St Philip's Church, Kelsall

St Philip’s Church stands in the village of Kelsall, Cheshire, a quiet settlement in North West England. Built in 1860, it is an active Anglican parish church designed by Thomas Bower of Nantwich. The building is listed at Grade II on the National Heritage List for England, recognising its special architectural interest. It belongs to the deanery of Chester, the archdeaconry of Chester, and the diocese of Chester. Sandstone walls and a roof of Welsh slates give the church a solid, traditional appearance. The church’s Decorated Gothic style shows in its four-bay nave, two-bay chancel, and north vestry. A bellcote rises at the east end of the nave, while buttresses divide the side windows into clear sections. The nave windows have two lights with quatrefoil and trefoil heads, filled with plate tracery. The chancel windows are pairs of lancets with trefoil heads, and the east window contains three lights. A Nicholson and Lord organ from 1900 stands inside, played during services. Outside, the churchyard holds war graves of two First World War soldiers and two Second World War airmen. A south porch leads into the nave, and the vestry has a small pyramidal roof. The red tiled ridge adds a warm finish to the slate roof. Visitors find a peaceful place of worship with fine stonework and simple dignity.