St. Bartholomew's Church, Thurstaston

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St Bartholomew's Church, Thurstaston

St Bartholomew's Church, Thurstaston
St. Bartholomew's Church, Thurstaston (Merseyside)
St. Bartholomew's Church, Thurstaston
Shown within Merseyside
Basic information
Location Thurstaston, Wirral,
Merseyside, England
Geographic coordinates 53°20′55″N 3°07′50″W / 53.3486, -3.1305Coordinates: 53°20′55″N 3°07′50″W / 53.3486, -3.1305
Religious affiliation Anglican
District Diocese of Chester
Year consecrated 1886
Ecclesiastical status Parish church
Website St Bartholomew's, Thurstaston
Architectural description
Architect(s) John Loughborough Pearson
Architectural type Church
Year completed 1885
Specifications
Materials Red sandstone with a tiled roof

St Bartholomew's Church, Thurstaston is in the village of Thurstaston, Wirral, Merseyside, England (grid reference SJ247841). It is a Grade II listed building.[1] It is an active parish church.[2]

Contents

[edit] History

The earliest mention of a church on the site is around 1125 although other evidence suggests that a church was present in Anglo-Saxon times. In 1724 the Norman church was described as being a "mean building extremely small, low and dark". This church was taken down in 1820 and a new church completed in 1824. This church was in turn dismantled although its tower still stands. The new church was designed by John Loughborough Pearson and consecrated in 1886. A lychgate was erected in memory of Thomas Henry Ismay of Dawpool in 1900.[3]

[edit] Structure

The church is built in red sandstone with a tiled roof. Its plan consists of a three-bay nave, a chancel divided into a choir and a sanctuary, and a south vestry. Above the choir is a tower with a spire. The west end has angle buttresses and a tall three-light window. On the north and south sides of the nave are three three-light windows. On the north side of the tower are gabled buttresses flanking a three-light window. The bell stage has louvred paired bell openings. Above this is a cornice, simple pinnacles at the corners and a broach spire with louvred lucarnes. To the southwest of the tower is a round turret with a conical roof. The east window has five lights.[1]

[edit] Fittings and furnishings

Pevsner describes the interior as "superb", particularly in the way that the visitor experiences "increasing richness" when "progressing eastwards".[4] There are arches at the entrance to the chancel and the sanctuary.[1] The reredos is in alabaster and depicts a relief of the Resurrection which is surrounded by angels in niches.[5] The pulpit is in alabaster and has pierced panels. The font is octagonal, made of Mexican onyx on Blue John shafts and coloured marble steps. A sedilia is on the south wall of the chancel. Also in the church is a dole cupboard dated 1723.[1] The organ case is dated 1905, designed by R. Norman Shaw with panels painted by Robert Christie. Some of the stained glass is by Clayton and Bell.[4] Above the door are the arms of Queen Anne.[6] On the wall at the west end of the church are white marble tablets commemorating members of the Whitmore and Glegg families.[3] The church plate includes a chalice dated 1706 and a paten from 1707.[4]

[edit] Exterior features

Near the church is the tower of the previous church which is dated 1824. It is built in three stages with an embattled parapet and is a Grade II listed building.[7] In the churchyard is a stone sundial dated 1844 which is also listed Grade II.[8] Also in the churchyard is a 17th century stone font with an octagonal bowl and a rounded stem, and the ancient stone coffin lid of a child.[9]

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ a b c d Images of England: Church of St Bartholomew, Thurstaston. English Heritage. Retrieved on 2008-01-27.
  2. ^ Welcome. St Bartholomew, Thurstaston with St Chad, Irby. Retrieved on 2008-01-27.
  3. ^ a b Turner, Richard. The History of the Churches. St Bartholomew, Thurstaston with St Chad, Irby. Retrieved on 2008-01-27.
  4. ^ a b c Pevsner, Nikolaus; Edward Hubbard [1971] (2003). The Buildings of England: Cheshire. New Haven: Yale University Press, 361–362. ISBN 0 300 09588 0. 
  5. ^ Turner, Richard. The History of the Churches: Reredos. St Bartholomew, Thurstaston with St Chad, Irby. Retrieved on 2008-01-28.
  6. ^ Turner, Richard. The History of the Churches: Hatchment. St Bartholomew, Thurstaston with St Chad, Irby. Retrieved on 2008-01-28.
  7. ^ Images of England: Tower of former church. English Heritage. Retrieved on 2008-01-28.
  8. ^ Images of England: Sundial. English Heritage. Retrieved on 2008-01-28.
  9. ^ Morant, Roland W. (1989). Cheshire Churches. Birkenhead: Countyvise, 182–183. ISBN 0 907768 18 0.