History of Ingestre Church

	Walter Chetwynd

In 1671 Walter Chetwynd petitioned the Archbishop of Canterbury to declare the existing Church derelict and to grant him permission to replace it with the a new building entirely at his own charge. The old church possessed some stained glass in the form of armorial bearings which are contained in roundels in the side windows of the present church. Family tradition has it that the remains of the Chetwynd family were re-interred beneath the sanctuary of the present building.

The present church was built by Walter Chetwynd to a design attributed to Sir Christopher Wren. This is backed up by the existence of a drawing by Sir Christopher Wren labelled Mr Chetwynd's Tower, now in a collection of Wren drawings in the Victoria and Albert Museum. Walter Chetwynd was a friend of Sir Christopher Wren and both were members of the Royal Society.

	Mr Chetwynd's Tower			Sir Christopher Wren

The foundations were laid in 1673 and the building was finished in 1676 and consecrated in August 1677 with the Bishop baptising a child, churching a women, joining a couple in matrimony and burying another, all on the same day. The idea was to emphasise that this was a Parish Church, and not a private Chapel for the Chetwynd family.

April 2000

A report on the Deathwatch Beetle infestation from Demaus Building Diagnostics following a “Microbore” inspection of the roof beams suggested that “given the level of degradation found, it is possible that a sudden failure could occur”. Consequently the PCC were forced to close the church to ensure public safety.

A restoration fund has been set up under the patronage of Lord Shrewsbury, Sir Patrick Cormack MP, Mr James Hawley (Lord Lieutenant of Staffordshire) Bishop Keith of Lichfield and Pam Rhodes (TV Presenter)