Christ Church Alsager, an active Anglican parish church, is part of the Church of England within the Diocese of Chester, the archdeaconry of Macclesfield and the deanery of Congleton.
Christ Church Alsager provides worship services on Sundays and midweek, and holds weddings, baptisms and funerals. It also provides a range of activities that are available for all ages. (
visit link)
The church built in 1790 is a Grade II* listed building. It was designed by architect Thomas Stringer and paid for by three "Ladies of the Manor of Alsager", Mary, Margaret and Judith Alsager.
To celebrate the centenary of the church a new organ was acquired and dedicated in 1889.
It was a chapel of ease to St Bertoline's Church, Barthomley, and in 1946 it became a parish church.
SOURCE: (
visit link)
The Grade II* listed description given by Historic England reads as follows;
"ALSAGER FORMER U.D. CHURCH ROAD SJ 75 NE 6/4 Church of Christ - GV II*
Church. 1789-90. By Thomas Stringer for the Misses Alsager.
Yellow Keuper sandstone. Western tower. Nave and apsidal chancel.
Western front: central, slightly projecting tower with blank walling to either side. Clasping pilaster buttresses to the corners of the front and the tower. On the tower these rise to a frieze and pediment. The central double doors have raised and fielded panels and a fanlight. To either side are Tuscan demi-columns supporting a frieze and pediment which has an acroterion block to its top.
The clock stage above this has a round clock face set in a recessed rectangular panel with an arched top.
Above this is the belfry stage which has paired Ionic pilasters to the corners and a round-arched louvred belfry opening to the centre with projecting keystone and moulded springers, and Y-tracery. Dentilled cornice above which is a balustrade. The clock and belfry stages are similarly arranged to the other 3 sides.
Nave: the south face has 6 bays divided by ashlar pilasters which have moulded bases and caps and stand on plain plinths. The window openings have round-arched heads with moulded springers and hood moulds. The window at left has 8 x 11 panes with intersecting glazing bars to the top, the rest have all been replaced by later stained glass. Doorway to second bay from left with Tuscan demi-columns to either side supporting a pediment and frieze and enclosing a blank tympanum. The doorway is now blocked with a window to its upper body. The north side is similar save that the door is to the second bay from the right and not blocked. The eastern end has blank walling to either side of the semi-circular apsidal chancel which has 3 curving bays of similar type to those in the nave and blank half-bays nearest to the corners. A series of ashlar urns decorated with swags of foliage originally sat on the piers of the balustrade to the top of the nave and tower walling but these have been removed, two of them remaining in the churchyard adjacent to the western wall.
Interior: Gallery at west with raised and fielded panelling to the front supported on two monolithic Tuscan columns. Similar raised and fielded panelling to dado height in the nave and also the chancel where it is divided by fluted pilasters and has upper panels with rinceau ornament. Frieze at level of springing of windows and coved ceiling.
Listing NGR: SJ7889355664" SOURCE: (
visit link)
The large churchyard surrounds the church with the older graves closest to the building.
The churchyard contains the war graves of eight British servicemen, six from World War I and two from World War II. Details about the servicemen can be seen at the following link: (
visit link)
The inscription on the headstone on my photograph reads as follows;
IN
LOVING MEMORY OF
BESSIE
THE BELOVED WIFE OF
JAMES MADDOCK OF ALSAGER
WHO FELL ASLEEP ON DEC.17TH 1915
AGED 68
ALSO THE ABOVE NAMED
JAMES MADDOCK,
WHO FELL ASLEEP ON FEB.16TH 1922
AGED 76