Anglican church in the diocese of Chester, the archdeaconry of Chester and the deanery of Great Budworth.[2][3]
History
The church is Norman in origin, built probably in the earlier part of the 12th century and completed about 1120. This was a small and simple church, consisting of a nave, chancel and, possibly, an apse.[4] The foundations of this church were discovered during the 1873–74 restoration.[5]
A chantry chapel was added by the Boydell family in 1334 in a position where the south aisle now stands. From 1529 the church was largely rebuilt in local sandstone. The old church was demolished and a new nave, chancel, north aisle and a west tower were built. In 1539 the south aisle was added, which incorporated the Boydell chapel.[5] The south porch was added in 1641 and at this time the west wall was strengthened.[4] In 1833 the roof of the nave was raised to form a clerestory and in the 1850s the south aisle was further extended, and a vestry was built.[5] There was a more substantial restoration in 1873–74 by the Lancaster architects Paley and Austin, which included the provision of new floors and roofs, at a cost of about £4,000.[5][6]
Architecture
Exterior
The church is built in red
Tudor west door, and a four-light west window. It has diagonal west buttresses and square east buttresses. In the middle stage are small windows, above which are clock faces and bell openings. On the summit is a crenellatedparapet.[1] The tower is about 76 feet (23 m) high.[4] The chancel east window is in Perpendicular style.[7] The east window in the north aisle (formerly in the chancel) has five lights. The clerestory windows are paired and round-arched.[1] Included in the internal fabric of the wall of the south aisle is a remnant of a Normancorbel table decorated with crudely carved human heads.[8]
Interior
Built into the east wall of the north aisle are a
Norman era, or earlier, and was rediscovered in March 1873 during the restoration of the church.[4][8]
A window in the south aisle includes 14th-century glass which was rearranged in 1834 and depicts seven saints. Other windows in the aisle were made by Meyer of Munich. There are fragments of medieval glass elsewhere in the church.
On the outside of the church, immediately below the west window, is a carving of a cat and it is suggested that this might be the origin of the
Cheshire cat.[5] A sundial in the churchyard is dated 1714 and is listed at Grade II.[12] At set of stocks at the entrance to the churchyard, also listed at Grade II, have endstones probably dating from the 17th century.[13] The churchyard also contains five war graves of British service personnel, two from World War I and three from World War II.[14]
Live at St Wilfrid's
A series of concerts of classical music entitled Live at St Wilfrid's is hosted by the church, and includes performances by both young artists and by performers with international reputations.[15]