Church of the Holy Cross

Details

BIRKENHEAD

SJ28NE CHURCH LANE, Woodchurch 789-1/3/289 (West side) 29/07/50 Church of the Holy Cross

GV II*

Parish church. Original build of C12, enlarged in C14, C16, and again in C20. Coursed and squared stonework with Westmorland and Welsh slate roofs, and copper over most recent work. Nave with west tower, 2 aisles and chancel. Nave is the earliest part of the building, with south aisle and chancel added in C14, rebuilt in C16. Tower refaced in later C17, but largely C14. Two stages, the first stage very high. Massive stepped angle buttresses to SW and NW added in 1675 (dated). Square stair turret to SE. 3-light Decorated window to bellchamber with clock below. Embattled parapet with some head corbels below. Gabled south porch added in C16: 4-centred archway in squared architrave with paired shafts on high bases. Niche for statue over doorway. 4-centred arched inner doorway in incised architrave. Shallow piscina to east of doorway. Stained glass fragments in east and west windows. Buttresses divide the aisle into bays: 4 windows, one to west of porch. C16, square-headed, with transoms and segmentally arched lights in two windows, the others with reticulated tracery. 4-light window in east wall of aisle. South wall faced with well coursed and squared stone work, but the fabric of the original C14 aisle visible in east and west walls. Long chancel with coursed and squared white stone facing. Doorway towards east and one 3-light square headed Perpendicular window. Small single-light windows north and south of east end. Chancel east wall refaced 1780 in well coursed and squared white stonework, inscribed in gable, "November ye 3 Work done by Samuel Hasel 1780". Possibly the entire chancel was refaced at this time. 3-light Perpendicular window possibly recut. North aisle added in 1964-5 by Hubert Worthington. Coursed and squared red and white rubble. Square chamfered west door and stepped segmentally-arched lights above. 4 north windows echo those of south aisle, square-headed with round-arched lights. Vestry added in NE angle, possibly incorporating some earlier fabric. Interior: 4-bay C14 arcade with double chamfered arches carried on octagonal shafts with simply moulded capitals. Stone dated 1584 inset over one arch may possibly date the C16 work on the church. Curved principal roof trusses with cusped wind braces. Small piscina towards east. Arcade to north of 1964-5: Rectangular chamfered columns carry square headed arches. Doorway with simple chamfered jambs re-set in east wall. Semi-hexagonal responds to double-chamfered chancel arch with rosettes in the capitals. Chancel roof has curved principal roof trusses with curved struts over collar, and curved wind-braces grouped to form a series of circles. Chancel screen of 1934 by Bernard A. Miller, with carving designed and executed by Alan Durst. Tall posts with low relief elongated angels figures carry lintel with low reliefs of Sacraments to west, and an altar flanked by stars and angels to the east. C15 octagonal font with traceried panels carried on angel heads over square chamfered base. Painted wood war memorial triptych with gilded lettering and crucifix in canopied niche on north wall. Perpendicular bench ends incorporated into later stalls in chancel: traceried panels and poppy heads, some worked as two-headed pelican and tumblers. Wheel-head from cross incorporated into wall above chancel north window. Stained glass: series of Flemish vignettes in chancel east window, with small crucifixion added to east window (possibly by Kempe). Flemish roundels in north window over foliate ground which matches that to south which has a representation of the Pentecost (possibly by Kempe). Larger chancel south window has figures of Christ with saints Helen and Oswald, symbolising the holy cross. Small vignettes and emblems in east window of south aisle, dated 1844. Marble memorial on south wall of chancel to Margaret Hughes, 1802, by W.Spence of Liverpool. Plain panelled oak pews throughout.

Listing NGR: SJ2757586844

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

389154

Legacy System:

LBS

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