation is a door with a pediment
Pediment
A pediment is a classical architectural element consisting of the triangular section found above the horizontal structure , typically supported by columns. The gable end of the pediment is surrounded by the cornice moulding...
above. This is surrounded with rusticated
Rustication (architecture)
thumb|upright|Two different styles of rustication in the [[Palazzo Medici-Riccardi]] in [[Florence]].In classical architecture rustication is an architectural feature that contrasts in texture with the smoothly finished, squared block masonry surfaces called ashlar...
stone extending up to the parapet with another pediment at the top. The parapets of the tower and body of the church were originally surmounted by pinnacle
Pinnacle
A pinnacle is an architectural ornament originally forming the cap or crown of a buttress or small turret, but afterwards used on parapets at the corners of towers and in many other situations. The pinnacle looks like a small spire...
s but these are no longer present.
Interior
Inside the church a continuous gallery curves round the north, west and south sides, which is supported by columns of cast iron which are encased in wood. This is a very early use of cast iron in a church. The organ is in the west gallery. The ceiling is coved with plain plaster panelling. The church contains box pewBox pew
Box pew is a type of church pew that is encased in panelling and was prevalent in England and other Protestant countries from the 16th to early 19th century.-History in England:...
s and a small 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...
font
Baptismal 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:...
. The stained glass in the east window is 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...
. There is glass in a window on the south side of the church by Morris & Co.
Morris & Co.
Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Co. and its successor Morris & Co. were furnishings and decorative arts manufacturers and retailers founded by the Pre-Raphaelite artist and designer William Morris...
On the south wall is a monument to Charles Roe in black and white marble dated 1784 by John Bacon. It is in low relief and carries a bust
Bust (sculpture)
A bust is a sculpted or cast representation of the upper part of the human figure, depicting a person's head and neck, as well as a variable portion of the chest and shoulders. The piece is normally supported by a plinth. These forms recreate the likeness of an individual...
of Roe, with images of the church, Roe's silk mill and his copper works. Also on the south wall is a monument to David Simpson. The three-manual
Manual (music)
A manual is a keyboard designed to be played with the hands on a pipe organ, harpsichord, clavichord, electronic organ, or synthesizer. The term "manual" is used with regard to any hand keyboard on these instruments to distinguish it from the pedalboard, which is a keyboard that the organist plays...
organ was made by Gray & Davison in 1875. The ring
Ring 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 ten bells which are still used regularly. Nine of these were cast in 1777 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...
. The other three are by John Taylor and Company; one of these is dated 1902, the other 1947.
The three-decker pulpit and choirstalls have been dismantled and put into storage. There are several items of carving from the "Macclesfield School of Carving" within the church. The most notable is a fine Edwardian reredos
Reredos
thumb|300px|right|An altar and reredos from [[St. Josaphat's Roman Catholic Church|St. Josaphat Catholic Church]] in [[Detroit]], [[Michigan]]. This would be called a [[retable]] in many other languages and countries....
altar screen. This was dis-assembled during a restoration program by over enthusiastic conservators to return the look of the Church to its Georgian original.