St Alban's Church, Macclesfield

St Alban’s Church stands in Macclesfield, Cheshire, as a Roman Catholic parish church. Built in the early 19th century, it was designed by A. W. N. Pugin, one of the most important architects of his time. The church is listed at Grade II*, which means it is recognised as a building of exceptional national importance. Some of the funds for its construction came from the Earl of Shrewsbury, who contributed to the total cost of about £8,000. The church was completed in 1841 after just three years of building work. The church’s exterior is made of stone rubble with ashlar dressings and a Welsh slate roof. Its Perpendicular Gothic style is clear in the tall nave, wide aisles, and unfinished west tower. The tower has a deeply moulded doorway, a large five-light window, and statues set in niches. The aisles are lit by five-light windows, while the clerestory has ten closely spaced two-light windows. At the east end, a seven-light window fills the chancel with light. Inside, slender piers support the arcade, and tall painted arches mark the tower, chancel, and chapel entrances. The chancel arch holds a rood screen with three 15th-century German figures, coloured by Pugin himself. The chancel floor is covered in coloured tiles, and an ornate altarpiece features a statue of the Virgin and Child surrounded by twelve saints. The chapel’s altarpiece includes a statue of Mary flanked by scenes from her life. The organ, originally from St Michael’s Church, was installed in 1885 and rebuilt in the 1910s. Stained glass by William Warrington or William Wailes fills the east window, while the chapel’s south window dates from 1846 and was made by Hardman to Pugin’s design.