Christ Church, Chester Road, Rossett,

Details of the proposed church were first published in the Builder on 2 October 1886, at which time a contractor had been appointed. Progress was slow (lack of funds?) and it was not until May 1891 that the foundation stone was formally laid.  The church was consecrated by the Bishop of St Asaph on 31 October 1992, four days after the death of the vicar, the Rev. T. Vowler Wickham.

PARISH CHURCH, ROSSETT, DENBIGHSHIRE - This new church, about to be erected, is to take the place of a building of no architectural interest erected at the beginning of the present century. It will be built of Runcorn stone, faced internally with the material of the present structure, which is a local grey stone, and will have slated roofs, the roof timbers and internal fittings being of pitch-pine. The plan is arranged to accommodate in nave and aisles 407 worshippers. The central tower, which is the dominant feature in the exterior view, gives interest also to the interior of the chancel. Messrs. Douglas & Fordham, of Chester, are the architects, and Messrs. Davies Bros., of Wrexham, the contractors for the works. [Builder 2 October 1886 page 482]

On Friday afternoon, the foundation stone of the new church, which is to take the place of the old parish church (Christ Church), of the Rossett, was laid by Mrs Townshend Mainwaring, of Galtfaenan. The new church now being built is to take the place of a church of no architectural interest, erected at the beginning of the present century. The new church will stand partly on the site of the old one, the walling materials from which will be worked into the new structure. Stone from the Bryn Teg Quarries, Broughton, is being used. In plan the church - which is in the early perpendicular style—consists of a south porch, giving entrance to a nave 71 feet long and 28 feet wide. On the north side is an arcade of five bays, and an aisle eleven feet wide, at the eastern end of which is placed a transept for the children's seats, a separate entrance being arranged to these. The requirements of clergy and choir have been fully provided for in the chancel, on the south side of which is the vestry with organ chamber above. Although not a clerestory church it will be well lighted by the various tracery windows in side and ends. The dominant feature in the exterior is a massive central tower, the interior treatment of which —with its arches at the crossings—will lend considerable interest to the church. The roof is of the open- timbered kind in pitch pine, and will be covered with green slate. which, with the warm buff colour of the walling, will secure a pleasing effect. The fittings are to be of oak and American ash. The contractors are Messrs Davies Brothers, of Wrexham, who are carrying out the work under Messrs Douglas and Fordham, architects, Chester. The cost is to be £3,965. [Wrexham and Denbighshire Advertiser 9 May 1891 page 5]

A CONSECRATION AND A FUNERAL AT ROSSETT - The consecration of Christ Church, Rossett, which has recently been erected, took place on Monday, under exceptionally solemn circumstances. The Rev. T. Vowler Wickham, the vicar of the parish, who has been the life and soul of the movement, which caused the handsome new church to spring from the site of the old and decrepid edifice,- lay dead. He had been ill for a long time, and it was his request that the consecration should take place on Monday, whatever happened. The new church, which is in the Perpendicular Gothic style, has been built ill the place of one having little architectural interest. The new building has cost about £ 5,000, and is built of buff-coloured stone externally and internally, the roofs being covered with green Westmoreland slates. In plan it consists of a. spacious nave, north aisle, chancel, chapel on north side, vestries, with organ chamber over, and porch on the south side. The outer entrance to this porch lies a niche containing a statue of the Good Shepherd. A well-proportioned- square tower is placed over part of the chancel. The nave and aisles have benches of brown American ash, and the richly carved stone font, with oak canopy, which stands at the west end, and is an interesting feature in the fittings of the church, was given by the former and present teachers and scholars of the Sunday school. The aisles are of stone, but wood blocks are under all the seats. The beautiful carved oak chancel screen is the gift of Mr H. Coke, of Cam-yr-Alyn, “to the glory of God, and in memory of his son, who was lost in a storm at sea." The chancel fittings are of oak, as well as the handsome organ case. which is an important and prominent object in the chancel. The instrumental portion of the organ has been remodelled and enlarged by Messrs J. Walker and Sons, of London, the oak case being made by Messrs Lament and Son, of Chester. The chancel floor is paved with encaustic tiles the pulpit is of oak. richly carved: the altar rail is brass, surmounted on wrought iron standards The dossal on the east wall has a canopy bearing the inscription" Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus in the centre, with the sacred monogram at each end. The beautifully-worked altar frontal is the gift of Mrs Hill, the altar cross and candlesticks were presented by Mr Finlay, and the vases by Mr Knott, of Stoneleigh. The two-light window on the south side of the chancel is filled with stained glass by Messrs Burlison and Grylls, which was the gift of Mr Gilmour. The church is lighted by suspended oil lamps, supplied by Jones and Willis. At the entrance to the churchyard an oak lych-gate, on a stone base, has been erected by Mrs J. J. Jones, of Abberley, bearing the following inscription To the glory of God, and in loving memory of John Joseph Jones, Francis Harry Lafone, Catherine Justice Lafone, this lych-gate is erected by Amy Jones. wife and daughter of the above, of Pensax Court, Worcestershire." An addition to the burial ground has been made on the south side of the church, and is enclosed by stone walls, a wicket giving access to the church from the Vicarage grounds. The work has been thoroughly well carried out from the designs and under the direction of Messrs Douglas and Fordham, of Chester, by Messrs Davies Brothers, of Wrexham. The building is efficiently heated by hot water by Messrs John Sing, Limited, of Liverpool, while the wood carving is the work of Mr Thomas Brown, of Chester. THE FUNEUAL. It is very sad to think that the first service to be held in the new church after its consecration-should have been the funeral of its vicar. This took place at three o'clock, and the church was filled. The coffin was borne from the vicarage to the church on the shoulders of the building committee of the church. Prominent in the funeral procession were the members of the Pride of Rossett Lodge of Ancient Shepherds (of which the deceased was a member, and received a crook in 1885), wearing their sashes, and having their crooks draped in black, and headed by Mr Cromar, the ex-Chief Shepherd. [Wrexham and Denbighshire Advertiser and Cheshire Shropshire and North Wales Register 5 November 1882 page 7]

Reference        Builder 2 October 1886 page 482 and illustration
Reference        Llangollen Advertiser 29 October 1886 page 3 – as The Builder
Reference        Wrexham and Denbighshire Advertiser 9 May 1891 page 5 – foundation stone
Reference        Wrexham and Denbighshire Advertiser and Cheshire Shropshire and North Wales Register 5 November 1892 page 7 - consecration