Church Micro 6168...Farndon
A cache by [DELETED_USER]
Hidden
:
7/30/2013
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Difficulty:
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Size: 
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Noticed as I past through that there were two churches close together both called St Chads so had to put another cache down. Information in the long description has been taken from the churches website history section it's an interesting read www.stchadschurchfarndon.org.uk
Famdon church is dedicated to St Chad, who died in AD 672. He was the first Bishop of Mercia (the Anglo-Saxon kingdom covering most of central England) and set up the new diocese of Lichfield. The church has a long and dramatic history. There may have been a succession of wooden buildings on this sandstone ridge, from as far back as Celtic times. In 1086 the Domesday Book records that there was a village priest and two other priests with land in the area, indicating the church's importance at that time. The outline of the present building and the tower date from the 14th century, about the time that the bridge was built over the Dee at Farndon. Not much is known about the medieval building, although in about 1622 the historian Webb described it as "a fair new church". However, during the Civil War in the 17th century, when soldiers were billeted inside and fighting reached the churchyard, such extensive damage was inflicted that in 1658 the church, except the tower, had to be completely rebuilt. This resulted in inconsistencies in the style of the present building. Hanshall, an early-l9th century historian, says "the architecture of the church is much varied, although the pointed Gothic is most prevalent". You can see this in the very pointed arches of the nave. Further changes and restoration were made during the 19th and 2Oth centuries, most recently in 1988, resulting in the church you find today, at peace to serve the local community. The Roar of Musket and Cannon The story of the church's role in the Civil War is an exciting one. It was in 1643, when Sir William Brereton, commander of the Cheshire and Lancashire Parliamentarian forces, was using it as a barracks for his troops, that the building suffered the damage referred to above. The Parliamentarians needed to force a passage over the Dee and invade the Royalist stronghold of Wales. On 9th November some 2,000 Roundheads were assembled near the bridge, on which the Royalists had built a defensive gatehouse. On the opposite bank, the Royalists were well prepared, their ranks swelled by extra troops from Ireland. They rang the bells of Holt church backwards and lit beacons to warn of the invasion. Brereton distracted the defence by marching a detachment of his troops down river. Then a second division attacked the bridge with the full force of their grenades, and broke through. Both sides fought backwards and forwards along the bridge and as far back as Farndon churchyard. In the confusion of battle few even noticed that the church roof was ablaze. Brereton by-passed Holt Castle to take Wrexham and Hawarden. Although severely damaged, Farndon church remained a garrison until the winter of 1645, when advancing Royalists, led by Prince Rupert and Prince Maurice, forced the Roundheads to flee, after more heavy fighting, leaving the church derelict. There are many references in the church to the Barnston family, influential landowners in the area for many generations. Records mention Barnstons living in the neighbouring village of Churton in the reign of Henry VI, in the 15th century. It was William Barnston who was largely responsible for the restoration of the church in 1658. A well respected man, he had been one of Charles I's close advisers at the Siege of Chester in 1645. At the height of the fighting in 1643, the medieval font was badly damaged and was later repaired by Samuel Woolley of Churton. However, the font you see today is more probably the one installed by the churchwardens in 1662 and first used in 1664. The plain octagonal design is typical of that period. Look for two slanting lines above the arch. These show the much lower pitch of the 14th-century roof, which burnt down. Follow the line on the left of the arch. It continues down the wall, well below the level of the present lofty arches. Until the 19th century, Farndon had a musicians' gallery in front of the tower arch, from where the church band accompanied the singing. Among the instruments played were a bassoon, bought in London in 1785 for £6 Os 8d, and a violin. The churchwardens' accounts for 16th January 1785 show that extra support was also given to the choir at that time: - " ...it is agreed that the sum of £1 1s 0d shall be paid yearly by the Churchwardens to the singers as long as they continue to sing such tunes as the inhabitants of the parish shall approve of. Mr. Vaughan, the present Churchwarden, is ordered to give them a guinea immediately". “If anybody would like to expand to this series please do, I would just ask that you could let Sadexploration know first at churchmicro@gmail.com so he can keep track of the Church numbers and names to avoid duplication. There is also a Church Micro Stats & Information page found via the Bookmark list”
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Unys znfg.