St John the Evangelist's Church, Ashton Hayes

St John the Evangelist's Church is located to the north of the village of Ashton Hayes, Cheshire, England. It is an active Anglican parish church in the diocese of Chester, the archdeaconry of Chester and the deanery of Chester.[1] The church is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II listed building.[2]

St John the Evangelist's Church,
Ashton Hayes
St John the Evangelist's Church, Ashton Hayes,
from the south
St John the Evangelist's Church, Ashton Hayes is located in Cheshire
St John the Evangelist's Church, Ashton Hayes
St John the Evangelist's Church,
Ashton Hayes
Location in Cheshire
53°13′23″N 2°44′23″W / 53.2230°N 2.7397°W / 53.2230; -2.7397
OS grid referenceSJ 507,698
LocationAshton Hayes,
Cheshire
CountryEngland
DenominationAnglican
WebsiteSt John, Ashton Hayes
History
StatusParish church
DedicationJohn the Evangelist
Architecture
Functional statusActive
Heritage designationGrade II
Designated8 November 1985
Architect(s)1849 E. H. Shellard
1900 Douglas and Minshull
1932 Theodore Fyfe
Architectural typeChurch
StyleGothic Revival
Groundbreaking1849
Completed1932
Specifications
MaterialsBuff sandstone
Lakeland green slate roof
Administration
ProvinceYork
DioceseChester
ArchdeaconryChester
DeaneryChester
ParishSt John the Evangelist,
Ashton Hayes
Clergy
Vicar(s)Revd Dr Phil Weston
Laity
Reader(s)Alan Dowen,
Philip Goodall
Organist(s)Yvonne Dowen
Churchwarden(s)Alan Goodall,
Hilary Clegg
Parish administratorBarbara Russell-Moore

History edit

Originally part of the parish of Tarvin, St John's became a separate parish in 1849.[3] In that year the church was built to a design by E. H. Shellard of Manchester at the expense of William Atkinson. A vestry was added and the chancel was altered in 1900 by Douglas and Minshull, and in 1932 a north chapel by Theodore Fyfe was added.[2]

Architecture edit

Exterior edit

The church is built in ashlar buff sandstone and has a Lakeland green slate roof. Its plan consists of a four-bay nave and a two-bay chancel, a north aisle with a chapel at its east end, a south porch and a vestry. At the west end is a tower with a spire. The tower is in three stages on a plinth, with diagonal buttresses, plain bands at each floor, and an embattled parapet. A stair turret projects at the northeast corner. On the west side of the tower is a three-light window. A clock is in the second stage and above this are three-light louvred bell openings. The spire is recessed with lucarnes.[2]

Interior edit

The interior is simple with a four-bay arcade to the north. The chancel has a painted roof. The chapel has a flattened apsidal end and its ceiling is barrel vaulted. The pulpit is in Art Nouveau style.[2] In the church is a monument to William Atkinson who died in 1883. The windows contain stained glass bay A. K. Nicholson.[4] The organ is in the west gallery and was built by Charles Whiteley and Company.[5]

External features edit

The churchyard contains a war grave memorial erected by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission to a Cheshire Regiment soldier of World War II.[6]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ St John the Evangelist, Ashton Hayes, Church of England, retrieved 15 September 2011
  2. ^ a b c d Historic England, "Church of St John Evangelist, Ashton Hayes (1330310)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 27 March 2012
  3. ^ Ashton, GenukiUK, retrieved 16 March 2008
  4. ^ Hartwell, Clare; Hyde, Matthew; Hubbard, Edward; Pevsner, Nikolaus (2011) [1971], Cheshire, The Buildings of England, New Haven and London: Yale University Press, p. 108, ISBN 978-0-300-17043-6
  5. ^ "NPOR [J00116]", National Pipe Organ Register, British Institute of Organ Studies, retrieved 29 June 2020
  6. ^ ROBERTS, GEORGE, Commonwealth War Graves Commission, retrieved 2 February 2013