CHURCH GUIDE

Recent investigations suggest that a church existed on this site soon after the Roman occupation of Chester. The evidence for this comes from the fact that early churches of this period were built with a circular churchyard, and Christleton like several others in the Chester area followed this pattern. In these churches the oldest graves are also laid in concentric circles around the church building. This design is also found in churches in north Wales and usually associated with the fourth or fifth century. The balance of probability is that the church was in existence before the arrival of the pagan Saxons during the 7thC. The name "Christetone" in the Domesday Book of 1086 suggests the existence of a Christian settlement. The name Christleton means "the village or place of Christ", or alternatively "Cristentum" the enclosed farm of the Christians. Local names of this type are thought to date back to AD 600-750. Other sources state that the name Christleton comes from "farmstead with a cross" or the "Township of Christ."

It is likely that this early meeting place, was in the vicinity of the Manor House Farm, or perhaps on the present church site, which sits on a broad expanse of underlying old red sandstone on the top of a ridge running from Helsby to Waverton, overlooking the Cheshire Plain, and with good views of the city of Chester and the River Dee. The fact that those farm inhabitants were sufficiently unusual to be noted as Christians, suggests the name was coined by pagan Saxons.

Christleton, Christetone, Christlington, Ham Cristleton (The main hamlet near the church), Magna Cristleton, Kirkecristleton, Kysterton and Kryrsylton are all variations of the village name. Littleton an abbreviation of Little or parva Christleton appears in the twelfth century, as does Rogh or rough Christleton now Rowton. The name Cotton Abbots comes from the Abbots of Chester who owned the land around 1096, and Cotton Edmunds comes from parva Cotton, the land which belonged to William de Cotton who lived at Cotton Hall in the fourteenth century, who had a son called Edmund, hence the name Cotton Edmunds. The five townships of Christleton, Littleton, Rowton, Cotton Abbots and Cotton Edmunds make up the Ecclesiastical Parish of Christleton.

It is almost certain that a more substantial wooden building existed by the 14thC, and the present tower is thought to be from the second church, built in the time of Rector Thomas in 1484. It is said that a woodcutter, Thomas Meyer from Bavaria was employed at this time, and his family (now the Mayer’s family) have worshipped here ever since. The timber for the church building would have come from local forests, and there is evidence of timber from Christleton being sold for building purposes as late as the 18thC. There are no formal records of the building of this first stone church, but local stone from the nearby Christleton and Waverton Quarries was used.

The earliest recorded clergyman was Robert, Parson of Christleton in 1215, but as the church was in the patronage of the monks of the Abbey in Chester there might have been a small meeting place rather than a formal building at this time. The Abbots Well is another link between the Village and the Abbey, because water from the well in Christleton was channelled in pipes through Boughton to the site of the Abbey. (Now Chester Cathedral)
1282.

The Burnells granted to the monks of St Werburgh “The fountain of Christleton” A cistern 20ft square was formed near the village and another within the cloisters of the Abbey.

The list of clergy is continuous from 1215 to the present day. This list of Rectors is intriguing to the modern reader as it includes titles such as Monsignor, Dom, terms used in the English church before the reformation.


Christleton village and its inhabitants suffered a great deal during the English Civil War (1642-45) when it was occupied by Officers and Men of the Parliamentarian Army, led by Sir William Brereton. The church building was part of the reason for their deployment here, as the tower commanded views across vast swathes of countryside, including Chester & the River Dee. The building itself could hold hundreds of troops. This deep involvement of an attacking force meant that the building itself suffered damage, although this was comparatively light compared to the rest of the village which was largely destroyed before the main battle at Rowton Moor which took place on September 24th 1645. As the Parliamentarians remained in control of the area long after the Battle, no revenge attack occurred to cause further harm to the building. Any damage was temporarily patched up until the nave and chancel were completely rebuilt in brick in the 1730's.

This part of the church was re-built in Georgian style in 1736 by the Rev. Philip Smallridge Rector and a Chaplain to Queen Caroline, who managed to obtain money by the issue of a Parliamentary "Brief", a device used to get churches from a wider area to contribute to the building of a new church. £1, 250 was gathered for Christleton through this appeal, but £1,000 of this went in legal costs, with local people then contributing "in kind" using their own transport and labour to enable the building to be completed.

