CheshireKELSALLStPhilip(mikefahertyCC-BY-SA2.0)1 MikeFaherty

St Philip

Built in 1860 and situated on rising ground and prominent on the main through road of Kelsall village.

Kelsall, Cheshire

Opening times

Open every day during daylight hours from mid summer 2020.

Address

St Philip
Chester Road
Kelsall
Cheshire
CW6 0SA

The church consists of a south porch, nave, chancel and north vestries; a simple plan with bellcote on the gable of the nave pitched slated roofs. Rock cut sandstone, ashlared internally; fairly plain and bold gothic details taken from the late 13th century. The church was built on a virgin site in 1860 to the designs of Thomas Bower of Nantwich; good Kempe style windows in the chancel.

The building was funded by Colonel Tomkinson of Willington Hall. The design is conventional and follows the accepted pattern adopted at the time of building. The church was licensed for worship in 1861 although not consecrated until 1868. It was a chapel of ease to St. Andrew Tarvin until 1956 when the ‘parish’ was created.

Recent changes included removing the fitted benches and levelling the floors, storing a very large stone font under the nave floor and providing a new font at the east end of the nave opposite the pulpit. We also installed a new kitchenette and  accessible toilet.

Internally there is stained glass to the east, in the style of LE Kempe, donated by Colonel Thomkinson in 1861 and modern stained glass, of 1968 by Wippell Mowbray Ltd, at the west end. A reredos used to stand in front of the east window and this has recently been moved to the west end. The reredos was a donation of 1911 in memory of Cadet John Oakley ob.1891 age 16, with applied prints in the panels. This is a copy of a Flemish triptych in the church of St Mary in the Baltic city of Lubeck by Hans Memling.

  • Spectacular stained glass

  • Fascinating churchyard

  • Enchanting atmosphere

  • Captivating architecture

  • Walkers & cyclists welcome

  • Parking within 250m

  • Level access to the main areas

  • Car park at church

  • Bus stop within 100m

  • Accessible toilets in church

  • The church is open for worship most Sundays: 9am for services of Morning worship or Holy Commnion 10.30am a service which varies through the month to include Morning Worship, Family service, Communion and an Informal service with Music Group.

  • There are occasional special services on a Sunday evening, such as Harvest and a carol service. There are also occasional special/festival services according to the season. These include Christmas and Easter and extra services such as Carols.

  • Annual Duke of Edinburgh’s award service.

  • Church of England

  • Cornerstone Grant, £15,000, 2020

  • Our Cornerstone Grants fund urgent repairs and essential community facilities such as toilets and kitchens to help keep churches open.

Contact information

Other nearby churches

St Peter

Hargrave, Cheshire

We’re on many cycle routes and the terrain is perfect cycling country and also, if you’re on a narrow boat on the canal, you can walk from Golden Nook Bridge to find us.

Hoole URC

Hoole, Cheshire

The origins of the church go back to 1887 when a preaching station was set up in a house in Faulkner Street, in 1908 a small site was bought in Walker Street and a 'tin tabernacle' was erected as a Congregational Church.