Bollington: St John the Baptist
Overview
Grid reference: SJ 939 777
Visiting and facilities
Building is closed for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
Nave of five bays, shallow projecting sanctuary, west tower.
Dimensions:
Nave and chancel 21m (65 ft) x 16m (50ft).
Description of Archaeology and History
Until the 18th century the town consisted of three hamlets, Bollington, West Bollington and Bollington Cross. The industrialisation of the area developed rapidly in the 19th century, boosted by the opening of the Macclesfield canal in 1831 and the railway 30 years later. Since World War II the mines and mills have been mostly replaced by small businesses, and Bollington is increasingly becoming a dormitory town for Macclesfield and Manchester. Tourism is also important due to its handy location for the Peak District and Pennines; the town has a remarkable number of pubs.
The church was built in 1832-4 by Hayley and Brown for the Ecclesiastical Commissioners at a cost of £4,000, on land given by a local MP. The churchyard was progressively enlarged. There are a few gravestones laid flat to the north of the church which appear to slightly pre-date the construction of the church. Since the site appears to have been given specifically for the construction of the church, these presumably either came for a burial ground somewhere in Bollington itself, or from the churchyards of the nearest church at Pott Shrigley or the medieval parish church at Prestbury.
A vicarage and a bier house were also built to the south of the church, cut into the steep slope. The vicarage was demolished in 1897, as it was damp and affected by the subsidence which has always been a problem for the church; the bier house was recently demolished for the same reason. The present huge vicarage which replaced it was built some distance away; it has been renovated by the present incumbent.
Externally the church is unchanged, but the interior has been altered several times. The church originally had a west gallery, a three-decker pulpit at the east end, and box pews. The north and south galleries were added in 1854. The interior was reordered in 1891, the box pews removed and a heightened sanctuary installed, and again in the 1930’s, when new choir stalls, communion rails and oak panelling were provided. Further work was done here in the 1960’s, and the last overhaul of the interior and the heating system dates to the mid-1970s.
Exterior Description
The basic style chosen is simple and consistent, c 1200. The walls are pierced by large regularly spaced pointed lancets with splayed reveals and Y-tracery under a continuous hoodmould throughout. Each bay has slim shallow buttresses of three weathering, and all corners have simple pinnacles rising from octagonal buttresses. The parapets are continuously embattled around the church, the low-pitched nave roof just visible. The typically small three-stage west tower is also embattled and has corner pinnacles, with pointed louvred belfry openings. The stage below has a 3-light Y-tracery window, above a rebated pointed doorway within the lower stage, the main access to the church.
The east elevation is the most complex. The east window of the sanctuary is a triple stepped lancet, again with Y-tracery. Underneath this is a projecting rectangular “baptistery”, actually the sacristy. This might make one think that one was looking at the west end, especially as the small tower is not immediately visible from the approach to the east. It has a simple doorway in the east wall.
An interesting external feature is the sequential lettering of the bays around the church, which apparently related to rows of graves. The carved letters are just above ground level. A negative aspect is the parlous state of the rainwater goods, with plastic pipes discharging onto the ground in some places.
Building Fabric and Features
Nave
19th century 5-bay
Sanctuary
19th century shallow projecting
Tower (component)
19th century west
Building Materials
Sandstone
19th century ashlar
Timber
19th century roof structure
Slate
19th century roofing
Interior
Interior Description
The interior is high and spacious, well lit by the large windows. The church retains its early Gothic revival atmosphere despite the later changes. The walls and flat panelled ceiling are painted cream, flaking in places due to water ingress. The galleries are painted light brown and have blind lancet panel decoration picked out in a darker shade. These are supported by quatrefoil iron piers which due to floor subsidence are in places under stress or almost hanging in the air. They have fine brass handrails installed in the 1890s. The 1850’s pews have survived in these galleries, sweeping around the corners across the west gallery; they still bear numbers. Above the pews the organ case and pipes rise to the ceiling, painted green, white and brown to match the gallery.