Research reveals that there were two important chapels to be found within St James precincts. “ The Brereton and Cholmondeley Chapel”, and the “Cotton or Venables Chapel”. "In 1525 Eleanor daughter of Sir William Brereton* caused two windows to be made, one with shields with her arms, and those of her husband Thomas son of Thomas Bulkeley of Ayton. The second was dedicated to Eleanor and her second husband Hugh Cholmondeley who possessed the manor of Rowton. This chapel was thought to be in ruins by 1619"

"The Cotton Chapel was to the south side of the church and had one window. In the 1737 plan it is styled the Chapel for Cotton Hall." Sir William Venables of Kinderton and second wife Katherine daughter of Robert Grosvenor of Eaton had the window adorned with two shields. The window may have been erected in celebration of Sir William being elected High Sheriff of Cheshire in 1526. The Arms of Cotton were borne by the Cottons of Cotton Hall. A Cotton Chapel was still present in the 1737 building, but there is also evidence of there being an even larger chapel belonging to the Townsend Family. Robert Townsend an Ironmonger of Chester acquired substantial property in Christleton from his Aunt Egerton. There is a record that states that in 1712 his grandson Robert Townsend later "The Recorder for Chester" was given permission to build a chapel or oratory with burying place under it in Christleton Church. It also states that two of the Townsend pews had fireplaces.

*This Sir William Brereton is not the leader of the Parliamentarian soldiers mentioned earlier.

On Sunday January 1873 part of the roof of the brick building of 1736 collapsed and some of the congregation were covered with snow. Canon Garnett used the opportunity and his influence to have a substantial rebuild of the nave and chancel. He was determined to provide the best, and spent more money than the church and village could afford to ensure that the new structure would last for much longer that the previous buildings. The red sandstone blocks came from quarries in Delamere and Waverton, and were used together with a creamy white sandstone, from Stourton Hill Quarry, on Wirral. This building designed by William Butterfield and completed in 1876, was consecrated in July 1877, is described more fully in the remainder of the text, is the church we see today. It remains as the place of worship for the people of Christleton, a place where worship has been continuous for well over a thousand years.

A number of smaller changes have taken place in the succeeding years, but are mainly to do with the artefacts within the church, or stained glass windows, the moving of the font from the tower vestry, to the nave, and the removal of a memorial wrought iron rood screen to create a new lady chapel, where the choir vestry once stood. A new oak cross was placed on the Lych Gate in 2000, donated by Mrs Nancy Catherall (nee Mayers) continuing a link with the family that has probably existed since 1484. New gates were erected on the porch, the war memorial and the gate entry on Pepper Street in 2006. The church building itself was brought up to date with major work on the roof, tower and the electrics following a quinquennial review in 2000. The Millennium Window in the Lady Chapel was paid for by public subscription and commemorates a thousand years of history in the village, and the work of Churches Together in Christleton. In 2016 a new central heating boiler was installed.

As you enter the Victorian porch, notice the brass plaque commemorating the lives of Canon Gorst and the Sellers family of Littleton. Canon Gorst, former Rural dean, was known locally as the “Farmers Parson” and he retired to Littleton to live in the Sellers' family home. The Sellers were great benefactors to the church and village, and it was John Sellers who founded the first school in Christleton in 1779. This school known as the John Sellers Charity School was situated to the left of the porch, on the grassed area of the churchyard, adjacent to Christleton House and Pepper Street. This two-storey building survived until the 1890’s when a new school was built on the site of the old “Ring-O-Bells” public house across the road. Today it is the Parish Hall and the Trust which helped to fund the school (The John Sellers Charity) still plays a small part in the education of children in Christleton, Littleton and Rowton, by providing grants of money for books and travel for the use of local children.

The porch itself dates from 1876, when the last major rebuilding of the church took place, thanks to the efforts of Lucy Anne Ince, the Reverend Lionel Garnett (Rector 1869 – 1911), and their architect, William Butterfield.

