St. Mary's Centre, Chester

St Mary's Creative Space
St Mary's Creative Space, Chester
St Mary's Creative Space Location in Cheshire
Coordinates: 53°11′11″N 2°53′28″W / 53.1863°N 2.8911°W / 53.1863; -2.8911
OS grid reference	SJ 404,658
Location	Chester, Cheshire
Country	England
Denomination	Anglican
History
Former name(s)	Church of St Mary-on-the-Hill, Chester
Architecture
Status	Redundant
Functional status	Educational centre
Heritage designation	Grade I
Designated	28 June 1955
Architect(s)	James Harrison J. P. Seddon
Architectural type	Church
Style	Gothic
Completed	1892
Closed	1972
Specifications
Materials	Red sandstone

St Mary's Creative Space, formerly the Church of St Mary-on-the-Hill, stands at the top of St Mary's Hill, Chester, Cheshire, England, near Chester Castle. It is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade I listed building. The church stands at the top of a narrow winding lane which leads down to the River Dee, and it is adjacent to Chester Castle. In the 1970s the church was converted into an educational centre. It is currently available for use as a concert and exhibition venue and the Chester Music Society hold many concerts there throughout the year. The building is programmed by Theatre in the Quarter, and the venue hosts a lively programme of art and cultural events, from homegrown Cestrian performers, national and international acts.

The original church on the site was Norman and it served the castle. The present church dates from the 14th and 15th centuries. The south chapel was built around 1443 and was owned by the Earl of Shrewsbury. It was damaged in 1645 during the Civil War and collapsed in 1661. It was rebuilt in 1693. During the Jacobite rebellion of 1745 the upper stage of the tower was demolished by Lord Cholmondeley in order to provide a clear line of fire. The church was restored in 1861–62 by James Harrison and in 1890–92 by J. P. Seddon. The north porch was rebuilt in 1892 in memory of Randle Holme III. The aisle roofs were rebuilt in the 1930s. The church closed in 1972.

The church is built in red sandstone. Its plan consists of a three-stage west tower, a three-bay nave with clerestory, north and south aisles, a chancel with north and south chapels, a north porch and a two-storey south porch. The tower is in three stages; the lower two stages date from the 16th century and the third stage was added in the 19th century. On its north wall is a Tudor doorway. The arcades of the nave are also Tudor. The northeast chapel is St Katherine's Chapel and the southeast is the Troutbeck Chapel.