St James
Gatley, Cheshire
The church is significant to the community as it stands at the heart of Gatley village overlooking and next to the village green and civic war memorial.
The church was consecrated in 1969 and developed from a prayer cell. It was originally the church of All Saints. Worship there was sacramentally based, centred around prayer and parish communion.
Modern, minimalist in design the building is constructed of large greyish stone blocks, easily confused with breeze blocks. It is said by some members of the congregation to be based upon a monk’s cell. Set into the inside walls are stones from York, Canterbury and Chichester cathedrals, and one ancient stone from Manchester Cathedral.
The building was designed by Gordon Thorne and seats two hundred. The silver and wood cross, which hangs in the sanctuary, was donated by St Aidan's College, Birkenhead, as was the bell, which has now been electrified. The original pipe organ is a small, Sixsmiths extension organ, the pipework above the main door.
St Richard’s provides a calm and quiet space, ideal for private prayer. There is also a small chapel between the church and the hall which is usually kept available for this purpose.
There is no church yard, but a small community garden is at one end of the hall in addition to car parking and some lawn and shrubs next to the church.