St Elphin's Church, Warrington

St Elphin’s Church stands in the centre of Warrington, a town in Cheshire. It is an active Anglican parish church with a Grade II* listing. A place of worship has existed on the site since about 650 AD. The Domesday Book recorded a priest in Warrington at that time. The earliest parts still visible are the chancel and crypt from a church built in 1354 by Sir William Boteler. The church suffered damage during the Civil War and was rebuilt in stages, most recently between 1859 and 1867 by Frederick and Horace Francis. The church contains chapels founded by notable local families. St Ann’s Chapel was created by Thomas Massey, rector from 1448 to 1464, and later held the Patten family vault. The Lady Chapel was endowed by Sir John Boteler in 1290 and became a regimental chapel in 1943. The interior features galleries with pews, a reredos from 1933, and stained glass by Pugin and A. Gibbs. The spire, added in the 19th century, rises 281 feet and is among the tallest parish church spires in the UK. Visitors enter through an 18th-century gateway with stone piers and iron gates. Inside, the nave and aisles are wide, with a central tower and crossing. The regimental chapel in the south transept holds medieval effigies and a Boer War memorial screen. The organ, rebuilt several times, is no longer used, replaced by an electronic instrument. The churchyard lies within the Church Street Conservation Area, where cobbled paths lead to the entrance.