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Navigation : Home > Visiting >Map >St. Mary's on the Hill

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St Mary's Centre St Mary's Hill Chester CH1 2DW Car Parking is available close by in the Castle or Little Roodee Car Parks. Click for a closer look St Mary's is situated on top of a Hill behind the castle , to the south west of the city, inside the city walls. It is one of the nine original medieval parish churches. It is in the Perpendicular style dating from the 14th and 15th centuries. The church contains many fine memorials. St Mary's is no longer a church. It is now owned by the County Council. It is now used as a meeting place/venue and education centre. St Mary's is not normally open to the public. The church was given to the abbot of St Werburgh's by Ranulph the forth Earl of Chester. The first record of a Church on the site comes after the Normal conquest in 1153. The roof is supposed to come from Basingwerke Abbey in Flintshire after its dissolution in 1536. Full-length effergies of Thomas Gamul (Died 1613) and his wife (Died 1640). A young Sir Francis Gamul depicted reading on the family tomb in St Mary's. Gallery St Mary's Hill If you walk down St Marys Hill to Shipgate Street. You can access Bridge Street. Click on the picture for more information. Saint Mary's hill is said to be haunted by a ghostly heard of cattle. If you walk up St Mary's Hill you can access Chester Crown Courts and Chester Castle. Click on the picture for more information. The Church Tower The Church Tower is on the west side of St Mary's. The bottom two courses of masonry date from the 17th Century. The East End The East end of the church is built on a Sandstone outcrop overlooking County Hall and the River Dee. Blocked Doorway The West End At the west end of the church is the tower and ditch, separating the church from the castle. The Porch The porch of St Mary's is located on the North side of the Church. Saint Mary's Churchyard The church is surrounded on all sides by a small graveyard. The headstones have been removed and broken up to form a wall along the path. The graveyard of St Mary's was used to bury execution victims from the near by Castle. The following entries appear in the parish records : 1631 - 'Thomas Laceby, a prisoner, pressed to death, buried in the churchyard on the north side of the steeple on the 23rd day of April. John Johnson, Joan Broome and Katherine Crosse, three persons that were executed, buried at the west end of the steeple in the churchyard the 25th day of April'. 1656 'Three witches hanged at Michaelmas Assizes, buried in the corner by the Castle Ditch in the churchyard 8th of October'. Memorials St Mary's has a large number of well preserved memorials dating back to the 17th Century. Here lies the body of Richard Monksfield, Butcher. Who died on the 27th December 1644. Tim Oee Buckle 1647 Memorial to Edmund Gamul The Tomb of William Brock Memorial to Philip Oldfeld, who died in 1616. The Troutbeck Chapel The Troutbeck Chapel was built in 1443, and a priest was paid £5 6s 8d a year to act as a chantry priest. The chapel was rebuilt in 1683. The board reads William Troutbeck and xxxxxx Esquire. Chamberlain of Chester. Sir William Troutbeck and Grandson. Sergeant of the Bridge Gate. And the other members of the Family. Who Here Lie Buried. The Tablet is Placed By The Reverend John Troutbeck D.D. Chaplain in Ordinary to the Queen. And Minor Cannon of Westminster. The Nave St Mary's has a double nave. Near the entrance is a piece of original oak from the ceiling taken down during restoration work. It has a carving on dating it to 1639. The Chancel The Chancel arch dates from around 1350. Stained Glass Venue for Hire Saint Mary's Centre is available to hire. Please contact Cheshire West and Chester Council County Hall Chester Cheshire CH1 1SF Switchboard 01244 977 137 Information Leaflet Chester Fuchsia Society Youtube External Links http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_St_Mary-on-the-Hill,_Chester Ringing in Chester, by Phil Burton Dove's Guide for Church Bell Ringers http://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/directory/HOD000231E http://www.parascience.org.uk/articles/chester.htm http://www.ents24.com/web/venue/27501/Chester/St_Marys_Centre.html Travel Tools Hertz Car Hire | Train Tickets | National Express Coaches | UK Car Rental | Ferry | Travel Insurance | Holiday Cottage [Page 154] T & C's | Hotels | B&B's | Apartments | Travel Hotels | On-Line Tickets | Free Brochure | Tours | Sitemap

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