Follow the brown signs

A timber-framed haven near the ship canal

The ancient church of St Werburgh is 1,000 years old and is still a secluded place of peace despite its closeness to the M6, the Manchester Ship Canal and the industrial north-west.

Named after a Saxon abbess who became the patron saint of Chester, it is one of only 27 timber-framed churches in England. Inside, rough-hewn timber uprights support the roof beams, gnarled and twisted like the trees they once were.

Fixtures and furnishings show St Werburgh’s journey through time, from a 12th-century stone sarcophagus to the patch of 19th-century Minton tiles on the floor, giving you a strong sense of the many generations of ordinary people who have worshipped here and cherished their church.

Ideal to combine with a visit to the nearby St George’s at Carrington.

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