Becconsall Old Church facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Becconsall Old Church
Becconsall Old Church from the southwest
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OS grid reference	NZ 274 513
Location	Hesketh Bank, Lancashire
Country	England
Denomination	Anglican
Website	Churches Conservation Trust
History
Dedication	All Saints
Architecture
Functional status	Redundant
Heritage designation	Grade II
Designated	11 October 1968
Architectural type	Church
Style	Georgian
Construction cost	£90 (£10,000 in 2021)
Specifications
Length	36 feet 6 inches (11 m)
Width	24 feet (7 m)
Other dimensions	Sanctuary 8 feet (2 m) by 15 feet (5 m)
Materials	Brick, stone slate roof

Becconsall Old Church is a very old church in the village of Hesketh Bank, Lancashire, England. It's not used for regular services anymore, which means it's a 'redundant' church. This special building is protected as a Grade II listed building, meaning it's historically important. The Churches Conservation Trust looks after it. You can find it on a lane that goes down to a boatyard on the River Douglas.

The Church's Story

Building the Old Church

This church was built in 1764. It stands where an even older chapel used to be. That first chapel was built in the 1500s for the Becconsall family.

Building the current church cost about £90 back then. That's a lot of money, like thousands of pounds today! Local farmers helped by giving £60. The rest came from a special tax on the parish.

The church was made from handmade bricks. These bricks were given by Sir Thomas Hesketh, who owned the land.

Changes Over Time

A small entrance area, called a porch, was added to the front of the church in the 1900s. The church is named after All Saints.

In 1926, a new church with the same name was built in a different spot. After that, the old church was mostly used for funerals. It was also used for special services on "Old Church Sunday."

During the Second World War, a bomb fell in the churchyard. It damaged some gravestones and caused small damage to the church's outside walls.

Saving the Church

By 1985, the church was in very bad condition. It had to be closed because it needed so many repairs.

In the 1990s, a charity called the Churches Conservation Trust took over its care. They fixed up the church, and it reopened in 1995. Now, the "Old Church Sunday" services can happen there again.

What the Church Looks Like

Outside the Church

The church is made of red bricks. Its roof is covered with stone slates. It has a simple rectangular shape. There's a main part called the nave and a smaller area for the altar, called the sanctuary.

At the front, there's the porch with a round-shaped doorway. Above the doorway are two round windows. On the very top of the front wall, there's a small bellcote. This is a small tower that holds a bell.

On each side of the church, you'll see two large round-headed windows. At the back, there's a big window with three parts, called a Venetian window.

Inside the Church

Inside, at the front, there's a wooden balcony called a west gallery. It's held up by four wooden pillars that have special grooves, called flutes.

The font is where baptisms happen. It's from the 1700s and looks like a vase. It's made from a special stone called Coade stone.

You can also find a pulpit (where sermons are given) and a lectern (where readings are done). There are also two pews, an altar, and some wooden panelling on the walls. The bell that was once removed from the bellcote has now been returned by the Trust.

Outside the Church Grounds

In the churchyard, there is a stone sundial from 1776. It has a square base that looks like a fancy pillar. On top, there's a brass plate, but the part that casts the shadow (the gnomon) is missing. This sundial is also a Grade II listed item, just like the church.

More to Explore

• Listed buildings in Hesketh-with-Becconsall
• All Saints Church, Becconsall
• List of churches preserved by the Churches Conservation Trust in Northern England