Dedicated to the memory of an eighth century saint, the picturesque village of Barthomley, near Crewe, is dominated by St. Bertoline’s Church, which stands atop its mound, Barrow Hill, believed to be a prehistoric burial ground. The story of St. Bertoline starts at Stafford, around 680 A.D., with Bertillinus, a man who was of Royal Mercian blood, who travelled to Ireland after becoming disillusioned with life at court.

In Ireland, he lived with the Irish King, fell in love with his daughter, made her pregnant, but refused to marry her. Soon after, the pair returned to England, where they both lived a nomadic life in the forests. Whilst he was away hunting for food, the King‘s daughter, and her new born baby, were attacked and killed by wolves. Struck down with grief, Bertillinus turned to God and devoted his life to the almighty. He was challenged by the Devil to turn stone into bread, but he did the opposite and turned bread into stone, which, according to Prior Alexander Essebiensis, can still be seen, at Bertelmesly.
     
Over the centuries, the estate of Barthomley has been owned by a small number of important families, mainly being the Praers, Fulleshurst, and Crewe families, many of whom are buried within the confines of the Church, or the Churchyard.

At the beginning of the Norman Conquest, the estate was owned by Siward Thegws, a free man, and was valued at twenty shillings. After a period of upheaval, in which the Danish King Sweyn claimed most of the land in Cheshire, after the invasion of 1069, Barthomley was named as wasteland in William the Conqueror’s Doomsday Survey of 1086, where it was claimed by William Malbedeng. By this time, the village was known as Bertemeleu, when defined, means a “Ley” or a “Clearing”. It is probable that the De Praers’ family leased the manor of Barthomley, a lease they would go on to hold for almost 300 years, and It is likely that, by this time, the foundations for a Church at the village would have been laid. Another powerful family entered the history of Barthomley when Richard Praers, the son of Sir Randle Praers, married Johanna, co-heiress of Thomas de Crewe, an act which led to the unison of the manors of Barthomley and Crewe. Their grand-daughter Elizabeth went on to marry Sir Robert Fulleshurst, who was a squire to Lord Audley during the French Wars. It was around this time, 1576, that the Church was rebuilt in its present form, and several of the black and white cottages that litter the village were also built.  In 1561, the Fulleshursts’ got into serious money difficulties and sold the estate to Sir Christopher Hatton, who would later become Lord Chancellor of England. In 1591, when Hatton died, the estate was passed on to Sir William Hatton, and when he too died, Sir Ranulph Crewe purchased the estate, which also included Crewe and Haslington and returned them back to the name of the Crewe family.
     
The main structure of St. Bertoline’s Church is of Cheshire sandstone, built in the traditional Gothic style, and comprises of a solid Tower, that is both crenellated and pinnacled, similar to that of a castle; a Nave, which has two clerestory windows, and north and south aisles that are embattlemented, for the purpose of defence. It is believed that the Church dates from the fifteenth century, but there is evidence that a much earlier building stood before it. A doorway, found at the north aisle, is thought to be of Norman origins, as the “zig-zag” patterns are typical of this period. 
     
As you enter the Church of St. Bertoline’s, the sense of history is immediately apparent. Directly ahead of you is the Nave, built in the usual Perpendicular Gothic style, as was common with many Cheshire Churches of the fifteenth century. The first pillar, on the right, is decorated with a carving of leaves, but for some reason, they have left the rest plain. Above, the oak roof, which is supported by cambered and moulded oak timbers, exquisitely carved with centre shields and three principal carved bosses, depicting the coats of arms of the families who contributed to the cost of the Church. At one time, the roof would have been brightly painted and gilded, whilst the octagonal stone font, near the door, is nineteenth century and keeps with the original Elizabethan steps and heavy oak cover. 
     
