St Mary's Church, Nether Alderley

St Mary's Church, Nether Alderley
St Mary's Church, Nether Alderley,
from the south in 2008
St Mary's Church, Nether Alderley is located in Cheshire
St Mary's Church, Nether Alderley
St Mary's Church, Nether Alderley
Location in Cheshire
53°16′55″N 2°14′20″W / 53.2820°N 2.2389°W / 53.2820; -2.2389
OS grid referenceSJ 842 761
LocationNether Alderley, Cheshire
CountryEngland
DenominationAnglican
WebsiteSt Mary's Church
History
StatusParish church
DedicationSt Mary
Architecture
Functional statusActive
Heritage designationGrade I
Designated14 April 1967
Architect(s)Cuffley and Starkey
Paley and Austin
(Restorations)
Architectural typeChurch
StyleGothic
Specifications
MaterialsBuff and red sandstone
Kerridge stone-slate roof
Administration
ProvinceYork
DioceseChester
ArchdeaconryMacclesfield
DeaneryKnutsford
ParishAlderley
Laity
Churchwarden(s)Michael Penlington,
Peter Reynolds,
Jenny Youatt
Parish administratorKen Wilkinson

St Mary's Church is an Anglican church at the end of a lane to the south of the village of Nether Alderley, Cheshire, England.[1][2] It dates from the 14th century, with later additions and a major restoration in the late-19th century. The church is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade I listed building.[3]

The church was built in the Gothic style, and has historically been associated with the Stanley family of Alderley.[4] Its major features include a fine tower,[5] the Stanley pew which is entered by an outside staircase, a 14th-century font, the western gallery, and monuments to the Lords Stanley of Alderley. The grounds contain a 17th-century former schoolhouse, now used as a parish hall, a medieval church cross, and the Stanley Mausoleum, which dates from 1909. An ancient yew tree stands in the churchyard.

St Mary's is an active parish church[6] in the diocese of Chester, the archdeaconry of Macclesfield, and the deanery of Knutsford. Its benefice is combined with that of St Catherine's, Birtles.[7]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference richards was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Nether Alderley, Streetmap, retrieved 18 January 2011
  3. ^ Historic England, "Church of St Mary, Nether Alderley (1138849)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 14 May 2012
  4. ^ Clifton-Taylor 1974, p. 28
  5. ^ Richards' assessor, F. H. Crossley, considers the tower to be the church's "best feature".
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference church was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Alderley, St Mary, Nether Alderley, Church of England, retrieved 13 October 2009