OS grid reference SJ 606 426 Country England Founded 1769 Archdeaconry Macclesfield | Denomination Anglican Opened 1886 | |
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Website St Mary and St Michael, Burleydam Similar St Nicholas' Chapel, St Mary's Church - Bruera, Zion Chapel - Chester, St Olave's Church - Chester, St Luke's Church - Dunham | ||
St Mary's and St Michael's Church is in the village of Burleydam in the civil parish of Dodcott cum Wilkesley, Cheshire, England. The church is some 1.5 miles (2 km) to the southeast of Combermere Abbey. It is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II listed building. It is an active Anglican parish church in the diocese of Chester, the archdeaconry of Macclesfield and the deanery of Nantwich. Its benefice is combined with those of St Michael, Baddiley, and St Margaret, Wrenbury.
Contents
History
The church was built in 1769 at the expense of the Cottons of Combermere Abbey. This church was cruciform in shape and in 1886 two further transepts, a chancel, a new west wall, a northwestern porch and a bellcote were added. The church was noted by Dr Johnson on his visit to Combermere on 24 July 1774. He describes the church as "neat and plain" with "handsome" communion plate.
Exterior
The church is built in brick with a slate roof. The west aspect has pilaster buttresses on each side on top of which are conical caps and ball finials. In the centre are three arched windows above which is a stone cornice and a gable containing a circular clock face with a stone surround. At the apex of the gable is a cross. At the date of listing, there was a timber bellcote on the ridge behind the cross, with a lead roof and a weather-cock on the summit; the bellcote became unsafe and was removed in 1992. The north aspect has a porch to the right with a round arch to the door above which is a carving of Saint George slaying the dragon. To the left are the transept and chancel with arched windows. The south aspect is similar but without a porch. The east aspect has a triple round-headed window and pilaster buttresses similar to those on the west aspect.
Interior
In the church is a monument to Viscount Combermere who died in 1865. It consists of a bust under a Gothic arch. The stained glass in the east window is by Kempe and is dated 1908. The two-manual organ was built by Peter Conacher of Huddersfield.