The red sandstone tower survives from an earlier building of 1490 and has not changed greatly over the centuries. Some rebuilding has taken place and marks on the walls indicate a former stairway to galleries, which were built to add capacity to the church. There were as many as three such galleries and the last one built for the Dixon family in 1876 only lasted a year before the church roof fell in and the major rebuilding took place. If you look closely at the tracery of the west window, you can see evidence of the paint used to decorate the internal walls, which was a feature of the 1736 building. The stained glass in this window was designed by Alexander Gibbs in 1877 and has the caption “Suffer the little children to come unto me”. This “ baptistry window”, is in memory of Theodosia Fanny Lace and once overlooked the font, which was originally placed under the tower. The space vacated by the removal of the font to the nave, together with the addition of oak panelling from the South Aisle, now provides a vestry for the choir. It is said that the Lace Family were Patrons of this window and that the glass artist depicts the faces of the family in his design.

The tower houses 8 bells, which originate from 1743 and were last re-hung in 1927, when a major re-design of the bell chamber took place. The original ring of six bells, cast by Abel Rudhall of Gloucester, were augmented to seven in 1812, when John Hignett of Rowton provided money for a new tenor bell. In 1830 Abel Rudhall & Co were commissioned to cast a new bell, this time a treble, to make up the full peal. The tradition of ringing what is regarded as one of the finest rings in the Chester district, is kept up by an enthusiastic group of ringers, led for many years by Roy and David Fisher, whose family (The Mayers) have rung the bells for over 150 years. The present team are led by *************

As you enter the main building, note the fine window (1896) carefully restored in 1987 by Mr Twigg. This depicts the martyred Saint Catherine and clearly shows the “Catherine Wheel”, commemorated today by a firework used on bonfire nights. This window is in memory of Catherine Hartford (nee Fleming) who died in 1886. Her son Hugh Irving St John Hartford 1st Battalion Cheshire Regt. fought and died in WWI and has his own memorial in the Lady Chapel. The fine Churchwardens pews probably date from the 1880’s, although there are many references in the records to Churchwarden's pews being sold at a time of great hardship after the Civil War in 1650. They were later returned to the church when the Bishop of Chester ordered the Churchwardens to buy them back from a Mr George Cawley of Cotton for the sum of 20 shillings. Mr Cawley actually had use of them again because he was elected Churchwarden in 1701. The canopies are not just for adornment, but were built to protect the wardens from cold draughts experienced at the west end of the nave!


Above the Churchwardens pews is the fine figure of a pelican (or is it a swan?). Church tradition says that the figure of a pelican is seen feeding her young with her own blood, a symbol of sacrifice. This carved creature used to be the centre-piece of the wooden reredos over the altar table in the 1736 building. There is a theory that the local artist who carved the figure is unlikely to have seen a pelican and that he based the figure on that of a more familiar bird, a swan. The swan certainly figures a great deal in village affairs at that time. When the agreement to build the new church in 1736 was made, the signatories from the church and local gentry all sealed their names with a wax seal in the shape of a swan. So, perhaps the swan as the emblem of the village pre-dates this.

The altar and sanctuary area contains much to interest the visitor. Notice the combination of fine Victorian tile work and Italian mosaic on the floor and the walls, and the edging of crinoidal limestone also used on the font. Above your head sandstone blocks are made in the form of a chessboard design by alternating creamy white Stourton stone from the Wirral, with red sandstone from the Duke of Westminster's Waverton Quarry. This chequered effect is the trademark design of William Butterfield, the eminent Victorian architect employed by Canon Garnett in his desire to provide only the best for his beloved church in Christleton

Stourton stone can also be seen at the entrance to the Mersey Tunnel, whilst Keble College in Oxford with it's distinctive chess board design in brick is probably the most famous building designed by William Butterfield, a college attended by Garnett himself ,and also much later by the much loved Canon Gordon Robinson who served at St. James' in retirement for over fifteen years as assistant to the Rector's of Christleton between 1985 and 1998.

The font used for baptisms situated just outside the tower, is made of a beautiful crinoidal limestone from Derbyshire, on the base of Sicillian marble, and was specially made for William Butterfield in London at a cost of £45.7s.6d. The crinoidal limestone (plants of the seabed that lived 280 million years ago) is also to be found much in evidence in rooms and corridors at the famous Chatsworth House in Derbyshire, as well as in the sanctuary at St James'. The oak font cover with unique designs by Dr Vincent Tonge, was dedicated in March 2000 to the memory of a much loved minister Canon Gordon Robinson. Each symbol represents an aspect of his life of service to the church, with the sewing machine handle reflecting his great interest in "Tools for self reliance", an organisation which he helped run for many years, together with his wife Dorothy.

