Reasons to visit Checkley Church

1. A brief appetizer to visit our Church

2. Reasons to visit Checkley Church
• John Betjemen described Checkley Church
as one of the finest mediaeval churches in
North Staffordshire
• Outstanding examples of every period of
architecture since the Norman invasion
• Danish/Saxon connections – 9th C Preaching
crosses plus fine Font C 870
• Tomb of the last Abbot of Croxden alongside
the tomb of the new land owners
(sequestrated and sequestrator side by side!)

3. Outside in the Church Yard
14th C Arrow Marks Explanation
Before the days of a standing
army, local nobility / land
owners were instructed by the
Monarch to produce fighting
men, either ‘horse or foot’.
The indents on the stone are
the place where arrows were
sharped during Archery
practice after the Sunday
service. Checkley provided
‘long bowmen’ for both Crecy
and Agincourt .

4. Inside our building
Danish / Saxon Font History
• A unique piece of English
history when the Danish
armies were pushing into
the area from the
direction of Repton in
Derbyshire. The bowl is
original and is 9C and
displays a ‘Lamb & Altar’
feature, although the
animal closely resembles a
donkey!

5. 14C East Window.
Flemish Painted Glass Comment
• A magnificent piece of 14C
workmanship pre dating
stained glass by some 20
years. Restored by Keith
Barley approx. 20 years
hence, it remains in
wonderful condition. Visits
are regularly made by York
University as part of their
‘Medieval M.A. Glass
Conservation Course’.

6. Re-ordered Lower Bell Tower
Re-vamped lower area Facts
The Belfry area was re-ordered in the late
1990’s providing a kitchen area, toilet, and
committee room on the ground floor, with
enclosed ringing chamber overhead,
accessed by a spiral stair case.
During construction the floor needed to be
excavated, which provided a few
surprises. (see next picture).
Later this year we hope to commence
work on a Bell frame to replace the
Elizabethan unit, thought to be constructed
from oak ship’s timbers. English Heritage
have insisted that the old frame be left in
it’s current position. The cost of the
replacement frame will be in the region of
£100,000 and will preserve the ancient art
of Bell ringing for future generations.

7. Excavation work to build the Belfry
Extension.
Under the floor Comments
In an approximate 2 metre square area, at
a depth of half a metre, eight truncated
bodies were discovered. Arms and legs
had been removed to allow the maximum
number of burials. The skull, seen in the
foreground, was discovered in a vertical
position, resting on a stone pillar.
Apparently, this was common practice in
mediaeval times facing East, thus giving a
full chance of resurrection.
According to the Archaeologist, the
remains date from C1320. However, it was
very unusual for commoners to be buried
within the church. A possible explanation is
that they could have been monastics from
nearby Croxden Abbey, or soldiers
returning from wars in France.

8. Dissolution of the Monasteries
Croxden Abbey
Resting place of the Abbot
of Croxden . Foljambe Tomb Sequestrator / Sequestrated
A unique piece of history! The plain slab in
the foreground is the resting place of Abbot
Chauner (last Abbot of Croxden).
The grand Chelaston alabaster tomb is the
resting place of Geoffrey & Margaret
Foljambe, who inherited the vast lands of
Croxden ,formerly in the possession of the
Abbey ( finally purchased from the Bassets).
Margaret Foljambe had a twin sister, who
jointly inherited a fortune from their Uncle,
William Fitzwilliam, later the Earl of
Southampton. When he died in 1542, William
held the position of Lord Privy Seal, a post
previously held by Thomas Cromwell. For
those watching ‘Wolf Hall’ it is interesting to
note the pattern of intrigue in the court of
King Henry 8th

9. This is only the ‘tip of the iceberg’!
Pay us a visit to find out more!