The nave was originally filled with box pews, but these were replaced by chairs in the 1890s during the Oxford Movement inspired changes which also removed the pulpit and emphasised the sanctuary (the sanctuary was lowered again in the 1930s). The choir stalls date to the 1960s. There are red carpets laid throughout, which makes it perhaps more difficult to appreciate the abrupt slopes, depressions and changes in level of the subsiding floor, particularly pronounced at the east end of the nave. Along the bases of the walls, the floor has sagged in places revealing the foundations.
The west corners of the nave are screened off by pine panelling to form a vestry and sacristy. There is a Memorial chapel dedicated in 1926 at the east end of the nave focused around a marble war memorial (see below). The font is placed at the east end of the south aisle of the nave, with a curtain over an original entrance in the east wall. The small chancel is raised up three steps. The twin pointed doorways flanking the altar which gave access to the sacristy behind are blocked up and plastered over.
Fixtures and fittings
Altar
20th century Of oak, panelled front with elaborately carved roundel decoration, c 1907. There are also altars in the north aisle and one in the south aisle Lady chapel, plain.
Reredos
19th century Oak panelling on the wall behind and above the altar. The south chapel has an oak panelled reredos at the east end of the north aisle.
Pulpit
20th century An unusual octagonal oak pulpit with an open front, within which is an integral carved figure of John the Baptist in semi-relief, c 1911.
Lectern
20th century Twin reading stands, 1980s.
Font (component)
19th century Limestone octagonal font with carved panelled sides, one side carrying an inscription recording the donation in 1897 in memory of Frederick Richardson, vicar for 40 years. Tracery panelled octagonal stem and moulded foot. Original font is in Holy Trinity Kerridge.
Stained Glass (window)
19th century Scheme of glass dating to c 1865. Coloured glass in the margins of some of the windows, the east window has grisaille dominated by purple, installed in memory of Revd George Palmer.
Inscribed Object
19th / 20th century There are two white marble tablets on opposing walls of the sanctuary: • That on the north wall is neo-classical, and has a raised field in the form of draped fabric in memory of Revd George Palmer, died 25th February 1853. • That on the south wall is plain, in memory of his son Herbert Palmer died 18th August 1908. There are several slate tablets in the nave: • To William David Thomas, vicar of Bollington 1947-53. • To Albert Clayton, churchwarden 1959-1970. • To John Thomas Moore 1867-1964, Bell Major and ringer “under ten vicars and during the reign of six sovereigns”. There are several tablets and monuments relocated to the tower space: • Rolls of Honour. • The original wooden Commandment Boards, c 1840. Fixed below the latter are small boards recording the installation of the bells in 1880, the galleries in 1854, and the gift of £500 to invest for the upkeep of the bells and the support of the bellringers. • A pedimented stone tablet with rather Draconian rules pertaining to the activities of the Bellringers association, after 1880. • A tablet records the installation of a steel bell frame in 1931. • A tablet records £50 donated by the ICBS for the enlargement of the church in 1854 by the addition of pews for the use of the poor.
Organ (component)
19th century Built by Renn in 1840. It was reconstructed by Nicholson & Lord of Walsall in 1909 at the expense of the Mothers Union, as recorded by a brass plaque mounted above the staircase in the tower leading to the organ and gallery.
Triptych (religious)
20th century World War I and World War II marble triptych memorial on the nave north wall, gilded decorated frame.
Rail
19th century Panelled wood, plain.
Stall
20th century Three rows of choirstalls, neo-Gothic, 1980s.
Portable Furnishings and Artworks
Registers date from 1838, marriages from 1848.
Churchyard
Grid reference: SJ 939 777
Burial and War Grave Information
It is unknown whether the building is consecrated.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has been used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard is used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has war graves.
National Heritage record for England designations
There are no records of National Heritage assets within the curtilage of this site.
Environment
Ancient, Veteran & Notable Trees
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
There are no records of Ancient, Veteran or Notable Trees within the curtilage of this site.
Renewables
| Renewable | Installed |
|---|---|
| Solar PV Panels | No |
| Solar Thermal Panels | No |
| Biomass | No |
| Wind Turbine | No |
| Air Source Heat Pump | No |
| Ground Source Heat Pump | No |
| Ev Charging | No |
Species summary
There are no records of species within the curtilage of this site.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
'Seek advice' Species
More information on species and action to be taken upon discovery.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
Further information
Sources
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