Continue walking towards the North Aisle.
On the wall near the church library and to the left of the new Children’s Area is an alabaster plaque dedicated to the men from the Parish who fought in the Boer War. The area is lit by light from the St Elizabetha window dating from 1883. Just beyond, on the North Aisle wall, is a Constables Staff, presented to the church in 1935 and is the symbol of an ancient tradition carried out by villagers. When John Brock Wood held office as Lord of the Manor in Canon Garnett’s time, he was entitled to hold a Court Baron, at which either he or his steward presided. The Court Baron had civil jurisdiction over all the disputes and misdemeanours concerning tenants and staff in the village. Four so-called “Burleymen”, were elected annually by the Parish to act as constables of the Manor, together with twelve jurymen. Messrs Hollywell, Swindley, Holland and Beech were the last constables to be elected, together with Mr Sam Broster as foreman of the jury. This Constables staff was their sign of office and once belonged to George Mayers, Parish Clerk and Headteacher in the 1840’s and was presented to the church by his family.

The next feature of the North Wall is a stained glass window commemorating the life of the Rev.Charles D. Mack, Canon of Chester Cathedral and Rector of the Parish from 1972 to 1986.

The window, in modern stained glass, was designed by Cliff Boddy, a long-serving member of the choir and church, who has contributed many fine examples of hand-written manuscripts and scrolls to the church, many of which you will see on display. His finest piece of work, however, is a calfskin scroll commemorating the Beating of The Bounds ceremony in Coronation Year, 1953, which is stored for safe-keeping in the Parish Chest.

We now believe that there are ten Kempe windows at St James'. Charles E Kempe was a young artist based in the Cotswolds, who worked at the same time as William Morris during the great revival of English art in the reign of Queen Victoria. Charles had gone to Oxford hoping to be ordained, but an incorrigible stammer made that impractical. So he decided that "since he could not minister in the sanctuary, he would "adorn it". He designed and made over 4,000 windows during his career, and is recognised as one of the greatest influences in stained glass window design of that period. His trade mark is a sheaf of corn and the use of peacock feathers in his designs. However several of the Christleton windows also have a tower on top of the sheaf, a mark which dates from 1907 when the company changed its name after his death.

1903. East Window Three lights; dedicated to 1. St James the Great & St Mary
2. Christ the King and Crucifixtion. 3. SS Werburgh & John
1909. S Chancel. Two lights; Jeremiah & Zachariah
1898. S Transept East. Two Lights; King David & Isaiah
1998. S Aisle E most; Three lights; SS George, Anne and Elizabeth
1904. S Aisle 2nd East; Three lights; St John, Madonna & St Luke
1899. S Aisle 2nd West; Two lights; Annunciation
1909. S Aisle W’most; St John the Evangelist and Ruth
1884. N Aisle W 1 light; St Elizabeth
1905. N Aisle 2nd E’ Two lights; Gethsemane
1905. N Aisle East; Three lights; Christ before Pilate.

At Parish Communion on Sunday September the 11th 1998, Cliff was presented with a long service medal from the Royal School of Church Music by Dr. Peter Forster Bishop of Chester to commemorate 75 years service as a member of St. James' Choir.

A beautifully scribed Roll of Honour hanging on the north wall of the church commemorates the lives of 249 men from the village who fought in The Great War of 1914-18. Recent research particularly from the Absent Voters list of 1919, reveals that there are many more names of men and women from the village who served in the War, that are missing from this list.

Among many fine gifts Lucy Anne Ince gave to the church is the pulpit in memory of her husband, Townsend Ince who had died in 1871. The Townsend Ince/Currie family lived at Christleton Hall from the early 1700's to 1910. Notice too the shell the symbol of St James which hangs from the top of the pulpit in full view of the congregation. The oak Lectern is dedicated to the memory of T. F. Lace of Christleton Hall, whilst a Lectern Bible was given by Robert Barker in 1607.

The organ was rebuilt and restored to something like its former glory in the 1980's, having been set aside for some years, whilst a Compton Makin electric organ was used. The original organ, the gift of William Fleming MD of Rowton, is a two manual organ, and was first installed in 1878. It was powered by hand bellows in the early days, no doubt by some unsuspecting chorister, but has been brought fully up-to-date to meet the needs of the present organist and congregation. It has a fine tonal quality and since its restoration, has been featured in several varied and enjoyable organ recitals. The organ is an important part of the worship at St James, and among the distinguished organists who have played here are Dr. George Guest who went on to one of the foremost organists/choirmasters in England at St John’s College Cambridge.

