St Hilary's Church, Wallasey
St Hilary's Church, Wallasey | ||
---|---|---|
Style Gothic, Gothic Revival | | |
Specifications | ||
Materials | Stone, slate roofs Separate tower in stone | |
Administration | ||
Synod | Caroline Houghton Ann Hughes | |
Province | York | |
Diocese | Chester | |
Archdeaconry | Chester | |
Deanery | Wallasey | |
Parish | Wallasey | |
Clergy | ||
Rector | Revd Alan William Ward | |
Minister(s) | Revd Richard Avery | |
Laity | ||
Reader(s) | Valerie Sparks Licensed Pastoral Worker: Caroline Houghton | |
Director of music | Paul Jackson | |
Churchwarden(s) | Jimmy Houghton Ann Hughes |
St Hilary's Church is in the town of
History
The present building is believed to be the sixth church on the site.
This structure was accidentally burnt down in 1857, reputedly because the sexton over-stoked the heating boiler, and bacon being cured in the boilerhouse began to drip fat, causing the old prayer mats beneath them to catch fire. Because Wallasey had no fire service, a messenger had to be dispatched to Birkenhead, and by the time the fire brigade arrived the structure was beyond saving.[6] The church was rebuilt as a separate building in 1858–59, leaving the tower as a freestanding edifice. The architects of the present church were W. and J. Hay.[7]
Architecture
Exterior
The church is built in stone with a slate roof. Its plan consists of a nave with clerestory, north and south aisles under lean-to roofs, a crossing tower with transepts, and a chancel with a north vestry and a south chapel.[1]
The separate tower is built in stone and its lower parts date from the 13th century. It is in three stages with diagonal buttresses. On the north and east faces are blocked arches. The louvred bell openings have three lights and at the top is an embattled parapet with gargoyles.[2]
Interior
The roof is arch-braced in type. In the chancel is a two-bay organ loft to the north and a two-bay chapel
The organ was built in 1861 by Henry Willis to the design of W. T. Best, who was organist at that time, with two manuals. Around 1903 the instrument was entirely reconstructed as a three-manual organ of 39 stops and 15 couplers, designed by Dr James Lyon, who was organist at the time. The work was carried out by W. Johnson of Birkenhead. In 1924 the organ was moved to the north choir aisle above the vestry. The rebuilt organ was designed by George Dixon and built by Rushworth and Dreaper.[9]
External features
The churchyard contains the war grave of a World War II Royal Air Force officer.[10]
See also
References
- ^ a b c Historic England, "Church of St Hilary, Wallasey (1242754)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 26 September 2011
- ^ a b Historic England, "Tower to former Church of St Hilary to south west of present church, Wallasey (1259875)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 26 September 2011
- ^ St Hilary, Wallasey, Church of England, retrieved 26 September 2011
- ^ History, St Hilary's Church, Wallasey, 2008, archived from the original on 24 April 2008, retrieved 7 October 2009
- ^ a b Richards, Raymond (1947), Old Cheshire Churches, London: Batsford, pp. 334–338
- ISBN 0-9517762-4-X
- ISBN 1-871731-23-2
- ^ Wallasey S Helen, Dove's Guide for Church Bell Ringers, retrieved 11 August 2008
- ^ Rhodes, Julian (1999), "St. Hilary, Wallasey, Merseyside", The George Dixon Archive, retrieved 20 December 2007
- ^ MUTTER, JAMES GORDON, Commonwealth War Graves Commission, retrieved 4 February 2013
Further reading
- Budden, Charles W. (1922). Rambles round the old churches of Wirral. Liverpool: Edward Howell Ltd.