St Boniface's Church, Bunbury

St Boniface's Church stands prominently in the village of Bunbury, Cheshire, England.

In 1385–86 Sir Hugh Calveley endowed it as a collegiate church,[6] which resulted in more rebuilding: much of the existing structure dates from this time.

He donated the tithes and advowson to the Worshipful Company of Haberdashers, who followed his wishes in appointing Puritan ministers who later included William Hinde.

[6] From 1863 to 1866, restoration work was done by Pennington and Bridgen,[1] when wall paintings, galleries, and box pews were removed, the floor was tiled, and a new roof was constructed.

[1] The church, built in red sandstone with a lead and slate roof, is mainly Perpendicular in style.

His alabaster tomb and effigy is in the centre of the chancel and is enclosed within contemporary ironwork,[14] though there is some doubt as to whether he was in fact buried there.

In the north wall of the sanctuary is the tomb of Sir George Beeston who was the commander of Dreadnought when it fought against the Spanish Armada.

"Here lies buried George Beeston, knight, a promoter of valour and truth; having been brought up from his youth in the arts of war he was chosen one of his company of pensioners by the invincible King Henry the Eighth, when he besieged Boulogne [1544]; he merited [the same] under Edward the Sixth in the battle against the Scots at Musselburgh [1547].

Afterwards under the same King, under Mary, and under Elizabeth, in the naval engagements as captain or vice-captain of the fleet, by whom, after that most mighty Spanish fleet of 1588, had been vanquished, he was honoured with the order of knighthood; and now, his years pressing heavily on him, when he had admirably approved his integrity to princes, and his bravery to his adversaries, acceptable to God, and dear to good men, and long expecting Christ, in the year 1601 and in the ... of his age, he fell asleep in Him, so that he may rise again in Him with joy.

And together with him rests a most beloved wife, Alice, daughter of [Thomas] Davenport of Henbury, esquire, a matron most holy, chaste, and liberal to the poor, who, when she had lived in matrimony 66 years, and had borne to her husband three sons, John, Hugh, and Hugh, and as many daughters, Ann, Jane, and Dorothy, passed into the heavenly country in the year 1591 and in the [refer below] year of her age, with Christ for ever to live.

[18] Under the semi-circular tomb arch and above Sir George Beeston's effigy in armour a further inscription, when translated, reads:

In the south aisle are 15th century painted wooden panels which were formerly part of parclose screens; they were restored at the Victoria and Albert Museum in 1988.

[11] Also in the church are three memorial boards which are believed to have been painted by members of the Randle Holme family of Chester.

[20] At the back of the church in the northeast corner are a number of stone coffin lids, and defaced effigies dating from the 13th to the 15th centuries.

[2] Carved stones dating from the Norman period have been discovered beneath the floor of the church and these are stored in the south porch.

Tomb of Sir Hugh Calveley
Tomb of Sir George Beeston
The west gates