Built in 1832-3, Christ Church Croft occupies a prominent position in what is probably one of the highest parts of the village. The Church is of Gothic design and was built at a cost of £2,667, of which the Parliamentary Grant provided £1,457, the remainder being raised locally. A Mr Samuel Barrow gave the land for the Church and Churchyard. The Church was consecrated by the Bishop of Chester on 29th November 1833, in whose diocese Croft then was.
The present site was chosen as being a mid-point between Croft and Risley, whose two communities it was built to serve, although it had been suggested that a point nearer the centre of the village had been originally planned. The sandstone for the building was transported from Delph Lane by the Croft farming community.
In the Churchyard by the north gate, stand two stone pillars, which were once the sides of the Croft stocks.
The seating capacity for the Church was 518, made up of 226 in paid pews and 292 free. In 1904 the old high-backed pews on the North and South sides of the Church were replaced by the present oak pews. The stone flagged floor was also replaced by the present wood block one.
A new heating system with pipes and radiators around the walls was introduced at the same time. This was replaced in 1957 by an off-peak electrical system. In the year 1999-2000, when the Church was totally refurbished, a new oil-fired heating system was installed.
Windows
Mayhr and Co., of Munich, made the East window. It is a three light window, representing the Good Shepherd with St. Peter and St Paul on the left and the right. The family of the Rev T. P. Kirkman gave the central light in his memory, the other two flanking windows were given by the friends and parishioners of Croft in memory of the Rev and Mrs Kirkman.
The windows on the North and South sides of the Chancel, representing St John and St James, were given by Mrs P. Ingham, in memory of her parents.
Messrs Shrigley & Hunt of Lancaster made the remaining windows.
The central light at the West end, which depicts St. Cecelia, was given by the parishioners of Croft in memory of Mr T. Hurdus, who died in 1948, having been organist for 44 years. Mr and Mrs Peter Ingham gave the two flanking angels. Below the gallery at the West end, is a window by Shrigley & Hunt of Lancaster, given by the Sunday School children in 1954.
The first window on the North side depicting Christ with the children of the world commemorates the service of Mr and Mrs Ingham to missionary work, and also the fact that Mr Ingham served as a Churchwarden and Sidesman for 50 years. Both were Sunday School teachers.
The South side window is in memory of Mr and Mrs A. Stout, members of the Church for over forty years.
Gifts and memorials
The plaque on the North wall commemorates the use of the Church by H.M.S Gosling during the Second World War. British Coal presented the plaque on the South wall to the Church when they vacated their offices at Anderton House (a former H.M.S. Gosling camp). The Royal Navy gave a chalice and paten to the parish when the camps closed.
The framed picture on the North wall was given by the executors of Miss M. Marsh, of Peak House, Croft, in her memory.
The war memorial tablet on the South wall records the names of twenty men from the parish who died in WW1, and of three who dies in WW2.
The wooden eagle lectern was given by the family of drummer Edgar Clough, killed in action in Mesopotamia on 8th March 1916.
The Reredos, in coloured marble and Caen stone, together with the Oak panelling on the East wall of the Chancel, were given by the Rev H. I Wadeson in memory of his wife, whilst the panelling on the North and South walls of the Chancel were given by the parishioners in memory of Mrs Wadeson.
The communion table, chairs and pulpit handrail were the parish’s memorial to the Rev H. I. Wadeson.
The marble steps in the Chancel were the parishioner’s memorials to the Rev S. Barrow.
Their daughter gave the altar cross in memory of Mr. and Mrs. Cawthorne. Mr Cawthorne was the schoolmaster in Croft 1891-1917.
The font cover at the West end of the Church was given by the soldiers of the parish as a thanksgiving for their safe return from WW1.
The Book of Remembrance, also at the West end of the Church, in which the names of those whose ashes have been interred in the Garden of Remembrance are recorded, was given by Mrs Hopley in memory of her husband, Alfred Thomas Hopley. Mr Hopley was a Sidesman and PCC secretary for many years.
The oak shelf and book rest on which the Book of Remembrance stands, were given by Mrs Moore, in memory of her husband, Thomas Moore, who was Rector’s warden 1950-1960.
The litany desk was given by Miss Withington of Helsby Hall, in memory of her late father, Captain E. Withington, JP, of Culcheth Hall, who worshipped here for many years.
The suspended cross in the Church, is the memorial to Canon H. A. C. Hughes, Rector 1944-1970.
