St James' Church, Christleton

St James' Church, Christleton
St James' Church, Christleton, from the south
St James' Church, Christleton Location in Cheshire
Coordinates: 53°11′08″N 2°50′18″W / 53.1856°N 2.8383°W / 53.1856; -2.8383
OS grid reference	SJ 440 657
Location	Christleton, Cheshire
Country	England
Denomination	Anglican
Website	St James, Christleton
Architecture
Status	Parish church
Functional status	Active
Heritage designation	Grade II*
Designated	1 June 1967
Architect(s)	William Butterfield
Architectural type	Church
Style	Gothic Revival
Completed	1877
Specifications
Materials	Ashlar red and white sandstone Green slate roof
Administration
Parish	Christleton
Deanery	Chester
Archdeaconry	Chester
Diocese	Chester
Province	York
Clergy
Rector	Rev. Malcolm Cowan
Laity
Churchwarden(s)	Carl Cumiskey, Bettie Gilliatt

St James' Church is in the village of Christleton, Cheshire, England. The church 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 Chester and the deanery of Chester. It is the only Cheshire church designed by William Butterfield.

The name of the village is recorded in the Domesday Book and it is likely that a church was on the site at this time. In 1093 the patronage of the church was given to the monks of St Werburgh's Abbey, Chester. The church was rebuilt in stone around 1490, and the tower built at this time is still present. The church sustained considerable damage during the Civil War and around 1730 the nave and chancel were repaired. However, during a service in 1873 the roof of the nave partly collapsed. Plans for rebuilding the church were prepared by Butterfield, retaining the 15th-century tower, adding gargoyles to each corner and a short spire to the turret. The rebuilding took place between 1874 and 1878.

The church is built in ashlar red and white sandstone with a green slate roof. Its plan consists of a nave and chancel in one range with a clerestory, north and south aisles, a south porch, side chapels to the chancel, and a west tower. The tower is in two stages with diagonal buttresses and a stair turret at the southeast angle. It has a three-light west window. The bell openings have two lights and are louvred. The parapets are embattled and have gargoyles. On top of the tower is a shingled pyramidal cap.