The east window designed by Charles Kempe, shows Christ in Glory and was dedicated in 1902. Among the figures shown are; St James the Great with his emblem of a shell; St Werburgh holding a model of Chester Cathedral in her hands, and Christ in Glory and Christ Crucified. Notice the sheaf on the left side of the window, and scrolls of peacock feathers the trademark of Kempe.

In the right hand corner of the sanctuary stands the superb banner of the Christleton Branch of the Mothers Union, designed and made by Dorothy McNair (Colley) and members of her family, using computerised methods of design and production.

On the south wall stands the Processional Cross given to the church by Mrs Ivy Clarke, in memory of her parents, Canon Lionel and Mrs Garnett. From Easter to Ascension the paschal candle is placed in the sanctuary. It stands on a fine wooden base crafted and painted by Canon Gordon Robinson. It is placed near the font during the rest of the year.

Turn to the right towards the south aisle and you will see the Lady Chapel. The wrought iron screen which now separates the chapel from the main body of the church was originally placed across the choir, and kept clergy and choir apart from the congregation. Removing the screen to its present position has opened up the church, making it much brighter and helps everyone to feel part of the church family. The wooden panelling has been re-used to form a room for a choir vestry under the tower.

The iron screen was made in the Kale Yards near Chester Cathedral, and was given by Vera Pride in affectionate memory of her parents Albert Edward and Louise. The screen is still an important feature of the building and is beautifully illuminated by wonderful coloured lights coming from the new millennium window as sun streams through into the Lady Chapel. The small stained glass window in the Lady Chapel represents King David and Isaiah and is a memorial to Catherine the wife of Ambrose Dixon a member of the Dixon family who lived at Christleton Bank, now the (The Mercure Hotel at the Abbots Well.)

The tapestry in view will depend on the time in the church calendar. The most striking is one which represents the church year and its festivals. The figures along the bottom tell the stories and events of the bible. At the right hand edge the figures, church, lights and musical instruments, tell of the present praise and worship at St James'. The border along the bottom edge contains separate motifs of flowers and patterns found in and around the church. This tapestry was made by children aged 10 to 12 years with the help of their leaders in the Seekers Group from the Sunday School, and children from the top class at the Primary School in 1990/91. Children from all the junior age groups produced the wall hanging near to the main church entrance. This tapestry depicting symbols used in church life, e.g. Keys representing St Peter, a harp representing King David, a calf representing St Luke, etc was initially designed by a group of children on school computers, and then hand stitched in turn by every child throughout the school..

All the windows in the south aisle are by Kempe. The first depicting St George and the Dragon, Anna the mother of the Virgin Mary and Queen Elizabetha is a memorial to three parishioners. Nearby is a bronze memorial to Annie Rolt of The Green Christleton. Mrs Rolt was the mother of the famous canal engineer and writer LTC Rolt, and her daughter married into the Garnett Family in the 1900's. The two brass sanctuary lamps in the roof of the aisle were given by Mrs Garnett and her nieces after the first world war.

The second window which shows St John the Apostle, the Holy Mother & child and St Luke, is in memory of Lucy Anne Ince. The next with two robed figures is in memory of Mary Nicholls and her two drowned sisters Mary Anne & Madeline who died in 1874. The final window along this aisle shows St John the Divine and Ruth, and is in memory of John Thompson and Mable Watt.

The British Legion standards were dedicated on July 14th 1974 and the tablets on the walls commemorate the men from Christleton Parish who fought and died in the two world wars. These are always proudly read out on Remembrance Sunday by a representative of the British Legion. Full accounts of the Village men who fell in WWI are to be found in the Christleton Great war Stories Book, published in 2015.

Just beyond, on the North Aisle wall, is a Constable's Staff, presented to the church in 1935 and is the symbol of an ancient tradition carried out by villagers. When John Brock Wood held office as Lord of the Manor in Canon Garnett's time, he was entitled to hold a Court Baron, at which either he or his steward presided. The Court Baron had civil jurisdiction over all the disputes and misdemeanours concerning tenants and staff in the village. Four so-called 'Burleymen', were elected annually by the Parish to act as constables of the Manor, together with twelve jurymen.

