Church of St John the Evangelist, Chester Road, Walton, near Warrington

The church was built in 1880–1884 for the brewer Sir Gilbert Greenall of Walton Hall at a cost of £17,500.

TO BUILDERS - PROPOSED NEW CHURCH, WALTON NEAR WARRINGTON. Persons desirous of submitting tenders for the erection of a CHURCH at Walton near Warrington, may see the plans and specification on application to Mr Down, estate agent, Walton, or at the office of the Architects from January 21 to February 4 (both days inclusive. Bills of quantities may be obtained on application to Mr W Wright, surveyor, Lancaster. Tenders to be sent (under cover) to Messrs Paley and Austin, architects, Lancaster, not later than February 5. The lowest or any tender will not necessarily be accepted. Castle Park, Lancaster 15 January 1880. [Manchester Guardian 17 January 1880 page 10]

WALTON - The new church at Walton, near Warrington, is rapidly approaching completion. The style chosen is English Gothic of the 15th century. The plan is cruciform, with a tower and spire rising from the junction of the nave and transept arches. The whole of the structure is of stone, with fittings of oak throughout. The chancel roof is divided into panels and decorated with angels bearing emblems and scrolls: the same idea being carried through the roof of the nave, but with floriated designs interspersed. The east, west, and transept windows are filled with stained glass, the subjects being chosen from the Old and New Testament. The whole of these windows, together with the painted deco rations, have been executed by Messrs. Shrigley and Hunt, of London and Lancaster. The reredos is of oak — extremely rich in detail — having seven canopied niches filled with sculpture. In the centre niche is placed a group of the Crucifixion, with the Virgin Mother on the right and Joseph of Arimathea on the loft of Our Lord. The remaining six niches contain figures of St. Mary Magdalene, the Centurion, and the Four Evangelists respectively. This sculpture was intrusted to Mr. Roddis, of Birmingham, who also executed the carved stone details of the church. The architects are Messrs. Paley and Austin, of Lancaster; and Mr. Perkins has acted as clerk of works. [Building News 8 February 1884 page 227]

A COUNTRY CHURCH - The style of the church is Decorated Gothic. Most of the windows are richly traceried. The walls of the tower, as will be seen from the sketch, are effectively relieved by alternative squares of two colours and flush arcading. A good feature in the tower design is a small octagonal turret at the north-west angle, the outline of which forms a strong vertical line, very helpful in the view from the north and west. To the top of the tower parapet is 78ft., and to the top of the spire vane is about 130ft. The church is cruciform on plan, the four large arches at the crossing supporting the tower, which is 24ft. square outside. The nave, including the tower, is 78ft. long and 21ft. 6in. wide, and the chancel 37ft. long and 20ft. wide. The extreme width across these transepts is 52ft. There are also chancel aisles 15ft. long, opening by arches into transepts and chancel - that on the south side being arranged as an organ chamber, whilst further eastwards, on the south side, are the choir and clergy vestries. The entrance is on the south side through a porch of oak, the gable of which is richly carved. (See sketch.) The font (see sketch), which is of Devonshire marble, is placed at the west end of the nave on a limestone step, and is very successful in form and detail. The pulpit is very elaborately traceried (see sketch), and is placed against the north-east crossing pier. The roofs throughout are of oak, the nave and chancel having a "wagon"-shaped ceiling, the height from floor to point being 29ft. The tower is groined in stone. (See sketch of interior.) The floors and passages are laid with ornamental tiles and polished limestone strips. The stone used for the dressings, walling, and inside face of walls (which latter is of chiselled ashlar) is the flecked Runcorn. The whole of the woodwork of the seats and fittings is of Dantzic oak. The reredos is of oak and full of elaborate detail. the heads of the panels, the cornices and canopies being richly carved, whilst the panels have sculptured subjects by Mr. Roddis, of Birmingham. – T Raffles Davison. [British Architect 12 December 1884 page 285-287]

Contractor, R. Fairhurst, of Higher Whitley, Northwich; heating, Mr Seward, of Lancaster; stained glass, Shrigley and Hunt, of Lancaster and London; carving, Mr. Roddis, of Birmingham. Mr. Perkins was the clerk of works.

Reference        Manchester Guardian 17 January 1880 page 10 - contracts
Reference        Manchester Guardian 24 January 1880 page 10 – contracts
Reference        British Architect 12 December 1884 page 285-287 with Illustrations etc. T Raffles Davison
Reference        Building News 8 February 1884 page 227