Our Church

St James' Church is in the village of Gawsworth, Cheshire, England, and is sited near Gawsworth Hall. It is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade I listed building. It is an active Anglican parish church in the diocese of Chester, the archdeaconry of Macclesfield and the deanery of Macclesfield. Previously, a Norman Chapel stood on this site, probably resembling the chapel which now stands in the churchyard in Prestbury. The walls of the nave were built of limestone in 1430 and the chancel and tower of pink sandstone in 1480. The splendid nave roof, barrel beam in design and unique in this Diocese, is five hundred years old and shows traces of its original brilliant colouring and gilt. The chancel roof is arch camber beam in construction and has rare panelled sections with tie beams. This was never painted but this and the nave roof are of exceptional beauty of design and in excellent condition. The Blessed Sacrament is reserved in the aumbry to the right of the altar. It is kept there for use in administering Holy Communion to people who are sick or are unable to come to the church, and to remind us of the ever constant presence of our Blessed Lord through the most Holy Sacrament of the altar. The choir screen occupies the site of the original rood screen and was erected in 1893 to replace a similar medieval screen which had been destroyed. The cross and figures over the screen were added in 1978.

Our Venue

The exact date when Toft Hall was built is unknown, but there is evidence of Ellen Toft living locally in the late 1500s and beginning of the 1600’s. This is also the date that historic house experts believe it was built. At the time, it was called Tofthall Farm. Toft Hall was built with a cruck frame; a large oak tree would have been grown with a curved trunk or large branch and this was then split down the middle to form the main arch beam of the house. The stone used to build the estate is beautifully dressed, which suggests it was built by someone of local wealth. There are still a few of the original small mullion windows on the top floor and evidence in the stone work of where more small mullion windows were before being replaced by fashionable sash windows in the 18th century. Inside the oldest part of the house you can still see some walls of wattle and daub preserved behind glass.