Messrs Hollywell, Swindley, Holland and Beech were the last constables to be elected, together with Mr. Sam Broster as foreman of the jury. The staff was their sign of office. This staff belonged to George Mayers, Parish Clerk and Headteacher in the 1840's and was presented by his family.

The Royal Arms hanging on the North aisle wall is one of the finest examples of such work in the county. It is the work of Randle Holmes, a Mayor of Chester during the troubled times of the Civil War, and was erected by the people of Christleton to commemorate the return to the throne of the monarchy in the person of Charles II in 1665. It is also said that the Arms shows the re-establishment of the Sovereign, as Head of the Church of England and Defender of the Faith. Christleton had been the scene of much fighting during the Civil War and it is probable that the people had no choice other than to support the Parliament, as a garrison of parliamentarian soldiers led by Sir William Brereton was based in their village. It is thanks to the efforts of the late Rev Fred Pryce Parry that we know so much about this unique feature of our church.

The church building was used by Parliamentarian troops during the whole of 1645, and there is no doubt that a great deal of the evidence of occupation was lost in the various re-buildings that have taken place since that time. One of the most significant events of the war took place early in 1645 when a Roundhead trooper, standing on top of the church tower saw a mounted troop of Royalists leaving the city. He quickly organised an ambush somewhere in the vicinity of the "Glasshouse" on Whitchurch Road, where over 200 officers and men of the Royalist Army were killed. Later, in the spring of 1645, Charles I gained his ‘revenge’ on the village by ordering his two dashing young nephews Princes Rupert and Maurice, to ride to Christleton and burn it to the ground. By the time of the main Battle of Rowton Moor on the 24th September 1645, the village of Christleton barely existed.
King Charles is said to have watched the battle of Rowton Moor from the City Walls, but it was his troops returning in defeat through the Northgate that he witnessed. That night under the cover of darkness he escaped from Chester over the Old Dee Bridge, initially to Hawarden and then Denbigh Castles. Following these momentous events at Rowton Moor and the City of Chester King Charles was always troubled, and constantly pursued throughout the country by the Parliamentarian Army. He was on the run until captured by the Scots near Newark in 1646. He later escaped to the Isle of Wight, but was recaptured and taken to London and tried for treason. He was found guilty and executed at Whitehall on 30th January 1649.

The next feature of the North Wall is a stained glass window commemorating the life of the Rev. Charles D Mack Canon of Chester Cathedral and Rector of the Parish from 1972 to 1986. The window, in modern stained glass, was designed by Cliff Boddy, a long-serving member of the choir and church, who has contributed many fine examples of hand-written manuscripts and scrolls to the church, many of which you will see on display. Cliff’s finest work however, is a calfskin scroll commemorating the Beating of The Bounds ceremony in Coronation Year, 1953, which is stored for safe-keeping in the vestry. At Parish Communion on Sunday September the 11th 1998, Cliff Boddy was presented with a long service medal from the Royal School of Church Music by Dr. Peter Forster Bishop of Chester to commemorate 75 years service as a member of St James' Choir. He is also remembered by the use of two silver capped glass flagons used to hold wine and water at communion services and by a painting in the choir vestry.

Christleton had been the scene of much fighting during the Civil War and it is probable that the people had no choice other than to support the Parliament led by Oliver Cromwell, as a garrison of parliamentarian soldiers led by Sir William Brereton was based in their village.
It is thanks to the efforts of the late Rev. Fred Pryce Parry that we know so much about this unique feature of our church.

The church building was used as a garrison for Parliamentarian troops during the whole of 1645, and there is no doubt that a great deal of the evidence of occupation was lost in the various re-buildings that have taken place since that time. One of the most significant events of the war took place early in 1645 when a Roundhead trooper, standing on top of the church tower saw a mounted troop of Royalists leaving the city. He quickly organised an ambush somewhere in the vicinity of the "Glasshouse" on Whitchurch Road, where over 200 officers and men of the Royalist Army were killed. Later, in the spring of 1645, Charles I gained his 'revenge' on the village by ordering his two dashing young nephews Princes Rupert and Maurice, to ride to Christleton and burn it to the ground. By the time of the main Battle of Rowton Moor on the 24th September of that year, the village of Christleton barely existed. King Charles is said to have watched the battle from the City Walls and was always searching for support and places of refuge following the battle. He escaped from Chester over the Old Dee Bridge under the cover of darkness, and from then on was always on the run.