At one time, to reach the Pulpit, the Rector would have had to go through a doorway, directly adjacent to the arch that leads into the Chancel, but this has since changed since the main arch was altered in 1924. Beneath the Tower, the West window has four bays, all designed in the usual Perpendicular style, whilst its stained glass, rich in colour, depicts the four apostles, which was inserted to respect the memory of Henrietta Hungerford Crewe. Beside the Tower arch are two large oil paintings, depicting the Old Testament brothers Moses and Aaron. During the eighteenth century, these type of pictures were often hung behind the Altar, next to the Ten Commandments. The date of these paintings is unfortunately unknown, as neither of them are signed. Aaron is shown wearing the vestments as the Chief Priest, as described in detail in Exodus, Chapter 28. Situated on his breastplate are twelve precious stones, set entirely in gold, and are engraved with the names of Jacob’s sons, representing the twelve tribes of Israel. On the opposite side of the arch, Moses is wearing the traditional brown robe of a prophet and is carrying his staff of office, with which he could perform miracles. At one point, these paintings were said to have been hung in the Crewe Arms Hotel, and were later presented to the Church by the directors of the North Staffordshire Railway in the nineteenth century. It is thought that they were at Crewe Hall, and then taken to the Crewe Arms Hotel, having been previously rescued from a fire. Hanging to the left of the painting of Aaron is a list of Rectors, who previously served the Parish of Barthomley. These records show that the first official rector of the Church was Robertus de Chissulle, appointed by Edward, Prince of Wales in 1303.
     
The Church Tower, designed and built of red sandstone, dates from the late fifteenth century, and is decorated with the usual gargoyles, pinnacles and carvings. Inside is a collection of eight bells and a bell-ringing chamber, which can be accessed by a spiral staircase at the base, whilst the view from the Tower is well worth seeing. The clock face, which is original, dates from 1710, whilst the works, made by Gabriel Smith, the local clockmaker, were eventually replaced in 1934, after running for some 224 years. The present clock was donated by the Reverend Armistead.
     
Originally, there was a thirteenth century Chancel, built during the reign of Edward I, but this was destroyed when the Church was restored in 1852, where a new one was built. The present Chancel was built in 1924, as a memorial to the two sons of the first and last Marquess of Crewe, both of whom died in early youth, and are now buried in the Churchyard. A craftsman was brought from Liverpool Cathedral, and it was him that carved the arms of the Crewe family, and also the Diocese of Chester. These twentieth century alterations, designed by Paley and Austin, began with the widening of the Nave, and a new roof, with clerestory windows was added, whilst the east wall and its window was removed altogether and replaced. This new and improved Chancel replaced the one from 1852, which many deemed inadequate.
    
Several Rectors, and their wives, are buried within the Chancel, and this includes the Reverend Edward Hinchcliffe, Rector from 1796 to 1819, and his wife. Also included are some members of the Lawton family. To the right of the Altar, there is a small arch, containing an iron grill, dating from 1915, whilst nearby, a much larger arch, with a wrought iron grill and door leads to the Crewe Chapel. Dating from the sixteenth century, the Altar table is richly carved, and depicts the Flight into Egypt, whilst another panel shows the Nativity scene, with shepherds, who are wearing Tudor hats of Puritanical style, bringing gifts, a hare and a bird, to the Baby Jesus. A donkey is carrying Mary and her child, while a squirrel eats a nut, which was an old Cheshire emblem. On the side panels, there are images of cherubs, frolicking around in the ocean, with chariots drawn by sea-horses and dolphins.

The Crewe Chapel, dating from the seventeenth century, was built by Sir Ranulph Crewe, an admirable figure in the history of the Church and the neighbourhood. The second son of a Nantwich tanner, John Crewe, whose ambition was to return the family to their rightful place, at the head of Crewe Hall, he instilled both of his sons, Thomas and Ranulph, with this same ambition, so that they would work hard and eventually rise to positions of authority. Ranulph became a Member of Parliament, quickly rising through the ranks before becoming Chief Justice of the King’s Bench. As a man of integrity, he was dismissed from this position, as he refused to allow Charles I permission to levy extra taxes without the consent of Parliament. In 1608, Ranulph finally realised his father’s ambition by buying the estates of Crewe Hall, and rebuild them, but he was only sad that his father had not lived long enough to see his dreams become a reality.
     
