St Oswald's Church, Brereton
Encyclopedia
St Oswald's Church, Brereton is situated to the north of the village of Brereton Green, adjacent to Brereton Hall
, in the civil parish
of Brereton
, Cheshire
, England, on the banks of the River Croco. It has been designated by English Heritage
as a Grade II* listed building and is described as "an unusually complete late Perpendicular church". It is an active Anglican
parish church
in the diocese of Chester
, the archdeaconry of Macclesfield and the deanery of Congleton. Its benefice
is combined with those of Christ Church, Eaton, and St Michael, Hulme Walfield.
. At that time it was in the parish of Astbury
and it became a parish church
in the reign of Henry VIII
. The present church dates from around 1550 and it was restored in 1903.
. Its plan consists of a tower at the west end, a four-bay
nave
with a clerestory
, north and south aisle
s, and a two-bay chancel
. The tower is embraced by the west ends of the aisles. It is surmounted by a battlement
ed parapet
and crocket
ed pinnacle
s. There is no chancel arch, but the chancel roof is lower than that of the nave. The nave and aisle roofs have parapets while the chancel is embattled.
ed and panelled. The altar rails, which date from the 17th century, are "very ornamental". The altar table and the richly carved sanctuary chair are from the middle of the 17th century, and the octagonal font
dated is 1660. The stained glass in the east and west windows is by William Wailes
. The east window has five lights. In the sanctuary is a monument to William Brereton, who died in 1618, and in the south aisle is a monument to William Smethwick, who died in 1643, and his wife Frances, who died in 1632. The organ was rebuilt in 1974 by Reeves. The ring
consists of six bells. Three of these were cast in 1634 by Paul Hutton. Later bells were cast by Abel Rudhall
in 1739, Mears and Stainbank of the Whitechapel Bell Foundry
in 1905 and by John Taylor Bellfounders in 2003. The parish register
s begin in 1538.
of unusual design dating probably from the 18th century. It consists of a circular plinth
on a circular stone step which carries a battered cruciform
stem with an octagonal cap. The dial and gnomon
are copper. It is listed Grade II. At the churchyard gate is an 18th century mounting block
.
Brereton Hall
Brereton Hall is a country house to the north of the village of Brereton Green, adjacent to St Oswald's Church, in the civil parish of Brereton, Cheshire, England. It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade I listed building.-History:...
, in the civil parish
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
of Brereton
Brereton, Cheshire
Brereton is a civil parish, containing the hamlet of Brereton Green in the unitary authority of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. It also contains the hamlets of Brereton Heath and Smethwick Green. According to the 2001 census, the population of the entire civil parish...
, 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, on the banks of the River Croco. 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 described as "an unusually complete late Perpendicular church". 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. Its benefice
Benefice
A benefice is a reward received in exchange for services rendered and as a retainer for future services. The term is now almost obsolete.-Church of England:...
is combined with those of Christ Church, Eaton, and St Michael, Hulme Walfield.
History
A chapel was on the site of the church in the reign of Richard IRichard I of England
Richard I was King of England from 6 July 1189 until his death. He also ruled as Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Lord of Cyprus, Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Count of Nantes, and Overlord of Brittany at various times during the same period...
. At that time it was in the parish of Astbury
Astbury
Astbury is a surname and may refer to:*Andrew Astbury, English swimmer*Ian Astbury, English rock singer*William Astbury, English physicist and molecular biologist*David Astbury, Australian Rules footballerIt may also refer to:...
and it became a 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 reign of Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
. The present church dates from around 1550 and it was restored in 1903.
Exterior
The church is built in Perpendicular style in red sandstoneSandstone
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,...
. Its plan consists of a tower at the west end, a four-bay
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:...
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...
with a clerestory
Clerestory
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...
, north and south 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, and a two-bay 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 is embraced by the west ends of the aisles. It is surmounted by a battlement
Battlement
A battlement in defensive architecture, such as that of city walls or castles, comprises a parapet , in which portions have been cut out at intervals to allow the discharge of arrows or other missiles. These cut-out portions form crenels...
ed parapet
Parapet
A parapet is a wall-like barrier at the edge of a roof, terrace, balcony or other structure. Where extending above a roof, it may simply be the portion of an exterior wall that continues above the line of the roof surface, or may be a continuation of a vertical feature beneath the roof such as a...
and crocket
Crocket
A crocket is a hook-shaped decorative element common in Gothic architecture. It is in the form of a stylised carving of curled leaves, buds or flowers which is used at regular intervals to decorate the sloping edges of spires, finials, pinnacles, and wimpergs....
ed 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. There is no chancel arch, but the chancel roof is lower than that of the nave. The nave and aisle roofs have parapets while the chancel is embattled.
Interior
The roofs of the nave and chancel are camber beamCamber beam
In building, a camber beam is a piece of timber cut archwise, or with an obtuse angle in the middle, commonly used in platforms, as church leads, and other occasions where long and strong beams are required....
ed and panelled. The altar rails, which date from the 17th century, are "very ornamental". The altar table and the richly carved sanctuary chair are from the middle of the 17th century, and the octagonal 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:...
dated is 1660. The stained glass in the east and west windows 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...
. The east window has five lights. In the sanctuary is a monument to William Brereton, who died in 1618, and in the south aisle is a monument to William Smethwick, who died in 1643, and his wife Frances, who died in 1632. The organ was rebuilt in 1974 by Reeves. 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...
consists of six bells. Three of these were cast in 1634 by Paul Hutton. Later bells were cast by Abel Rudhall
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 1739, Mears and Stainbank of the Whitechapel Bell Foundry
Whitechapel Bell Foundry
The Whitechapel Bell Foundry is a bell foundry in Whitechapel in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, in the East End of London. The foundry is listed by the Guinness Book of Records as the oldest manufacturing company in Great Britain...
in 1905 and by John Taylor Bellfounders in 2003. 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 begin in 1538.
External features
In the churchyard is a stone sundialSundial
A sundial is a device that measures time by the position of the Sun. In common designs such as the horizontal sundial, the sun casts a shadow from its style onto a surface marked with lines indicating the hours of the day. The style is the time-telling edge of the gnomon, often a thin rod or a...
of unusual design dating probably from the 18th century. It consists of a circular plinth
Plinth
In architecture, a plinth is the base or platform upon which a column, pedestal, statue, monument or structure rests. Gottfried Semper's The Four Elements of Architecture posited that the plinth, the hearth, the roof, and the wall make up all of architectural theory. The plinth usually rests...
on a circular stone step which carries a battered cruciform
Cruciform
Cruciform means having the shape of a cross or Christian cross.- Cruciform architectural plan :This is a common description of Christian churches. In Early Christian, Byzantine and other Eastern Orthodox forms of church architecture this is more likely to mean a tetraconch plan, a Greek cross,...
stem with an octagonal cap. The dial and gnomon
Gnomon
The gnomon is the part of a sundial that casts the shadow. Gnomon is an ancient Greek word meaning "indicator", "one who discerns," or "that which reveals."It has come to be used for a variety of purposes in mathematics and other fields....
are copper. It is listed Grade II. At the churchyard gate is an 18th century mounting block
Mounting block
A mounting block, horse block, or in Scots a loupin'-on-stane is an assistance for mounting and dismounting a horse or cart, especially for the young, elderly or infirm. They were especially useful for women riding sidesaddle, allowing a horse to be mounted without a loss of modesty...
.