Gawsworth Church, dedicated to Saint James the Great, one of the first apostles to join Jesus, dates from the fifteenth century, and was remodelled in the usual Perpendicular style, as were so many of the Churches in Cheshire. It is often described as “being one of the most beautiful Churches in England”, and rightly so. At one time, an old Chapel, dating from the Norman era, would have stood on the site of the present building, and was thought to resemble the Chapel that is at Prestbury Churchyard.
     
Named as Goursourde in William the Conqueror’s Doomsday Survey of 1086, the village of Gawsworth lies some three miles outside Macclesfield. It is thought that a settlement may have been here, dating from the Neolithic period, as a perfectly preserved flint axe head, from about 2000 B.C., was found in nearby Church Field; it is reputed to be one of the finest examples of its kind in Cheshire. The first recorded history of Gawsworth begins in 1086, where the manor was owned by the Palatinate Earl of Chester, and valued at 20 shillings. It was leased to Hugh, son of Bigod, for the sum of “one caparisoned horse”. In 1229, the manor was granted to Herbert de Orreby, an act that was witnessed, amongst others, by Phillip de Orreby, who also happened to be the Justiciary of Chester. The de Orreby families relationship with the Manor of Gawsworth would last up until 1316, where Isabel de Orreby married Thomas Fitton, the family most famously associated with Gawsworth. Here they remained for some four hundred years, their monumental effigies can be seen in the Church. It was at this time that the Norman Chapel would have been founded at Gawsworth, as the parish seeked independence from the Mother Church at Prestbury, some six miles away. Other families closely associated with the Manor of Gawsworth are the Earls of Macclesfield, reigning from 1662, up until 1702, and the Earls of Harrington, from 1727 to 1937, who, due to untimely taxation debts, were forced to sell the estate. Today, the Manor of Gawsworth is owned by the Roper-Richards family, with the Hall and Gardens open to the public.
     
The Church of Saint James the Great is approached from one of two ways; by climbing a flight of stone steps, to the west, by the New Rectory, or by walking under the Lych Gate, and along a short path, surrounded by pools and numerous old trees, which include sycamore, beech, oak, and chestnut.
     
Starting outside the Church, the Tower stands an impressive 103 ft high, and dates from around 1480. Constructed of pink sandstone, it is believed to be one of the finest examples in Cheshire; it is decorated with the usual pinnacles, coats of arms, associated with the Lords of the Manor of Gawsworth, mainly the de Orreby, Fitton and Bechton families, whilst eight fearsome gargoyles litter the roof of the Tower, their aim only to eject rain-water. Staying outside, the exterior of the Church has an abundance of familiar window drippings and corbels, which are carved in an unusual and amusing manner; they depict the eccentricities and customs of years gone by. Together, they feature a scolding woman, mermaid, and, oddly, there is even a character that resembles Father Christmas, complete with a heaving bag over his shoulder. On the north west window of the Tower, there is a bold carving of a young drummer boy, whilst a bagpipe cherub is its companion carving. Other corbels depict men and women, possibly thought to be members of the Fitton family, banqueting with royalty. The heads of Henry VII and his Queen can be seen at the south porch, placed within the petals of a rose; this was thought to have set up by the Fitton family, and commemorates the end of the War of the Roses.
     
Inside, the Church roofs are in extremely good condition, the magnificent barrel beam roof, over the Nave, is incredibly rare in Cheshire, and is completely original. It is divided into three bays, with the ridge and two purlins consecutively running across each bay. The intermediate rafters are scarcely recognisable from the common rafters, with five rafters on either side of the intermediate framework, bringing eleven to a bay. These rafters are slightly curved, and gives each purlin a slight barrel shape. Originally, the Nave roof would have been richly decorated and gilded, and traces of this still remain, on the beams and braces.
   
The Nave, dates from around 1430 and is believed to be the oldest remaining structure of the church. Built of sandstone, it is designed with three bays, and has three large lightened windows, and four centred heads, with the mullions running through. There are many different variations of detail to be noticed in the Nave. The buttresses, on the north side, consist of a single off-set, whilst on the south side, there are none. Also, the windows vary in width, and the mouldings on the north side are different from those on the south. The windows on the north side are set lower down than those on the south. The Nave buttresses have the usual pinnacles, and vary in design, with some having no off-set, only the top slope, whilst others have an off-set half way up. There are an amount of grotesque carvings, on the label stops, and gargoyles, which are of above average workmanship. Both the Nave and the Chancel have north and south doorways, with the south Nave door being of particularly poor design, having been rebuilt in 1851.
   