The views from the tower are unsurpassed, and was the main reason that the Parliamentarian Garrison of Sir William Brereton took over the church in 1644/5. From here the troops were able to monitor movements of the Royalist Army in and around of the city, and had clear views in every direction. On a clear day there are excellent views across the Cheshire Plain to Beeston Castle and the Peckforton Hills, to Kelsall and Delamere Forest in the east, to Runcorn Bridge and the River Mersey to the north. You can look westwards across the city to St Mary's Church and the River, to Connah's Quay and the Dee Estuary; and beyond to Moel Famau and the Berwyn Mountains. If you look towards the south west on very clear days you will see tall radio masts, some fifty miles away on a hill near the town of Welshpool.

The churchyard is best approached from the Lych Gate which was designed by Butterfield and donated by the Garnett Family in memory of Harriet Garnett the mother of Rector Lionel who lived at the family home of Wyreside in Lancashire.

Following the loss of the old cross due to age a new cross has been carved, thanks to the work of Charles Smeatham, following a design by Eric Kenyon and this was put in place during March 2000.

Immediately to the left of the Lych Gate is the War Memorial originating from the Great War of 1914-18 and bearing the names of the servicemen from Navy, Air Force and eleven regiments of the Army. It is constructed in sandstone and supported on an octagonal plinth, and was originally intended to be located on the Village Green. In fact the top section was blown over and damaged by very high winds soon after it was constructed and had to be repaired.

He rebuilt the Church, both schools and the Mens Institute. He arranged for a new telephone, water supply and sewerage systems to be installed,and founded the Football and Cricket Clubs, Village Band, Gardening Club, the Village Fete and Show and the local Temperance Society.

Proceeding towards the Church, on the right hand side there is the grave of William Huggins and his brother Samuel, the former being an accomplished painter and the latter a notable architect. William died at Rock House in the village in 1884, having lived in Liverpool, New Ferry & North Wales before coming to Christleton in 1878 on the death of his wife. By then he had achieved a very considerable reputation as a painter of animals (particularly of big cats), of landscapes of the Cheshire countryside, and of portraits. It's even said that he kept a menagerie of wild animals at Rock House (now the dental surgery) to enable him to paint from life.

The sundial that divides the path at this point is mounted on an old millstone which is said to have stood originally in the grounds of the Old Hall. It has a copper dial engraved with hours, and an inscription.

Another curiosity is the small block of sandstone to be found at the base of the Church Tower. This has the letters CP LT and the date 1847 engraved on it. This stone originally stood near the roundabout at Vicars Cross and marked the Parish boundary. The letters stand for Christleton Parish / Littleton Township. It was rescued by some of our church bell ringers when roadworks were taking place there in the 1960's.

Examination of the older part of the Churchyard reveals a significant number of families originating from Liverpool and Manchester, some from evidently prosperous industrial and merchant families. This suggests that the Parish was a favoured area both to live in and retire to in the Victorian period. The west side of the churchyard has two such graves; John Best Merchant of Liverpool, and James Holden Merchant of Manchester. In contrast the oldest grave, that of Peter Merryl, which commemorates his death in 1695, is evidence of an earlier church community. We have written evidence that Catherine Hodson was "buried in woollens" also in 1695 and the Hodson family figure prominently in Church life throughout the next two centuries.

An earlier record indicates the wish of Margaret Smith of Lambeth in London to be buried in the Churchyard in the year 1506. This appears to have been carried out at great cost, although the location of the grave is not known. Neither is the burial place of a large number of Christleton families killed by the plague that affected the village in 1603/05. These families are listed in some of the earliest records we have of the church, from the births, deaths and marriages registers dating from 1600. Many Christleton residents have been long - lived, the eldest appears to have been Elizabeth Rowe of Woodfields who reached the age of 108, closely followed by Jim Poston aged 105 who lived at the Old Surgery on Village Road.

A new register of burials in the churchyard is being currently being complied. Work started by the late Roy Clough in 1998, is now being completed by David Cummings. Families wishing to learn more about their family history /or burials at St James’ should write to David c/o The Rector.

