Photo Post - Great Budworth, Cheshire

A 15th century church in a picture-postcard village

Great Budworth church is at the top of a hill, at the centre of a compact and clearly ancient village. You know it’s ancient when there is nowhere to park; I resorted to the pub car park, from where this picture is taken. I visited in February 2023. The castellations and pinnacles on the tower tell you much of this church is 15th century work.

A satisfyingly substantial lych gate welcomes you. On the north side of the tower (right of the lych gate), above the lower window, is a weathered image of St Christopher.

The stone used is sandstone and a warm red colour. The church was built in two phases phase between the 14th and 15th century. On the left side of the door are some isolated remnants of carving.

They’re impossible to decipher and fragmentary, but at bottom right is a decorative band and the stone at bottom left looks to be “MA” which I assume is for Mary. They were probably removed from somewhere after the Reformation or found inside the church when the Victorian restorers arrived.

There’s also some graffiti and these curious stones, which almost look like a copy of the church building, with its battlements.

This is the south side of the tower and, matching the other side, is an image of Our Lady. Too high for me to get a photo.