St Bartholomew's Church, Barrow

{{Use British English|date=September 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}} {{Infobox church | denomination = Anglican | name = St Bartholomew, Barrow | full_name = | image = St Bartholomew, Barrow.jpg | image_size = | caption = St Bartholomew, Barrow, from the south | pushpin_map = Cheshire | pushpin_label_position = | pushpin_map_alt = | pushpin_mapsize = 250 | map_caption = Location in Cheshire | coordinates = {{coord|53.2094|-2.7957|region:GB_type:landmark|display= title}} | country = England | osgraw = SJ 469,684 | location = Great Barrow, Barrow, Cheshire | churchmanship = | website =[http://www.stbartholomewbarrow.co.uk/ St Bartholomew, Barrow] | former_name = | founded = | founder = | dedication = Saint Bartholomew | dedicated = | consecrated = | events = | status = Parish church | functional_status = Active | heritage_designation = Grade II* | designated = 1 June 1967 | architect = John Douglas (restorations) | architectural_type = Church | style = Gothic, Gothic Revival | groundbreaking = | completed = 1883 | construction_cost = | closed = | demolished = | capacity = | length = | width = | height = | materials = Red sandstone<br />Red tile roof | parish = Barrow | deanery = Chester | archdeaconry = Chester | diocese = Chester | province = York | abbot = | vicar = | rector = Revd Andy Stinson | priest = | pastor = }}

'''St Bartholomew's Church''' is in the village of Great Barrow in the civil parish of Barrow, Cheshire, England. It is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II* listed building.<ref name="images">{{NHLE |num= 1298821|desc= Church of St Bartholomew, Great Barrow|access-date= 1 August 2012 |mode=cs2}}</ref> It is an active Anglican parish church in the diocese of Chester, the archdeaconry of Chester and the deanery of Chester.<ref>{{Citation | url = http://www.achurchnearyou.com/barrow-st-bartholomew/| title = St Bartholomew, Great Barrow| access-date = 27 February 2011| publisher = Church of England}}</ref>

==History==

A church has been present on this site since at least the reign of Henry II when it was given by Robert de Bachepuz to the Knights Hospitallers of St John who had a preceptory here. It became a parish church during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. The chancel was built in 1671 for Dean Bridgeman and the tower is dated 1744. By the 18th and early 19th centuries the church was in a poor condition.<ref name="richards">{{citation | last =Richards | first =Raymond | title =Old Cheshire Churches | publisher =Batsford | year =1947 | location =London | pages =40–43| oclc =719918}}</ref> A limited restoration was carried out in 1871 by John Douglas, who performed a more substantial scheme in 1883.<ref>{{Citation | last =Hubbard | first =Edward | author-link = Edward Hubbard (architectural historian) | title =The Work of John Douglas | publisher =The Victorian Society | year =1991 | location =London | pages = 141, 242, 253| isbn =0-901657-16-6 }}</ref>

==Architecture== ===Exterior===

The church is built in red sandstone ashlar with a red tile roof. There is some medieval stone work in the north aisle. The church consists of a four-bay nave with a north aisle, a south porch and a three-bay chancel. The four-stage tower is at the west end, with a clock in its third stage.<ref name="images"/> Two lead down spouts are inscribed with the date 1744. The roof of the chancel is hammer beam and the ends of the hammers bear the arms of Dean Bridgeman.<ref name="richards"/>

===Interior=== In the church is an octagonal sandstone font with a lead bowl dated 1713.<ref name="richards"/> The stained glass in the east window of the chancel and the east window of the north aisle is by Kempe.<ref name="images"/> In the tower is an early Georgian chest dated 1718. In the church are charity boards dated 1711, 1725 and 1848.<ref name="richards"/> A monument to a Mrs Wallis who died in 1848 is by T. and E. Gaffin and depicts an angel kneeling by an urn.<ref>{{Citation | last1 = Hartwell | first1 = Clare |last2 = Hyde | first2 = Matthew |last3 = Hubbard | first3 = Edward | author3-link=Edward Hubbard (architectural historian) | last4 =Pevsner | first4 =Nikolaus | author4-link =Nikolaus Pevsner | series= The Buildings of England| title = Cheshire | publisher =Yale University Press| year =2011| orig-year=1971| location =New Haven and London| page = 375| isbn =978-0-300-17043-6 }}</ref> The parish registers begin in 1572, with a gap between 1679 and 1681. The churchwardens' accounts begin in 1857. The single bell bears the date 1767 and was probably cast by Rudhall of Gloucester.<ref name="richards"/> The two-manual organ was built by Binns.<ref>{{citation |url=http://www.npor.org.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch.cgi?Fn=Rsearch&rec_index=D08213 |title=Cheshire, Barrow, Great St Bartholomew |access-date=6 August 2008 |publisher=British Institute of Organ Studies }}</ref>

==External features==

The tower was formerly decorated with urns but these were considered to be dangerous and were removed in 1929.<ref name="richards"/> They are now placed outside the church at the foot of the tower.<ref>{{citation |url=http://www.thornber.net/cheshire/htmlfiles/greatbarrow.html |title=A Scrapbook of Cheshire Antiquities:Great Barrow |access-date=26 October 2007|last=Thornber |first=Craig |year=2001 }}</ref> In the church yard is a sandstone sundial. It consists of a square base of two steps with a socket containing a slightly tapering octagonal shaft and a cap of buff sandstone. The base and the shaft were originally part of a cross dating from the early 15th century. The cap was added later together with a small square plate inscribed with the date 1705. The plate is now missing. The sundial is listed at Grade II,<ref>{{NHLE |num= 1130663|desc= Sundial in St Bartholomew's Churchyard, Great Barrow|access-date= 1 August 2012 |mode=cs2|fewer-links=x}}</ref> and is a scheduled monument.<ref>{{NHLE |num= 1016855|desc= Standing cross in St Bartholomew's Churchyard, Great Barrow|access-date= 1 August 2012|mode=cs2|fewer-links=x}}</ref> Also listed at Grade II are the gates of the churchyard, their overthrow and the gate piers.<ref>{{NHLE |num= 1130662|desc= Gates, overthrow and gate piers to the Churchyard of St Bartholomew, Great Barrow|access-date= 1 August 2012|mode=cs2|fewer-links=x}}</ref> The churchyard also contains the war graves of four soldiers of World War I.<ref>{{Citation | url = http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/2077958/BARROW%20%28ST.%20BARTHOLOMEW%29%20CHURCHYARD| title = BARROW (ST. BARTHOLOMEW) CHURCHYARD| access-date = 2 February 2013| publisher = Commonwealth War Graves Commission}}</ref> <gallery> File:Sundial, St Bartholomew's Church, Barrow.jpg|Sundial File:Gates and overthrow, St Bartholomew's Church, Barrow.jpg|Gates and overthrow </gallery>

==References== {{Reflist|30em}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Barrow, St Bartholomew's Church}} Category:Church of England church buildings in Cheshire Category:Grade II* listed churches in Cheshire Category:English Gothic architecture in Cheshire Category:Gothic Revival architecture in Cheshire Category:John Douglas buildings Category:Diocese of Chester Category:Scheduled monuments in Cheshire