Congleton St James,Cheshire

Parish History
Congleton St James was formed in 1847 from Congleton St Peter,Cheshire and the earlier Ancient parish of  Astbury, Cheshire.

In 1847 the district of Astbury contained a population of three thousand four hundred. Under an act known as ‘Sir Robert Peel’s Church Extension Act’, which was designed to make better provision for the spiritual care of populous parishes, the church of St. James was born.

Randle Wilbraham Esq. High Steward of the Borough laid the first stone, a corner stone, on the 29th May 1847. James Trubshaw of Newcastle under Lyme designed the Church. The principal contractor was Samuel Faram of Odd Rode and Edward Massey of Lawton was responsible for the woodwork. The building was paid for by public subscription and grants from the Chester Diocesan Society, the Incorporated Society and the Church Commissioners. The church was consecrated by the Bishop of Chester Dr Graham on Wednesday 27th January 1849

The style of Architecture is that of the transitional period of early English. A characteristic of this period that is clearly visible is the steep roof forming an equilateral triangle to the doorways and windows. The exterior of the church is constructed of Cloud-side gritstone. The roof is covered with Westmoreland pale green slate. The Church consists of Nave, Side Aisles and Chancel, with a porch at the northern end and a bell-cot surmounting the western end of the Nave roof.

The Nave is seventy-seven feet long and twenty-seven foot wide and is separated from the Side Aisles by five pointed arches on each side supported by six pillars formed of white Hollington stone. The high roof is made from pinewood and the carved braces are supported on stone corbels from the inner walls. The Chancel is paved with encaustic tiles, is thirty feet long, seventeen foot wide and thirty five-foot high and divided from the Nave by a high Chancel Arch formed of Hollington stone.

Church Records
Parish registers for St. James, Congleton, Cheshire, 1844-1957

An index for Cheshire parish registers is available online at FamilySearch Historical Records(formerly Record Search)

Cheshire Record Office number: P210/1/1-5, 2/1-5, P210/5142/1, P210/5273/1-5.

Poor Law Unions

 * Congleton Poor Law Union, Cheshire