St Peter's Church, Aston-by-Sutton

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St Peter's Church, Aston-by-Sutton
St Peter's Church, Aston-by-Sutton (Cheshire)
St Peter's Church, Aston-by-Sutton
Shown within Cheshire
Basic information
Location Aston, Cheshire, England
Geographic coordinates 53°18′07″N 2°40′02″W / 53.3018, -2.6671Coordinates: 53°18′07″N 2°40′02″W / 53.3018, -2.6671
Religious affiliation Anglican
District Diocese of Chester
Ecclesiastical status Parish church
Architectural description
Architect(s) John Vanbrugh
Architectural type Church
Specifications
Materials Sandstone, roof of grey slate tiles

St Peter's Church, Aston-by-Sutton is in Aston Lane in the small hamlet of Aston, Vale Royal, Cheshire near to the town of Runcorn (grid reference SJ555785). It is a Grade I listed building. The listing describes it as "a most pleasing late 17th to early 18th century church, inside and out".[1]

Contents

[edit] History

The first religious building in the hamlet was a chapel of ease in the parish of Runcorn built in 1236 by Sir Thomas de Dutton which was known as the chapel of Poosey (or Pooseye). Towards the end of the 13th century the bishop of Lichfield (in whose diocese the chapel then was) received a complaint and he gave orders that a chaplain and a lamp should be provided by the prior of Norton Priory. The chapel remained in use until a domestic chapel was built at Dutton Hall and Poosey chapel fell into decay and became a ruin.[2]

A new chapel was built in the 1520s by Thomas Dutton and his wife.[3] This chapel was damaged in the Civil War.[4] Following this the present chancel was built in 1697 for Sir Willoughby Aston, the architect possibly being John Vanbrugh.[3] The nave was reconstructed between 1736 and 1740.[4]

The church was badly damaged by a land mine in November 1940[5] and was restored in 1951.[3] In 2004 it received a grant of £35,000 under the Repair Grants for Places of Worship scheme.[6]

[edit] Structure

The church is built in sandstone with a roof of grey slate tiles. The four-bay nave has a cupola belfry to the west and north and south porches. The cupola has a circular window with a clock above it. The three-bay chancel is narrower than the nave. There is a circular east window with a niche on either side.[1]

[edit] Fittings and furniture

The former choir gallery is now occupied by an organ which was installed in 1908. The pews are of oak, as is the pulpit which probably dates from the 17th century. The altar table also dates from the 17th century. The ceiling is plastered with an oval-ended central panel. In the chancel are tablets to members of the Aston family dated between 1635 and 1839. In the nave is a plaque to the memory of one of the Aston's stewards and some 19th century tablets.[1] The church plate includes a gilt chalice dating from around 1370 and a paten, probably of the same date.[7]

[edit] External features

Two portions of the sandstone churchyard wall dating probably from the late 17th century and the lych gate dated 1908 are listed Grade II.[8][9] In the churchyard is a former red sandstone font dating probably from the early 17th century which is listed Grade II.[10] Also listed Grade II are table tombs to William and Mary Okell, dated 1837,[11] Mary Fletcher, dated 1776,[12] Roll Okell and others, dated 1775.[13]

[edit] References

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ a b c Images of England: Church of St Peter, Aston by Sutton. English Heritage. Retrieved on 2007-07-16.
  2. ^ Starkey, p13
  3. ^ a b c Salter, Mark (1995). The Old Parish Churches of Cheshire. Malvern: Folly Publications, 19. ISBN 1871731232. 
  4. ^ a b Starkey, p60
  5. ^ Starkey, p220
  6. ^ BBC report, accessed 16 July 2007
  7. ^ Pevsner, Nikolaus; Edward Hubbard [1971] (2003). The Buildings of England: Cheshire. New Haven: Yale University Press, 67–68. ISBN 0 300 09588 0. 
  8. ^ Images of England: Churchyard wall and lych gate. English Heritage. Retrieved on 2007-12-12.
  9. ^ Images of England: Churchyard wall. English Heritage. Retrieved on 2007-12-12.
  10. ^ Images of England: Former font. English Heritage. Retrieved on 2007-12-12.
  11. ^ Images of England: Table tomb. English Heritage. Retrieved on 2007-12-12.
  12. ^ Images of England: Table tomb. English Heritage. Retrieved on 2007-12-12.
  13. ^ Images of England: Table tomb. English Heritage. Retrieved on 2007-12-12.

[edit] Bibliography

  • Starkey, H. F. (1990). Old Runcorn. Halton: Halton Borough Council.