St. James’ Church is famous for its monuments to the Fitton family, where the tombs of four generations of the family are located on either side of the altar. The oldest of these monuments is dedicated to Francis Fitton, near to the communion rail on the right, who died and was buried at Gawsworth in 1608. The tomb is the earliest example of Renaissance work in Cheshire and is constructed of alabaster. The effigy of the knight is atop a slab, which rests upon six pillars with Corinthian caps. Beneath this lies a skeleton, now headless, dressed in a shroud. The tomb is littered with the shields of arms of the Neville and Fitton families. On the opposite side, to the north, lies the monument dedicated to the memory of Sir Edward Fitton, who died in 1606. His effigy was lost, with no records available when it was last at Gawsworth, but the monuments of his wife, Dame Alice Fitton, and the figures of the their children, seen kneeling down, still survive. Dame Alice Fitton is at the centre of the family group, and is modelled in stone, on a much larger scale than those of her children. She can be seen facing the Nave, with her elbow placed on the top slab, on which would have sat the recumbent figure of Sir Edward. Her hair is well brushed back, held in position by wiring, whilst around her neck is a double ruff.

She is wearing a pleated bodice, which is narrow at the waist; her sleeves are full, with the cuffs turned back. The four children, Edward, Richard, Anne, and Mary, often believed to be the “dark lady” of Shakespeare’s Sonnets, are formed in alabaster and are facing west, with the sons situated in front of their mother. The sons are clean shaven, albeit for a small moustache, and have bare heads, with the gorget, designed to protect the throat, hidden by a large starched collar. The cuirass, a military breastplate, is uneven, and bulges out at the front, hanging over the waist. The pauldrons, which cover the shoulders, are fastened by a riveted band, and are made of scalloped leather. The vambraces, designed to protect the arms, are hinged, with turned back cuffs at the wrists. Ornamented elbow-kops complete the scene.

At the waist is a narrow sword strap, but the swords are missing. Dame Alice Fitton’s two daughters appear as they originally were, with only a small amount of damage inflicted. Most of the hair on these figures is hidden by a cap, with a caul, a historical headdress, flowing down the back. They are wearing a large and full neck ruff, with a bodice and puffed sleeves. Their skirts descend perpendicularly.
   
To the south of the tomb chest is the entrance to the Fitton family vault, and contains the remains of many impressive recumbent effigies and memorials, all exhibited on elaborate tomb chests. During the 1970’s, these vaults were opened, being carefully examined and explored. On the north side, next to the east wall, is the monument dedicated to Sir Edward Fitton, Bart., and his wife Ann, and is constructed of alabaster. It is described as being a very large monument, of splendid design. The Knight’s head is bare, and rests upon two cushions. His neck is covered with a wide ruff, whilst the cuirass is slightly pointed, and hangs over the waistline; the shoulders of Sir Edward are again protected with leather pauldrons. The figure of Ann is also resting her head on cushions, but is seen wearing a widow’s veil, enclosed by curly locks that fall beneath her chin. She has a tight bodice, fastened, with full sleeves, with double turned-back cuffs. Generally, these monuments are considered to be of good workmanship.
   
Gawsworth Church is in very good condition, and this seems remarkable when one considers the damage that would have been caused during the 1851 restoration. The following is an extract from an architect’s survey, written in 1849, just two years before the restoration took place, and paints an interesting picture of how the church would have appeared.
   
“Gawsworth, in Cheshire, is a delightful little village on the road from Congleton to Macclesfield, some five miles from the former and three miles from the latter. The whole of Gawsworth Church is of one date, and appears to have been erected towards the end of Henry VII’s reign, by the munificence of the ancient family of the Fittons, whose arms and monuments adorn the chancel, all of which are of a much earlier date than the church itself. It is an excellent example of a church of this period, and although it is in a sad state of neglect, it remains unmutilated as to its architectural features, these are indeed very fine, but show evidence of a considerable decline of art, in their execution of details. The church consists of a western tower, nave with south porch, and a chancel; and there are the remains of an interesting churchyard cross in the usual position on the south side, in front of the porch, with animal monsters carved on the angles, after the manner of those seen on baptismal fonts, representing the expulsion of evil spirits, symbolical of the ancient sacrament of the Church”.
   