The brass tablet on the organ commemorates the life of Mr C. H. Ingham, who was the organist at Croft for many years.
The leather bound Church lessons Bible and the leather bound New English Bible were presented to the Church by Mr and Mrs P. Ingham and Mr. and Mrs S. Jones respectively.
A stainless steel flagon commemorates the memory of the Rev John Taylor, Rector 1975-1978.
200 hymn books commemorate the memory of Miss Rose Burns.
An ASB altar service book commemorates the memory of Jeffrey Carr.
A silver chalice, silver ciborium and silver wafer box, commemorate the memory of Dorothy Churm.
Two large brass candlesticks commemorate the lives of Fred and Kate Orrell.
ASB priests service book given by her family, in memory of Mrs Elsie Kenwright.
The Church also houses various banners.
Incumbents
The first Curate at Christ Church was Benjamin Banning in 1833. In 1838 he left Croft to become Curate at St John’s Liverpool. He was appointed Vicar of Wellington, Salop, in 1841, and remained in that post until 1881.
Thomas Penyngton Kirkman was appointed Curate in 1839. He became Rector of Croft in 1844 – a position he held until 1892. He was a distinguished mathematician and a Fellow of the Royal Society. He is buried in the Churchyard.
- Henry Isaac Wadeson succeeded Kirkman in 1892. During his incumbency every part of the Church (with the exception of the stone walls) was renewed. Much of the beautiful decoration of the Church and organ was the work of his own hands. An eloquent speaker, he was much in demand for harvest festivals in neighbouring villages and towns. In his early days Mr Wadeson took an active interest in sport: walking, boxing and wrestling being among his accomplishments. He was of powerful build and enjoyed good health until just a few days before his death in 1933. He is interred in the Churchyard.
- From 1933, the Rector was Samuel Barrow. He was an evangelical and, using his musical talents, worked to make the services bright and worshipful. He died in January 1936 and is buried in the Churchyard.
- Rev Samuel Barrow was followed by William Chadwick. He saw the abdication crisis of 1936 and the coronation celebrations the following year. He was Rector for most of the war, and saw many of his congregation leave for active service. He resigned in 1944 and moved to London to join his son (who was vicar of Crouch End).
- In 1944 the Rector was Herbert Alexander Carlyle Hughes, L.L.B. During his 26 years at Croft he saw the former Memorial Institute replaced by the present Memorial Hall (and indeed did much to bring this about). He was also made Rural Dean of Warrington in 1957 – a post he held until his death in June 1970. He was buried with his wife at All Saints Rainford.
- Rev John Alexander Woolley followed Rev Hughes as Rector. Rev Woolley left in 1975, to become Chaplain of Ryhope Hospitals in Sunderland.
- Rev John Taylor was incumbent from 1975 until his death in 1978. He is buried at Croft.
- In 1979 the Rev Richard H. L. Williams was appointed as part time Rector, with a post in the diocese (as Diocesan Communications Officer). Dick wrote several books including ‘God thoughts’ (published by CPAS). He moved to St Mary Wavertree in 1989, and retired in 1997.
- From November 1990, Christ Church’s Priest-in-charge was Peter Thorn. He also held the Diocesan post of Children’s Officer. Peter moved in 1992 to the Diocese of St Albans.
- From November 1992 to 1999, the Priest-in-charge was Wilfred Alexander. In 1999 the Rev Alan Litton, incumbent of Newchurch Culcheth, also became Priest-in-charge of Croft (the Rev Alexander having elected to become Assistant priest-in-charge at both parishes). Rev Alan Litton resigned from the joint benefice on 6th October 2002. He now serves at St Michael Burtonwood.
- From the 6th July 2003, the Rev. Dr. Christopher Stafford was appointed as Rector of the United benefice of Christ Church Croft with Newchurch Culcheth. He was formerly Curate at St Philip Westbrook, studied at Birmingham University from the age of 18 to obtain a degree in Biological sciences, going on to obtain a Ph.D in cell biology. In 1991 he spent a year working with the Birmingham City Mission, working with homeless people, and later worked with Victim Support at Birmingham Crown Court. He studied for ordination at St John’s College Nottingham, and was ordained priest in Liverpool Cathedral in June 2000. He is particularly interested in children’s ministry, and recently published Off the Peg Assemblies and Care for the World (with Kevin Mayhew).