Church of Our Lady and Saint Nicholas, Liverpool facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Liverpool Parish Church |
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| Church of Our Lady and Saint Nicholas | |
| St Nick's or The Sailors' Church | |
The Church of Our Lady and Saint Nicholas
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 Liverpool Parish Church
Location in Merseyside
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| 53°24′25″N 2°59′41″W / 53.4070°N 2.9948°W | |
| Location | Liverpool |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Modern Catholic |
| History | |
| Consecrated | 1952 (current church) |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Edward C. Butler (church) Thomas Harrison (tower) |
| Years built | 1811 (tower) March 1949 (church) |
| Completed | 1815 (tower) 1952 (church) |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Liverpool |
| Deanery | North Liverpool |
| Archdeaconry | Liverpool |
| Diocese | Liverpool Diocese |
| Province | Province of York |
The Church of Our Lady and Saint Nicholas is the main Anglican church in Liverpool. People have worshipped at this spot since at least the 1250s. The church is very close to the River Mersey and the Pier Head.
It is also known as "St Nick's" or "The Sailors' Church." This is because St Nicholas is the patron saint of sailors. The church is a special building, listed as Grade II, and is still an active church today. From 1813 to 1868, it was the tallest building in Liverpool.
Contents
How the Church Began: St Mary del Quay
In 1207, Liverpool received its special charter from King John. This made Liverpool an important town. By the 1250s, a small stone chapel called St Mary del Quay was built. This was the first place of worship on the church's current site.
The chapel likely stood near where the church tower is now. It overlooked a quay, which is a dock for ships, on the River Mersey. This chapel was the main place for worship until 1355.
Building a New Chapel
A new, bigger chapel was then built. It was dedicated to St Mary and St Nicholas. The land for this new chapel was given by the Duke of Lancaster. It took more than 100 years to build!
In 1361, a serious illness, a plague, affected the town. The Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry allowed a burial ground to be used. The chapel was officially opened the next year. By the late 1400s, a north aisle was added. This was a side section of the church, the same size as the main part. Also, three special altars called chantry altars were set up. Rich people paid for priests to look after these altars. A fourth chantry was built in 1515.
Changes Over Time: Reformation and Growth
During the English Reformation, the chantry altars were removed. The church building was changed to fit the new ways of worship. These new ways were found in the Book of Common Prayer.
Between 1673 and 1718, the church was made bigger bit by bit. Galleries were added inside to create more seats. This was needed because Liverpool's population was growing. A tall, pointed roof called a spire was added in 1746.
Liverpool's Parish Churches
In 1699, Liverpool had about 5,000 people. It became an independent parish. This meant it had two main churches and two rectors (head priests). These were Our Lady and St Nicholas, known as the "Old Church" or St Nicks, and the new St Peter's Church.
In 1775, the church decided to rebuild its walls. The galleries were kept because people paid rent for their seats. A new roof was put on top of classic-style columns. These columns rested on older, medieval bases. The rebuilt church had walls that were four feet longer than before.
By 1865, there were 27 churches in the parish, serving about 275,000 people. Since 1916, Our Lady and St Nicholas has been the main Parish Church of Liverpool. St Peter's Church was taken down in 1922.
A Sad Accident
Over the years, the "Old Church" continued to serve its community. People often warned officials that the spire was not safe. On Sunday, February 11, 1810, a terrible accident happened. As the bells rang and people gathered for the morning service, the spire fell into the church below. This tragic event killed 25 people.
Rebuilding the Tower
Between 1811 and 1815, a new tower and a special top section called a lantern were built. They were placed on the north side of the church. The tower was designed by Thomas Harrison from Chester. The last parts of the old St Mary del Quay chapel, which had been used as a tavern, were also removed.
Inside the new tower, a set of 12 bells was put in. They were made by Dobson of Downham Market. One of the largest bells was remade in 1912.
Over the years, small changes were made to the church for worship reasons. The biggest changes happened between 1851 and 1852. A Parish Centre was built in the 1920s for community activities and a church school. Other than these, the church stayed much the same from 1815 to 1940.
The Churchyard: From Burial Ground to Garden
The churchyard used to have walls around it. From 1758 to 1772, a group of guns stood on part of the burial ground. This was to protect the river. Until 1767, the River Mersey reached the church garden walls at high tide.
