Church in Cheshire, England
The Church of St Mary the Virgin is in Leek Road, Bosley , Cheshire , England. It is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II* listed building .[ 1] It is an active Anglican parish church in the diocese of Chester , the archdeaconry of Macclesfield, and the deanery of Macclesfield. Its benefice is combined with those of St Michael, North Rode , St Michael, Wincle , and St Saviour, Wildboarclough .[ 2]
This church was initially a chapel of ease to the parish church of Prestbury and was dedicated to Saint Thomas the Martyr . Later the dedication was changed to Saint Lawrence , and later again to Saint Mary the Virgin . In response to a petition by the parishioners a papal bull was issued by Pope Boniface IX in 1402 granting the church greater independence.[ 3]
The church was originally a timber-framed church with a stone tower.[ 3] The red sandstone tower dates from about 1500.[ 1] In 1777 the church, apart from the tower, was rebuilt in brick.[ 3] A chancel designed by James Green was added in 1834.[ 1] In 1878–79 new bells were installed, the tower was raised by 6 feet (2 m), and some of the original medieval stonework was removed.[ 3]
The tower is built of red sandstone , the nave and chancel of brick, with roofs of large grey slates . The tower has three stages with a 19th-century west door in a medieval arch, above which is a window with two lights. The top of the tower is battlemented . The plan of the body of the church consists of a four-bay nave and a one-bay chancel, and a lean-to vestry to the north of the tower.[ 1] The tower is in Perpendicular style. The nave windows are wide and slightly pointed; those in the chancel are lancets .[ 4]
In the church is a late 18th-century altar table, a 17th-century oak pulpit , sanctuary chairs from the same period, and a parish chest dating probably from the 16th century.[ 3] The organ is dated 1879 and the stone font is also from the 19th century.[ 1] In the church is a monument to John Willans Newell, a railway engineer, who died in 1851. This includes a female figure, a sarcophagus , an urn, and an amphora containing flowers. The stained glass in the east window and in two of the side windows dates from the 1960s, and is by Harcourt M. Doyle.[ 4] There is a ring of six bells, the oldest bell by George Oldfield I being dated 1663. Two bells dated 1756 are by Rudhall of Gloucester and another two bells, dated 1927 and 1934 are by Gillett & Johnston . The maker of the sixth bell has not been identified.[ 5] The parish registers begin in 1728.[ 3]
In the church yard is a sundial (with the gnomon missing) dating probably from the early 19th century. It consists of a copper dial on a short tapered square gritstone shaft with a square head standing on a weathered red sandstone base. Churchwardens ' initials are engraved on the dial. It is listed at Grade II.[ 6] The churchyard contains the war grave of a First World War Canadian soldier .[ 7]
^ a b c d e Historic England , "Church of St Mary the Virgin, Bosley (1138907)" , National Heritage List for England , retrieved 30 March 2012 ^ St Mary the Virgin, Bosley , Church of England , retrieved 2 October 2009 ^ a b c d e f Richards, Raymond (1947), Old Cheshire Churches , London: Batsford, pp. 63–64 ^ a b Hartwell, Clare; Hyde, Matthew; Hubbard, Edward ; Pevsner, Nikolaus (2011) [1971], Cheshire , The Buildings of England, New Haven and London: Yale University Press , p. 167, ISBN 978-0-300-17043-6 ^ Bosley S Mary , Dove's Guide for Church Bell Ringers , retrieved 9 August 2008 ^ Historic England, "Sundial and shaft south of nave of in St Mary the Virgin churchyard, Bosley (1138908)" , National Heritage List for England , retrieved 30 March 2012 ^ BARNES, W , Commonwealth War Graves Commission , retrieved 3 February 2013
Churches in Cheshire
St Mary's Church, Acton Alderley Edge Methodist Church St Philip's Church, Alderley Edge St John the Baptist's Church, Aldford Christ Church, Alsager St Mary Magdalene's Church, Alsager St John the Evangelist's Church, Alvanley St Mark's Church, Antrobus St Cross Church, Appleton Thorn St Elizabeth's Church, Ashley St John the Evangelist's Church, Ashton Hayes St Mary's Church, Astbury St Peter's Church, Aston-by-Sutton Audlem Baptist Church St James' Church, Audlem St Oswald's Church, Backford St Michael's Church, Baddiley Christ Church, Barnton St Bartholomew's Church, Barrow St Bertoline's Church, Barthomley Holy Trinity Church, Bickerton St Wenefrede's Church, Bickley Bollington Methodist Church St John the Baptist's Church, Bollington St Oswald's Church, Bollington Church of St Mary the Virgin, Bosley St Paul's Church, Boughton St Oswald's Church, Brereton Brown Knowl Methodist Church St Mary's Church, Bruera St Boniface's Church, Bunbury St Mary's and St Michael's Church, Burleydam St Nicholas' Church, Burton St John's Church, Burwardsley St John the Evangelist's Church, Byley Holy Trinity Church, Capenhurst Holy Trinity Chapel, Capesthorne St John the Evangelist's Church, Chelford English Presbyterian Church of Wales, Chester Chester Cathedral Christ Church, Chester Holy Trinity Church, Chester Northgate Church, Chester St Andrew's Church, Chester St Francis' Church, Chester St John the Baptist's Church, Chester St Peter's