Church of St Helen, Tarporley, Cheshire West and Chester

Description

SJ 56 SE TARPORLEY C.P. (Off) HIGH STREET

1/69 Church of St Helen

3.1.67

GV II*

Church. C15 with extensive C19 additions and alterations by
Crowther of Manchester, repaired 1931-2 by Percy Worthington. Red
sandstone ashlar with a slate roof. South western tower of 3 stages,
aisled nave, chancel. North-eastern and south-eastern chapels,
western vestry and south-western baptistry. The C19 refacing of the
body of the church - nave, chancel and tower are all Decorated. Only
the north-eastern and south-eastern chapels retain Perpendicular
features. Tower has angle buttresses with offsets to all faces and
string courses between all the stages. South front: gabled
projecting porch to right with hollow-chamfered pointed arch with
hood-mould and cross to apex of gable which has a moulded coping. Oak
double doors inside with E-shaped hinges of wrought iron with floral
decoration. Diagonal staircase turret set in angle between buttresses
and body of tower at left. Lancet to second stage with hood-mould and
label stops. Two-light louvred belfry opening above with cusped
fenestration and trefoils to apex with hood-mould continuing around
the tower as a band. Corbel table above this supporting parapet with
gargoyles to the corners and blind encircled quatrefoils to the
parapet. Pyramidal spire above. The tower adjoins the church to the
east and north at the level of the lower stage. The upper 2 stages
are similar to the southern face however. The western face has a
canted bapistry before the lower walling of 1931-2 by Sir Percy
Worthington. Above this is a 3-light Geometrical window having cusped
lights and sexfoils and cinquefoil to the apex with hood mould and
label stops above. Similar to south face above this with a clock face
above lancet. Nave: south aisle side: 3 bays to right of tower with
two-light windows with cusped lights and an elongated quatrefoil to
the apex of each, hood moulds and label stops. Buttresses between
with offsets and terminating in gablets. North side; similar, of
4 bays having a 3-light window at right with cusped intersecting
tracery at right. Double doors to left of second window from right
with ornate wrought iron strap hinges, decorated with foliage motifs.
Colonettes to sides, a moulded arch and a hood mould, with figurehead
label stops. West end: Tower to right with two gabled bays to left
of it of approximately equal height. Central window of 4 lights with
cusping and Geometrical encircled sexfoils and octofoil to apex which
has a quatrefoil at its hub. To the north aisle is a 3-light window
with cusped lancets and Geometrical tracery to the apex. both windows
have hood moulds and label stops. Chancel: has North Eastern and
South Eastern chapels adjoining its side walls but one projecting
Eastern bay with 3-light windows to Northern and Southern side.
Eastern window of 5 cusped lights with trefoils and encircled
quatrefoils to apex. Hood mould over and king and queen label stops.
Diagonal buttresses to corners with crocketed pinnacles above. Coping
to gable and cross to apex. South Eastern chapel: south wall has 2
bays flush with nave aisle each having a 4-light Perpendicular window
with panel tracery. Buttresses between with swept offsets. Eastern
window of 5 lights with cambered head. Northern-eastern chapel:
North side, three bays and Perpendicular windows each of 3 cusped
lights. Eastern end: window of 5 lights with panel tracery above.
Interior: Nave. Arcades of 4 bays with octagonal piers and
double-chamfered arches those to the western arcade having slender
faces to the angles. Chamfered surrounds to windows in the northern
aisle and nave mouldings to those at south. Three bay arcades to
chancel. Nave and chancel roofs are of arched braces and principals,
the south eastern chapel has a panelled roof, the north eastern has
moulded arched braces with brattished collars and king posts above.
Pierced panelling and brattished rail before ashlar posts. Good
wrought iron door furniture to North western and south western double
doors which have serpents head terminals to the door bolts. Wrought
iron chancel screen of c-scrolls in rectangular compartments riveted
to cross bars and side bars. Quatrefoils to upper rail and cresting
of fleurs de lys. Italian C16 Siennese gates to centre with fretwork
panels and quatrefoils to lower body and adorsed and affronted
S-scrolls. Repousee leaves to top rail. Fine mid C19 oak chancel
seating with arcading to desk fronts and seat backs and cusped
circular openings. Monuments: to Sir John Crewe of Utkinton d.1711.
White marble. Baroque. Tomb-chest base with slightly projecting
centre. Gadrooned and fluted lip. Life size figure in drapery and a
wig propped on his side his right arm resting on a bible and clenching
his left hand in prayer. To either side are weeping putti their heads
covered by drapery. To the wall behind are two cherub's heads with
interlaced wings. Monument to Jane Done d.1662 and her sister, Mary
Crewe d.1690. White and black marble. White chest with black marble
top and white marble figures. Recumbant figure of Jane to front
holding a bible in her left hand. Mary behind propped on her right
elbow and lying in her side her left hand resting on an open bible.
At her feet is the figure of her grand daughter Mary Devereux Knightly
who died in 1674 aged one year.

Sources - Edward Hubbard and Nikolaus Pevsner - The Buildings of
England: Cheshire.

Listing NGR: SJ5534962527

External Links

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History in Structure

Church of St Helen

A Grade II* Listed Building in Tarporley, Cheshire West and Chester

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Description

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