St John the Evangelist's Church, Norley

St John the Evangelist’s Church stands west of Norley village in rural Cheshire, built from tooled ashlar red sandstone with a red tile roof. The present structure dates from 1878–79 and was designed by J. L. Pearson in the style of the later 13th century. It replaced an 1833 chapel of ease on land donated by Samuel Woodhouse of Norley Hall. The church has a four-bay nave, north aisle, two-bay chancel, vestry, central tower, north transept and south porch reached by eleven steps. The tower carries a clock face above two-light windows and louvred bell openings topped by a plain parapet. Inside, the chancel contains a sedilia and the altar, reredos and screens were designed by F. H. Crossley between 1919 and 1937. Most stained glass comes from the early and mid 20th century, made by William Morris of Westminster, with a 1950 window by Trena Cox in the north aisle. A Willis organ in the transept was restored in 1985 by David Wells, and the square font likely came from the earlier church. The churchyard holds a Grade II limestone memorial to the Woodhouse family, topped by a sarcophagus on claw feet. Three war graves lie in the churchyard: two First World War soldiers near the northeast corner and one Second World War casualty to the west. The exterior features lancet windows in the chancel and more ornate tracery in the north transept. The tower’s east end has three tall lancets, while the south porch is approached by a short flight of steps. The red sandstone base of the Woodhouse memorial contrasts with its ashlar limestone upper section.