Church, Chester Church of St Mary-on-the-Hill, Chester St Michael's Church, Chester St Nicholas' Chapel, Chester St Olave's Church, Chester St Thomas of Canterbury Church, Chester St Werburgh's Church, Chester Welsh Presbyterian Church, Chester Zion Chapel, Chester St Nicholas' Chapel, Cholmondeley St James' Church, Christleton All Saints Church, Church Lawton St Bartholomew's Church, Church Minshull St Mary's Church, Coddington St Mary's Church, Congleton St Peter's Church, Congleton St Michael's Church, Coppenhall St John's Church, Cotebrook St Barnabas' Church, Crewe St Mary's Church, Crewe St Peter's Church, Crewe Union Street Baptist Church, Crewe St Michael and All Angels Church, Crewe Green Christ Church, Croft Christ Church, Crowton All Saints' Church, Daresbury St Wilfrid's Church, Davenham St Peter's Church, Delamere St Mary's Church, Disley St Michael's Church, Ditton St John's Church, Doddington St Mary's Church, Dodleston St Luke's Church, Dunham on the Hill Christ Church, Eaton St Mary's Church, Eccleston Christ Church, Ellesmere Port St Chad's Church, Farndon St Luke's Church, Farnworth Forest Chapel St Laurence's Church, Frodsham St James' Church, Gawsworth St Wilfrid's Church, Grappenhall St Luke's Church, Goostrey St Mary and All Saints' Church, Great Budworth All Saints Church, Great Saughall Baptist Chapel, Great Warford St John the Baptist's Church, Guilden Sutton St Mary's Church, Hale St Mary's Church, Halton St Mary's Church, Handbridge All Saints Church, Handley St Peter's Church, Hargrave St John's Church, Hartford All Saints Church, Harthill St Matthew's Church, Haslington St Philip's Church, Hassall Green St Paul's Church, Helsby St Thomas' Church, Henbury St John's Church, High Legh St Mary's Chapel, High Legh St Luke's Church, Holmes Chapel Church of St Mary of the Angels, Hooton St Michael's Church, Hulme Walfield Holy Trinity Church, Hurdsfield St James' Church, Ince St Philip's Church, Kelsall St John the Evangelist's Church, Kingsley Brook Street Chapel, Knutsford St Cross Church, Knutsford St John the Baptist's Church, Knutsford St Peter's Church, Little Budworth St Michael and All Angels Church, Little Leigh St Oswald's Church, Lower Peover St Luke's Church, Lower Whitley Lymm Baptist Church St Mary's Church, Lymm King Edward Street Chapel, Macclesfield St Alban's Church, Macclesfield St George's Church, Macclesfield St Michael's Church, Macclesfield St Paul's Church, Macclesfield St Peter's Church, Macclesfield Macclesfield United Reformed Church St Oswald's Church, Malpas St Michael's Church, Marbury St James' and St Paul's Church, Marton St Michael and All Angels, Middlewich St Peter's Church, Minshull Vernon Minshull Vernon United Reformed Church St Wilfrid's Church, Mobberley St Stephen's Church, Moulton St Mary's Church, Nantwich St Mary's and St Helen's Church, Neston St Mary's Church, Nether Alderley St John the Evangelist's Church, Norley St Michael's Church, North Rode Holy Trinity Church, Northwich St Helen Witton Church, Northwich St Luke's Church, Oakhanger St Peter's Church, Oughtrington St Catherine's Church, Over Alderley St Lawrence's Church, Over Peover St Paul's Church, Over Tabley St Chad's Church, Over Over United Reformed Church St Thomas' Church, Parkgate St Peter's Church, Plemstall Poole Methodist Chapel St Christopher's Church, Pott Shrigley St George's Church, Poynton St Peter's Church, Prestbury St Mary's Church, Pulford Holy Trinity Church, Rainow St Mary's Church, Rostherne All Saints' Church, Runcorn Holy Trinity Church, Runcorn Jenkin Chapel St Mary's Church, Sandbach Sandbach Methodist Church St John the Evangelist's Church, Sandbach Heath St John the Evangelist's Church, Sandiway All Saints Church, Scholar Green St Edith's Church, Shocklach St Michael's Church, Shotwick All Saints Church, Siddington St John the Baptist's Church, Smallwood All Saints Chapel, Somerford St Lawrence's Church, Stoak St Thomas' Church, Stockton Heath St Matthew's Church, Stretton St Peter's Church, Swettenham St Peter's Church, Tabley St Helen's Church, Tarporley St Andrew's Church, Tarvin St Alban's Church, Tattenhall All Saints Church, Thelwall St Mary's Church, Thornton-le-Moors St John's Church, Threapwood St Mary's Church, Tilston St Jude's Church, Tilstone Fearnall St John the Evangelist's Church, Toft St Chad's Chapel, Tushingham St Chad's Church, Tushingham Holy Ascension Church, Upton-by-Chester St Leonard's Church, Warmingham Holy Trinity Church, Warrington St Alban's Church, Warrington St Elphin's Church, Warrington St John the Evangelist's Church, Warrington St Mary's Church, Warrington St Peter's Church, Waverton Methodist Church, Weaverham St Mary's Church, Weaverham Wesley Methodist Church, Chester All Saints' Church, Weston, Cheshire St John the Evangelist's Church, Weston Christ Church, Wheelock St Mary's Church, Whitegate St Ambrose Church, Widnes St Bede's Church, Widnes St Marie's Church, Widnes St Mary's Church, Widnes St Saviour's Church, Wildboarclough Christ Church, Willaston Dean Row Chapel, Wilmslow St Bartholomew's Church, Wilmslow St Michael's Church, Wincle St John the Evangelist's Church, Winsford St Oswald's Church, Winwick Church of St Mary the Virgin, Wistaston St Oswald's Church, Worleston St Margaret's Church, Wrenbury