St James' Church is in the village of Gawsworth, Cheshire, England, and is sited near Gawsworth Hall. It is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade I listed building.[1] It is an active Anglican parish church in the diocese of Chester, the archdeaconry of Macclesfield and the deanery of Macclesfield.[2] Clifton-Taylor includes it in his list of 'best' English parish churches.[3] The authors of the Buildings of England series describe the church as being "pretty, but odd".[4]
History
There is a record of a chapel on the site in the 13th century but the present building dates from the 15th century.[5]
Architecture
Exterior
The church is constructed in yellow and red ashlar sandstone with stone roofs.[1] The nave is the oldest part, dating from about 1430, the tower and chancel being built some 40 years later. The church is entirely Perpendicular in style.[5] The plan of the church consists of a tower at the west end, a wide three-bay nave without aisles, a south porch and a chancel divided from the nave by a screen.[6] The tower has angular buttresses with niches which used to contain statues. It also has gargoyles, eight pinnacles, the coats of arms of Cheshire families, and Tudor badges. The porch also has niches over the doorway.[5] The nave and chancel are embattled with pinnacles.[4]
Interior
The rafter beam ceiling of the nave dates from the 15th century and the camber beam chancel ceiling, which is panelled, dates from slightly later.[7] The chancel screen is dated 1894. The octagonal 16th-century font sits on a 19th-century stem with a wooden cover.[1] At the east end of the chancel is a sanctus cot and bell. In the 19th century most of the old stained glass was removed, although fragments remain in the chancel windows.[5][8] The stained glass in the east window is by William Wailes.[4]
In the chancel are four tombs of members of the Fitton (Fytton) family. The oldest is an altar tomb to Francis Fytton dated 1608. On the top of the tomb is his recumbent bearded effigy and beneath him is a skeleton. Opposite is the monument to Dame Alice Fitton who died around 1626. In front of her seated effigy are effigies of her two sons kneeling, and behind her are figures of her two daughters, also kneeling. Adjacent is the tomb of Sir Edward Fitton, 1st baronet, and his wife Anne, who died in 1619 and 1644 respectively. In front of the tomb are the keeling figures of their three sons and seven daughters. One of the daughters was Mary, a maid of honour to Queen Elizabeth I and a candidate for the "Dark Lady" of Shakespeare's sonnets. The fourth tomb is to the memory of Sir Edward Fitton, 2nd baronet, who died in 1643, and his first wife Jane.[5]
The two-manual organ was built by Nicholson and Lord of Walsall in 1895, obscuring the southwest window. In 1917 it was enlarged by Hayter and Son of Letchworth, obscuring the west window. In 1961 the organ was rebuilt and divided by Cyril Wood of Ashton-under-Lyne to reveal the west window.[9] There is a ring of eight bells. Six of these were cast at the Whitechapel Bell Foundry, one by Charles and George Mears in 1856, the other five by Mears and Stainbank in 1890. The other two bells were cast by John Taylor and Company in 1907.[10] The parish registers date from 1557.[5]
External features
A pair of 18th-century gate piers at the entrance of the churchyard are listed Grade II. On their fronts are carvings of skull and crossbones.[11]
In the churchyard is a 15th or 16th-century cross base in sandstone ashlar. It consists of a square cross base and an octagonal shaft on a stepped plinth. A 20th-century wooden circular cross has been set on the shaft.[12]
The churchyard contains three war graves, of two British soldiers of World War I and one of World War II.[13]
See also
References
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External links
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Churches in Cheshire
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- 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
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