“The tower is a fine composition, having angular buttresses, containing niches with rich canopies and pedestals and shafted jambs, which would have originally held statues of saints and martyrs, now destroyed. It has fine base moulds and trails of quatrefoils over the west door, which is square-headed, and also at the top, under the parapet. In the second stage of the west front is a fine carved niche with its statue, and on the sides are the numerous shields of arms of the Fitton family, with foliage carved around them; the rose often occurs frequently on many of the Tudor badges”.
   
“The porch has many elaborately carved niches over the doorway, now in a mutilated condition, with good open windows at the sides, and a shafted doorway. The nave, which has buttresses with pinnacles, is marked off from the chancel by angular buttresses, and has windows with four-centred heads, whilst those in the chancel are simply pointed. There does not, however, appear to have been any distinct division of the nave and chancel roofs, they now being continued under the same; nor is there the usual stone arch inside, but a timber cased one, which has originally extended over the rood loft, removed in the early part of the last century”.
   
“The whole of the exterior abounds with carvings, chiefly of the grotesque kind, but of exceeding boldness; the label terminations being large and curious, and gargoyles in the tower being winged dragons of an enormous size and projection, being boldly cut with much skill. The belfry windows are double, and show on all sides of the tower, which is finished with superb characteristic pinnacles. There is a priests’ door on each side of the chancel, exactly opposite to and corresponding with, each other; a feature rarely seen in any other church”.
   
“The great attraction of Gawsworth Church is with its interior, which appears to have been covered with chromatic decoration from the floor to the roof; and the whole of the windows have been filled with stained glass. Its glories have, however, been marred by its guardian churchwardens, and others who share an interest in preserving its conservation. The floor tiles and brasses have all disappeared; the beautiful poppy heads, at least as many as now remain, now form brackets to support the seats of the tremendous boxes erected at the beginning of the last century; its walls, including the stained glass windows, are now white-washed annually”.
   
“The roof of the nave is formed with arched ribs or rafters, with principals at intervals, and boarded; and the whole covered with the most beautiful colours, with the bosses at the intersections, and some of the mouldings, gilt; the whole can be quite distinctly made out. The chancel roof is flat and formed into square panels by moulded oak ribs, having a kind of Arabesque painted on them. There is a rather unsightly gallery at the west end of the nave, under which is the font, a large stone one, panelled and carved, but ultimately, it is in a sad and desecrated condition”.
   
This was how Gawsworth Church would have appeared at this time, but just two years later, the restoration took place. These are the words of Rector Polehampton, and he tells the story in his own words.
  
“That neither architect nor clerical instigator of such restoration was possessed with a soul for antiquity, either material or spiritual, is all too apparent in the light of a pamphlet which has survived the past seventy years. These two men, the Curate Massie, and the Architect, between them were responsible for the destruction of most of the Church’s ancient possessions which, were they in situ today, would happily gladden the hearts of lovers of antiquity no less in material things than in things pertaining to ancient universal or catholic faith and practice, to which latter such features, rudely cast out, bore silent witness. An extract from the pamphlet, mentioned earlier, penned in 1852, as ’the work of restoration was nearing completion,’ reveals the spirit in which this so-called restoration was undertaken and carried through”.
  
’When the work was first taken in hand’, says this interesting document, ’it might have been doubted by some whether there was actually a great necessity for it, as it was represented; and others were perhaps not satisfied that the restoration would be carried out in a manner worthy of so interesting and beautiful a structure; and it may be, on the other hand, that fears were entertained lest some new fanglement or other of dangerous consequence might be introduced. All doubt on these points is now removed. And whilst the essential objects of a Protestant Church have been especially kept in view, there has been no needless sacrifice of architectural propriety. Every feature of antiquity not inconsistent with our purified religion has been carefully preserved’.
   
“Regarding this statement in the light of later happenings, it appears that everything but a restoration was carried out. Elsewhere in the same document, we learn that the work of the destroying angel was by no means complete. The erection of a vestry, situated north or south of the chancel was in contemplation. To those who know the church, such a proposition seems incredible. Had it been carried into effect, the graceful symmetry of the building would have been completely destroyed”.