Nominal: 686 Hz Weight: 1486 lbs Diameter: 43.75" Bell 1 of 8
Founded by Mears & Stainbank 1867
Dove Bell ID: 1793 Tower ID: 10579 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Congleton: St Peter
Diocese of Chester
Major Parish Church, 609232
http://www.congletonparish.org.uk/This church is on the Heritage at Risk Register (verified 2025-11-06)
View more information about this church on the Heritage at Risk website
Overview
Grid reference: SJ 859 627
Visiting and facilities
Building is open for worship
Facilities include toilets (accessible), ramped entrance, and a hearing induction loop.
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
5-bay aisled nave, and chancel in one, west tower clasped by the aisles, canted north-west portico.
Dimensions:
Nave 22m (75ft) long, 16m (55ft) wide including the aisles.
Footprint of Church buildings: 527 m²
Description of Archaeology and History
Prehistoric
A large Neolithic chamber tomb (the Bridestones) stands on the hill to the east of Congleton above the river. There are a number of scattered findspots of flints along the river, and Bronze Age artefacts including a hoard are also known in the town, though none in the immediate vicinity of the site. Stray finds from all these periods are possible.
Roman
Several Roman coins have been found including a 4th-century coin hoard, but little evidence of permanent settlement has been found in the town.
Anglo-Saxon
Domesday Book (1086) notes that Earl Godwin of Wessex (King Harold) held the town, where it is listed as Cogelton. There was therefore an Anglo-Saxon settlement here, though no church or chapel is mentioned.
Norman
William the Conqueror granted the whole of Cheshire to his nephew, who became the 1st Earl of Chester.
Medieval
In the 13th century Congleton belonged to the de Lacy family. Henry de Lacy, 3rd Earl of Lincoln granted the town its first charter in 1272, enabling it to hold fairs and markets, elect a mayor, form a merchant guild, and also to build a mill, and Congleton became an important centre of textile production, especially leather gloves and lace.
A chapel existed known as Lower or Bridge Chapel, probably a 14th century Oratory thought to have been where the A54 bridge is now. The chapel was built into the foundations of the bridge. At the end of the 16th century it was used for storage. No trace of the bridge or chapel remain. In the late 14th century a chapel was built on the site of St Peter’s. The construction of these chapels may have been as a consequence of the town charter and the subsequent expansion of the settlement, which looked to Astbury as its parish church.
The earliest fabric remaining in the church is in the base of the tower, though underground remains of this Medieval chapel are likely to survive beneath the nave. A disastrous flood of 1451 destroyed a number of buildings, leading to the rebuilding of the town away from the river to the south, around St Peter’s.
Post-Reformation
Congleton became notorious in the 1620s when bear-baiting, as well as cockfighting, were popular sports. The town used money for these sports which it had saved to buy a bible, and it replenished the fund with the income from the increased number of spectators. The story took hold that Congleton sold its bible to pay for a new bear, earning Congleton the nickname “Beartown”.
Congleton had an early Silk throwing mill, built by John Clayton and Nathaniel Pattison in 1753. There is a monument to Pattison in the south aisle More mills followed, and cotton was also spun, leading to growing wealth and population.
After the Reformation the church continued to be used as a chapel-of- ease to the parish church at Astbury. However as industrialised production gained momentum and the population increased, the town felt the need for more space. They wrote to the Bishop Chester saying it was old, decayed and too small, and in 1740 the decision was taken to demolish and rebuild the church rather than try and expand it.
The Bishop’s letter of 1742 indicates enlarging the church 6 yards north into the churchyard. The nave and chancel was therefore demolished and replaced with a typical preaching box of a nave and chancel in one with box pews and galleries, however the old tower was retained. The architect / builder was William Baker of nearby Audlem (died 1771, buried in Audlem St James churchyard). The tower was heightened with a somewhat Gothick Perpendicular belfry stage in 1786.
19th Century
In 1839-40 Joshua Radford extended the galleries at the west end by one bay on each side of the tower, and a porch was added on the south side at the west end. Tightly packed raked seating was inserted in these spaces, often referred to as “paupers pews”. The ICBS would have insisted on them being free, unlike the best seats elsewhere in this building. Clearly space was at a premium at this time. The ICBS records state this work, which they supported with a grant, was “for enlarging side galleries, fixing benches and pews in aisles and pews under belfry”. It can be seen from the ground plan that Radford added a storey each side of the tower to achieve this, and installed staircases, which are still there.
The town continued to prosper and a new town hall was built in 1866, designed in the Gothic style by Edward William Godwin. At this time the mills were converted to fustian cutting. The population continued to increase, and St Peter’s became a parish church for the first time, as other churches were built in the town to cope with the increase.