Underneath the Chapel is a vault, sealed by a bricked-up door, and this contains the remains of Sir Ranulph Crewe, in a stone coffin with an effigy on top, whereas on each side is a row of his descendants, of all ages, among which are John, the first Baron Crewe, and John, the Second Baron. As you enter the Crewe Chapel, to the right, is the alabaster effigy and tomb of Sir Robert Fulleshurst, and this dates from 1390. He was connected to the Parish of Barthomley through his marriage to Elizabeth Praers, heiress of Crewe and Barthomley. He is seen wearing the armour of a fourteenth century Knight, with a conical helmet and collar of chain mail that protects his neck and shoulders. Supporting his feet is a lion, whilst around the sides of his tomb, there are a number of small carved figures, representing members of his family, who are mourning his death; six men can be seen standing on pedestals, facing outwards, whilst six women, turn to face the coffin. During the period of the Black Prince, Sir Robert is recorded as being one of the four Cheshire Squires, who went on to serve James Lord Audley, following him into battle. In 1356, at Poitiers, Lord Audley and his supporters were in the vanguard of the Black Prince’s troops, who fought against the French and won. Sir Robert arrived back home and was well rewarded for his bravery, which ended with a Knighthood by Edward III.
     
The monument that depicts a robed ecclesiastic is almost certainly that of Robert Fulleshurst, who was Barthomley’s Rector from 1475, to 1529. Because he was a Roman Catholic, his tomb had been concealed in a recess in a wall on the other side of the church, in order to protect it from the being destroyed by the Puritans. This monument was discovered some two hundred years ago, and an over zealous workman accidentally tried to scrub it clean with soap and water, to remove dust particles that had gathered, but instead only removed the richly coloured paint; traces of this paint can still be seen within the folds of the robes.
     
Standing in the middle of the Chapel is the exquisite white marbled figure of Sybil Marcia, the wife of Robert Offley Ashburton, the second Baron Houghton; she later became the Marquess of Crewe in 1911. The sculpture is the work of Sir Joseph Edgar Boehm, a favourite of Queen Victoria, and is regarded by many to be his finest piece. Sandwiched between the Crewe Chapel and the South Aisle is an elaborate monument, and is dedicated to the memory of John, the first Baron Crewe, who died at the age of 86, April 28th, 1829. Also in the Chapel, adorning the South wall, is another monument, and this commemorates Anne, the wife of the first Baron Crewe, who died in 1711. As you leave the Chapel, there are four brass plaques, which originally were on graveslabs in the churchyard. These plaques are dedicated to four members of the Malbon family, who resided at Bradley Hall, Haslington. The Malbons were direct descendants of William de Malbedeng, owned the area after the end of the Norman Conquest.
     
The oldest part of the Church at Barthomley is rumoured to be the South Aisle, other than the Norman Arch. The roof bays, remodelled in the fifteenth century, are divided into forty-eight panels, with decorated timbers, carved bosses, which depict biblical symbols, including the five wounds of Christ, and tracery. Unfortunately, most of this is hardly visible from the ground. The stained glass window on the right is nineteenth century, and portrays the apostles, Peter, James and John, and was designed by James Thornhill, in November 1872. Between the windows, at the bottom, there are much smaller stones, and these are supposedly the remains of a much earlier, possibly twelfth century, Church.
     
Similar to the roof in the South Aisle, the roof in the North Aisle is divided into bays of forty-eight panels, once again beautifully carved with floral and symbolic patterns, but less elaborate than the South Aisle. The organ, constructed by Forster and Andrews of Hull, was presented to the Church by the Crewe family in 1865, and was pumped by hand up until 1963. Above this is a timber, dated 1589, whilst on either side of the North Chapel is a sixteenth century screen, and is believed to be of Welsh origin. It is inscribed with verses from the Old Testament.