- Birtles Lane
- Macclesfield
- Cheshire
- SK10 4RX
Church History
St Catherine's is a Grade 2* listed building and features in Simon Jenkins book "England's Thousand Best Churches".
In 1840, Thomas Hibbert of Birtles New Hall, built a chapel at the entrance to his estate. The Hibbert family collected valuable oak carving, stained glass and brass from various sources. Much of this, being hundreds of years older than the building itself, gives the interior of the church a unique appearance. Being at first a private chapel little is known about who undertook the task of installing the glass but experts have suggested it could have been David Evans of Shrewsbury as some of his original work is included. The glass can be viewed on-line at www.cvma.ac.uk More recently some fine etched glass by Simon Whistler has been added as a memorial to members of the Hibbert family. Colonel Hugh Robert Hibbert succeeded his Father and in 1890 generously handed over his private chapel for use as the Parish Church of Over Alderley & Birtles. Dedicated to St. Catherine, the Church was consecrated on St. Matthias Day, 24th February, 1890.
He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High
shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.