The Church register from 1604 shows that Christleton was hit by a severe plague, and two local families were particularly badly affected, as shown below.

The list of burials include
2 May Margaret Seller 4 June Thomas Spiser
3 May Thomas Seller 5 June Janeta Spiser
21 May Elena Seller 16 June William Spiser
21 May Johnannes Seller 17 June Anne Spiser
31 May Robertus Seller 23 June Margareta Spiser


Members of the Dixon Family of Littleton are laid to rest in a large family vault in the rear churchyard adjacent to the Rector's vestry. There are separate graves for the first Thomas & his wife Anne, buried with their son James and his family. For William & Barbara Dixon, and for Dr F.M and Sir Rupert Granger & families connected by marriage to the Dixon’s.

The other great benefactor of the Victorian period was Lucy Anne Ince. Her life is commemorated on a tablet in the churchyard as well as within the church. The large family vault is situated to the north the footpath from Pepper Street. It was she, together with several other families and with the active support of Canon Garnett, who influenced the decision to rebuild the present church on its original site. A decision that now seems to have been very successful, and benefits us all.

Whilst researching the graveyard for members of the community who served in WWI, we came across seven graves from 1914-18 War, and one from WWII listed as Commonwealth Graves Commission Memorials. There are also records of other men who died in WWI, and were buried or missing in the battlefields of France, Belgium and Gallipoli which are inscribed on family memorials. Full details of these can be found in the Christleton Great War Stories Book published by Christleton Local History Group, or on the Christleton website www.christleton.org.uk

St James' Church & Churchyard stands as testament to these people, and to the thousands who have worshipped and supported the church in Christleton over the centuries.

1215 Robert, Parson of Christleton. / John, clerk of Christleton.
1250 David, Parson of Christleton.
1281 The recluse of Christleton' (Ledger Vale Royal.)
1306/7 Gilbert de Roubery, / Canon of Auckland, non resident.
1309. William de Christleton clerk.
1310. Hugh, clerk of Christleton.
1318. Magr. Walter de Askeby.
1319. Magr. Symon Pyte.
1321/31. Master Simon de Lich or Lych
1358. Adam de Moels.
1359. Will Abel.
1361. John de Salghale.
1378. Will de Hodynton.
1378. Magr. Roger de Davenport.
1386. Will Pelle or Pette.
1393. Will de Swanton.
1445. Dom Thomas Maderer.
1446. John ap Gruffydd ap Wyllym.
Thomas Dutton brother of Hugh Dutton.
1451. Ralph Dutton son of Hugh Dutton.
1451. Richard Barowe.
1484. Thomas clerk. (Second church built.)
1508. John Fowler.
1513. John Brereton DD
1536. Magr. John Wodeward.
1555. John Wallace.
1559. William Collingwood (Prebendary)
1560. William Bebbington.
1571. Robert Ireland.
1598. Reece Hughes.(Communion table given.)
1616. Edmund Schol (Gave to the Egerton Charity.)
1619. Ludovic Lloyd.
1634/69. William Mostyn. (Archdeacon of Bangor.)
1647/60. Hugh Burrowes, Samuel Slater (Intruded Ministers.)
1669. Thomas Weston. (Battlements on the Tower added.)
1688. Thomas Clopton. (Nephew of the Bishop of St Asaph.)
1717. Philip Egerton DD (Also Rector of Astbury Church)
1727. Phillip Smallridge LLD Preb. of Worcester (Chaplain to Queen Caroline)
1752. Roger Mostyn (Archdeacon of Bangor.)
1775. Thomas Mostyn. (Uncle of Lord Mostyn.)
1809. Griffith Lloyd. (Brother of Lord Mostyn.)
1843. Thomas Lloyd. (Nephew of Lord Mostyn.)
1869. Lionel Garnett. (Hon. Canon of Chester Cathedral)
1911. Godfrey Michael Vincent Hickey.
1926. Arthur Alyn Guest Williams.
1965 Lawrence Rainald Skipper. (Hon. Canon of Chester Cathedral.)
1972. Charles Derrick Mack. (Hon. Canon of Chester Cathedral.)
1987. David Christopher Garnett. (Archdeacon of Chesterfield.)
1992. Kenneth Peter Lee.M.A (Hon Canon of Chester Cathedral)
2011. Malcolm Cowan B.Th
2018. Rev’d Dr Stefan Collier