In 1849, the churchyard was closed for burials. In 1891, it was turned into a public garden. This garden was made in memory of James Harrison. His shipping company had offices facing the churchyard for many years.
Destruction and Rebuilding
During World War II, the church bells were taken down to keep them safe. However, they were never put back up. On December 21, 1940, a German air raid caused a fire that destroyed the main part of the church. Only the parish rooms, vestries, and the 19th-century tower remained.
Rebuilding the church did not start until March 1949. The new church, named 'Our Lady and St Nicholas', was finished and officially opened on October 18, 1952. A new set of 12 bells was made for the church.
New Design for a New Era
The new church was designed by an architect named Edward C. Butler. He made big changes to its design. Usually, the altar is at the east end of a church. This is to catch the light of the rising sun and to represent the Resurrection. But Butler placed the altar at the western end of the church instead.
In many churches, the pulpit (where sermons are given) is the most important part. But Butler made the sanctuary (the area around the altar) the main focus. He also decided not to include the galleries. These galleries had helped seat the very large groups of people who used to come to church. This choice showed that fewer people were attending church at that time. The main part of the church, the nave, was designed to be 46 feet (14 meters) taller in the new building. The organ and the Refectory (a dining hall) were moved. They were placed above the Narthex (the entrance area). This reduced the number of seats inside the church.
Church Details: Outside and Inside
The outside of the church has a special lantern spire. This spire can be easily seen from the river. Even though many taller buildings now surround it, the spire is still a landmark.
Inside the church, the nave and sanctuary have fixed wooden carvings. The main design is a vine. This reminds people of Christ's words: "I am the vine, you are the branches." In the southeast corner, there is a beautiful stained glass window. It shows Our Lady in glory and St Nicholas holding a ship. The window has a message: "For the Healing of the Nations."
A memorial for the Cunard Steamship Company was placed in the church in 1989. It is in the northeast corner. The church organ was made by Rushworth and Dreaper of Liverpool. It is dedicated to Charles W. Bridson, who was the organist from 1902 to 1949. Hanging between the nave and the sanctuary is the Rood. This is a figure of Christ with Our Lady and St John. The Rood was carved from the old oak frame that held the bells in the tower.
Chapels and Memorials
The rebuilt church has two chapels. One is to the north of the sanctuary, and the other is to the south. The chapel on the south side is called the Chapel of St Peter. It remembers the old St Peter's Church, which used to be on Church Street. The wooden table in this chapel is from the 18th century and was once the altar at St Peter's. This chapel is used for weekday Communion services. A cross on the wall is made from burned wood pieces from the old church.
The chapel to the north was once called St George's Chapel. It remembered another old church that was taken down. In 1993, this chapel was given a new name: the Maritime Chapel of St Mary del Quay. This happened during the 50th anniversary of the Battle of the Atlantic. It remembers the very old medieval shrine. A bronze statue of Our Lady stands in the front of a boat. This statue was made by a Liverpool artist named Arthur Dooley. The chapel also has a Book of Remembrance. It lists the names of sailors who were lost at sea.
Behind the church's main altar, there is an icon (a religious painting) of the crucifixion. It was painted by a Romanian artist named Tatiana Nichita. This icon was given to the church to remember Merseyside Police Constable Neil Doyle. He was sadly killed in Liverpool city centre while off-duty. His funeral was held at the church.
The "Dick Docks" Story
The church is linked to a famous saying: "I'll be waiting till Dick docks." This means "I'll be waiting a very long time." It refers to a ship called the Richard Donnelly. People say this ship sank in Liverpool Bay. Another version of the saying is used when someone makes a promise that seems unlikely to happen. For example, "I'll repay that loan soon!" "Oh, yes – when Donnelly docks!" This means the action will probably never happen.
A golden weather vane shaped like a ship is on top of St Nicholas' tower. This weather vane is 4 feet 4 inches (1.3 meters) long.
The weather vane likely survived when the tower fell in 1810. It was repaired before being put back up. The sails on the ship are dated 1815. Old photos show ships used as weather vanes on other buildings in Liverpool too. The vane was added to the church in 1746 when the spire was built. An illustration from 1773 clearly shows the ship.
However, despite these stories, no records of a Liverpool ship named Donnely or Richard Donnelly have been found. The Director of the Liverpool Maritime Museum has confirmed this. So, the popular story about the weather vane might not be entirely true.
See also
- Architecture of Liverpool
- List of works by Thomas Harrison