20th Century
A limited silk ribbon weaving industry survived into the late 20th century. Many mills survive as industrial or residential units. Today there are light engineering factories near the town, although Congleton is now also a dormitory for Manchester and other large towns in the region. The church was restored in 1920 which however left the Georgian interior mostly intact, with a vestry added within the north side and chapel on the south flanking the chancel added in 1940. There were restorations again in 1983, when the pulpit was cut down and made mobile. A further move in 1984 removed the dividers and benches from the front pews to ostensibly create more comfortable and flexible seating spaces, however these now house the piano and serve as space for storing chairs etc.
Exterior Description
The tower is in three stages and forms the most architecturally and archaeologically complex part of the building. The west door has an ogee arch and moulded frame, with 8-panelled divided door. There are lean-to extensions with single narrow round-headed lights, with steep pitched roofs rising against the tower. Theere is a shallow canted Roman Doric column porch at the north-west corner, directly onto the road, and so placed because of the road. Above the doorway is a broad round-headed window with ogee finial. Clock faces to the narrow middle stage. The belfry stage has ogee headed 2-light openings. Crenellated parapet with corner and intermediary pinnacles.
The nave and chancel are under one roof, a typical simple rectangular brick box. The side aisles are full height with two tiers of windows with iron casements, the upper semi-circular headed, the lower segmental headed.
The east end has a 3-light Venetian window (serliana) within a gable, with blind arches to each side. The gabled roof is slated with stone coped gables. The timber structure beneath this is in poor condition.
There is a concrete boiler house half sunk into the ground on the south side, the construction of which entailed the movement of a monument and the reinterment of human remains.
Interior
Interior Description
Entering through the main west door, the tower space functions as an internal porch, with the war memorials on the walls. A door on the south side gives access to a small kitchen. On the other side there is a single toilet built into the space under the north staircase, accessible from the north aisle. Stairs give access to the gallery.
The nave is reached through partly glazed double doors. It has a 3-sided gallery with dark-stained fielded panels, Roman Doric columns to galleries with square piers below. The seating consists of a virtually complete set of box pews to nave, aisles and galleries, of the finest quality, with original fittings such as hinges and latches. The pair at the front, with curving sides to the central alley have had their dividers and seating removed in the 1980s, against the advice of the CCC at that time. The space is used to house the piano and for storage.
The interior is plastered and whitewashed. There are raked “paupers” pews to the west ends of the galleries. These appear to be of low quality in the wood, joinery, and fittings, and are not part of the original scheme as they were added in 1841. Lighting is provided by a fine brass candelabrum from 1748 (visible below), and attractive early 19th-century gas lamps converted for electricity. The floors are of stone slabs, the chancel has blue carpet. The chancel is raised by three steps and has a fine reredos and stained glass, described in detail below. There is a Lady Chapel at the east end of the south aisle.
Bells
Nominal: 1384 Hz Weight: 503 lbs Diameter: 27.63" Bell 2 of 8
Founded by Mears & Stainbank 1867
Dove Bell ID: 17003 Tower ID: 10579 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Nominal: 1296 Hz Weight: 532 lbs Diameter: 28.63" Bell 3 of 8
Founded by Mears & Stainbank 1867
Dove Bell ID: 17004 Tower ID: 10579 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Nominal: 1133 Hz Weight: 652 lbs Diameter: 31.63" Bell 4 of 8
Founded by Thomas Mears & Son 1806
Dove Bell ID: 17005 Tower ID: 10579 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Nominal: 1003 Hz Weight: 667 lbs Diameter: 31.75" Bell 5 of 8
Founded by Abraham II Rudhall 1720
Dove Bell ID: 17006 Tower ID: 10579 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Nominal: 914 Hz Weight: 737 lbs Diameter: 33.88" Bell 6 of 8
Founded by Abraham II Rudhall 1720
Dove Bell ID: 17007 Tower ID: 10579 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Nominal: 851 Hz Weight: 900 lbs Diameter: 36.5" Bell 7 of 8
Founded by Abraham II Rudhall 1720
Dove Bell ID: 17008 Tower ID: 10579 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Nominal: 758 Hz Weight: 1192 lbs Diameter: 39.88" Bell 8 of 8
Founded by Abel Rudhall 1757
Dove Bell ID: 17009 Tower ID: 10579 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Churchyard
Grid reference: SJ 859 627
Burial and War Grave Information
It is unknown whether the building is consecrated.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has been used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard is used for burial.
The churchyard has war graves.
Environment
Ancient, Veteran & Notable Trees
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
There are no records of Ancient, Veteran or Notable Trees within the curtilage of this site.
Renewables
| Renewable | Installed |
|---|---|
| Solar PV Panels | No |
| Solar Thermal Panels | No |
| Biomass | No |
| Wind Turbine | No |
| Air Source Heat Pump | No |
| Ground Source Heat Pump | No |
| Ev Charging | No |
Species summary
There are no records of species within the curtilage of this site.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
'Seek advice' Species
More information on species and action to be taken upon discovery.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
Further information
Quinquennial Inspections
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