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Church of St Cuthbert by the Forest

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Coordinates: 53°13′49″N 2°43′59″W / 53.2304°N 2.7331°W / 53.2304; -2.7331
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Church of St Cuthbert by the Forest
Eastern aspect
Church of St Cuthbert by the Forest is located in Cheshire
Church of St Cuthbert by the Forest
Church of St Cuthbert by the Forest
Location in Cheshire
53°13′49″N 2°43′59″W / 53.2304°N 2.7331°W / 53.2304; -2.7331
OS grid referenceSJ 512 706
LocationMouldsworth, Cheshire
CountryEngland
DenominationRoman Catholic
History
StatusParish church
DedicationSaint Cuthbert
Architecture
Functional statusActive
Heritage designationGrade II
Designated26 March 2014
Architect(s)F. X. Velarde
Architectural typeChurch
StyleArts and Crafts with Gothic and Germanic references
Groundbreaking1953
Completed1955
Construction costChurch £7,000
Campanile £1,000
Specifications
MaterialsBrick, artificial stone,
tiled roof
Administration
DioceseShrewsbury
ParishSaint Thomas Becket & Saint Cuthbert by the Forest

The Church of St Cuthbert by the Forest[a] is in the village of Mouldsworth, Cheshire, England. It is an active Roman Catholic church in the diocese of Shrewsbury.[1] Its parish is combined with that of St Thomas Becket, Tarporley.[2] The church, designed by Liverpool architect F. X. Velarde, is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II listed building. The small church is distinguished by its characteristic detached campanile.[3]

History

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Mass was first said in the area in 1926 in a pavilion behind what was then the Station Hotel.[b] In the 1950s, the owners of the hotel bought land to the south of the hotel and gave it to the diocese. The church was designed by F. X. Velarde, and was opened in September 1955 by John Murphy, Roman Catholic Bishop of Shrewsbury. The church cost £7,000, and the detached campanile £1,000. In about 1958 the church became part of Tarporley parish. The interior was reordered in 1976.[1]

Architecture

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Exterior

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St Cuthbert's is a small church designed to seat 72 people. Its design is influenced by the Arts and Crafts movement, together with some Gothic and Germanic references. The exterior is faced with brick, the dressings are in artificial stone, and the church is roofed in Staffordshire tiles. There is a detached campanile to the southeast of the church. The church is orientated with the sanctuary at the west end; the following description will use the liturgical orientation. Its plan consists of a three-bay nave with a south sacristy, a narthex at the west end, and an apsidal sanctuary. The narthex has two gables, each containing a diamond-shaped window, and a main entrance on the north side. The windows along the sides of the nave are paired lancets separated by artificial stone mullions carved with angels. The sacristy has a south doorway, and windows on the south, west and east walls, those on the east having angel mullions. The apse is without windows, but on the sides of the sanctuary are windows similar to those on the nave. On the roof of the nave are three decorative cross finials. The brick campanile is almost 44 feet (13.4 m) high, and it has a stone bellcote containing electronic speakers. On the top is a copper pyramidal roof with a cross finial.[1][3]

Interior

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The interior of the church is in brick, with the ceilings and apse plastered. In the nave are two wide diaphragm arches, and there is a similar arch at the entrance to the sanctuary. The windows contain cathedral glass, and the mullions are also carved on the interior with angels. The Stations of the Cross are in wood that was carved in the South Tyrol. Behind the altar is a shelf on which is a tabernacle. In the south wall of the nave are the entrances to the sacristy and the confessional. The narthex contains a small chapel.[1][3]

See also

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Notes and references

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Notes

  1. ^ The forest is the nearby Delamere Forest.
  2. ^ This now known as the Goshawk.[4]

Citations

  1. ^ a b c d St Cuthbert by the Forest, Mouldsworth, Taking Stock, retrieved 30 March 2014
  2. ^ The Church at Mouldsworth: St Cuthbert, Parish of Saint Thomas Becket & Saint Cuthbert by the Forest, archived from the original on 28 July 2013, retrieved 30 March 2014
  3. ^ a b c Historic England, "Roman Catholic Church of St Cuthbert by the Forest, including detached campanile (1418016)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 30 March 2014
  4. ^ The Goshawk, Woodward and Falconer Pubs, retrieved 30 March 2014
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