Chancel Christ Church Crewe

CREWE - The chancel which has been added to Christ Church, Crewe, at a cost of ,1,300, was recently consecrated by the Bishop of Chester. The architect is Mr John Brooke, of Manchester, and the builder Mr Matthews, of Nantwich. The complete scheme provides, in addition to the new chancel, for a morning chapel on the north side, and new clergy and choir vestries on the south side. The present contract included only the building of the new chancel. Following the method so often found in connection with Mediaeval churches, the new chancel is in a different style to the existing church, the treatment adopted being the Perpendicular. The chancel is 36 feet long by 20 feet wide. The east window has five lights, the sill being raised high above the chancel floor. In each of the side walls there are windows of two lights forming a clerestory. On the north side there is a double arcade, which will eventually open into the morning chapel, also a credence in conjunction with a squint window from the future side chapel. The old chancel arch is replaced by an arch of lofty proportions, the roof of the chancel having "hammer beam" principals, and a boarded and panelled ceiling. The walls are of brick, with Greenstall stone dressings to the windows, doorways, arches, etc. The upper part of the inside walls is finished in cement plaster, with a granulated face, the lower parts of the wall being faced with specially made Ruabon bricks. The floor of the chancel and sanctuary is paved with tiles, except the space occupied by the choir stalls, which is paved with wood blocks. The whole of the paving is laid in a thick bed of cement concrete.

Architect              John Brooke, of Manchester