Dear Friends
I am writing to invite you to share in the task of restoring and preserving our Parish Church of St James in Christleton for future generations. We are launching an appeal for £110,000. This leaflet is being delivered to every house in the Parish of Christleton and every member of the Church Electoral Roll.
I find it a very humbling experience to look at the list of Rectors at the back of the Church, dating back to 1215. I feel it is a great privilege and responsibility to be the present incumbent of that line, which has ensured unbroken continuity in our heritage of faith and worship. In St James, we truly have a Church which ensures Christleton is “the place of the Christians”: a beautiful building elevated at the centre of the village as focus to our life, with God at its heart.
In this leaflet you will read of the considerable challenge we face in order to play our part today, to ensure that focus of St James continues, and is enhanced, for future generations, just as those in the past did for us today. As a Church we face another challenge which is to ensure our regular, committed giving increases. This is to continue to provide the finance which enables our ongoing, everyday worship and witness as a Church, in trying to be true disciples of Christ in sharing his mission to extend God’s Kingdom. I hope and pray that we can respond to both those challenges together, so neither is at the expense of the other.
St James is an integral part of the wider community and is appreciated by many who may not be regular worshippers. We feel it is right to extend this invitation to anyone who might like to play their part in helping to respond to this appeal. Please read on to find out more about our heritage; details of the necessary work; its costing, and how to give to the appeal most efficiently.
Yours sincerely
K Peter Lee
Rector of St James, Christleton
EARLY HISTORY OF ST JAMES CHURCH
Recent investigations suggest that a church has existed on this site since the seventh century. The first church building was a wooden one, and the first stone building was erected in 1484/5, of which the tower remains.
A new nave and chancel were built in 1736 with money raised from various sources including a “Parliamentary Brief”, a means of obtaining money from a wider source than the village. However, the building was completed using largely local labour, such as men transporting the stone from quarries in Waverton and Delamere. This building had several chapels for the Townsend, Cotton, Brereton and Cholmondeley families, which had fireplaces to keep them warm during the services as well as seats for their servants. The villagers had to pay for their pews and some sat up in a gallery at the west end of the nave, which was entered from a passage in the tower. The church bells still used every week to call the village to prayer, date from this period.
In 1876, snow fell onto the congregation during an evening service and the then incumbent Canon Lionel Garnett decided that a new church was needed. He engaged William Butterfield, one of the most eminent Victorian architects, to carry out the work, and the building we see today is his church. It contains a great deal of his distinctive style: the geometric patterns in the red and cream sandstone walls, the foliated wood work in the roof, the use of highly coloured floor tiles and the use of marble and mosaics in the sanctuary. He designed most of the artefacts himself, including the font, pulpit, lectern and seating, but he involved both A Gibbs and Charles Kempe, two of the most famous Victorian glass artists to design the stained glass windows.
The church was once under the patronage of Robert, the Norman Baron of Malpas, who was appointed by Hugh Lupus, first Earl of Chester. It later became part of the Abbey of Chester, and the Abbot obtained water from what became known as the Abbot’s Well in Christleton. The church then became part of the Diocese of Chester; the figure of St Werburgh holding the cathedral church can be seen in the wonderful east window opposite that of St James the fisherman. Together both saints support the central figure of Christ.
More recent patrons of the church have included the Egerton family during the 16th century, the Townsends from the 17th century, with Mrs Lucy Anne Townsend-Ince providing substantial funds from her legacy as a descendant of Sir Francis Drake. She was the driving force behind the present church building and had support from the Dixon family of Littleton. The Sellers family of Littleton was also prominent in the construction of the church and the school, the first of which was in the present churchyard. One of their family, the Rev. A A Guest Williams was a very influential figure during the 20th century, serving the church for almost 50 years. Canon Lionel Garnett himself was a wonderful minister, revered by everyone, who served the church and village between 1868 and 1911.
However, it is the people of Christleton who have made the village the place it is today and who have been baptised, married and buried here at St James’, this central place of worship, for well over a thousand years.
Click images for larger view
SCOPE OF WORK AND COST
The 2001 Quinquennial inspection of St James’, and subsequently a more detailed report, indicated that extensive work was required to prevent water penetration through the roof, guttering and stonework. One sentence from the Quinquennial report said “…overall the lead flashings/ weatherings are now beginning to fail and should be replaced to extend the life of the fabric and avoid future costly repair work.”
Most of the proposed work is at high level, which requires all the roof and tower to be enclosed in scaffolding. This is very expensive, so therefore, we have decided to maximise the use of the scaffolding by renewing as many items as possible. This course of action will hopefully keep the Church watertight for the foreseeable future. Short of completely re-slating the roof, which we believe is not required or indeed affordable, every item connected with ensuring the Church is protected from water penetration through the roofs and gutters will be renewed, or in the case of ridge tiles and copping stones, re-bedded. In addition, some of the slates and shingles (wooden tiles on the tower) will be replaced as necessary and the vestry chimney and chancel gable cross-stabilised.
The cost will be the region of £110,000, including the building contract, architect's fees, VAT and an allowance for the unexpected. The architect is providing the design, specifications, and drawings for the work and supervision of the contractor.
DONATIONS Should you be prepared to help us in this vitally necessary restoration work, you can donate in one of two ways: a simple donation by cheque (made payable to St James Restoration Appeal) or, if you prefer, by completing a Banker’s Order (on the form enclosed) thus spreading your giving over a period of (I suggest) up to 5 years.
If you are a UK taxpayer, whichever method you choose, I should be most grateful if you would complete the Gift Aid declaration and return it with your donation. This will increase the value of your gift by 28% as the Church will be able to reclaim the tax.
Donations can either be posted to The Rector, The Rectory, Birch Heath Lane, Christleton, Chester CH3 7AP, handed in at Church or dropped off at one of the following collection points.
