St Oswald's Church, Backford, Gothic church in Backford, England
St Oswald's Church is a Gothic church built from sandstone, featuring a west tower, a three-bay nave, a chancel, and a north vestry facing Church Lane. The structure is topped with a slate roof and houses a two-manual organ inside that was originally built by Franklin Lloyd and later modified by Harry Moulding.
The chancel was built in the 14th century, with the tower added in the 15th century, followed by a major reconstruction of the nave that took place from 1728 to 1731. This 18th-century work gave the building much of the form it still has today.
Inside, you will find wall paintings created by artist E. Frampton and painted wooden heraldic tablets from the 1600s that honour local families. These decorative works were added over different time periods and reveal the long connection between the community and this place.
The church is clearly visible from the street and remains in active use for regular religious services. It is best to check in advance whether the building is open to visitors, as it functions primarily as a working place of worship.
A Bible from 1617 remains chained inside the church, a rare object that shows how precious books were considered in earlier times. Alongside it sits a wooden chest made from wood salvaged from Chester Cathedral, linking this place to another important building nearby.
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