Church of St Clement, Liverpool facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Church of St Clement, Liverpool
Church of St Clement, Liverpool, from the northwest
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OS grid reference	SJ 368 893
Location	Beaumont Street, Toxteth, Liverpool
Country	England
Denomination	Anglican
Churchmanship	Open Evangelical
Website	St Clement, Liverpool
History
Status	Parish church
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Heritage designation	Grade II*
Designated	14 March 1975
Architect(s)	Arthur and George Yates Williams
Architectural type	Church
Style	Gothic Revival
Groundbreaking	1840
Completed	1841
Specifications
Materials	Stone, slate roof
Administration
Deanery	Toxteth and Wavertree
Archdeaconry	Liverpool
Diocese	Liverpool
Province	York

The Church of St Clement is a historic church located in Beaumont Street, Toxteth, Liverpool, England. It is an active Anglican church, meaning it is still used for worship and community events today. The church is part of the Liverpool diocese. It is recognized as a Grade II* listed building, which means it is a very important historical building.

History of the Church

The Church of St Clement was built a long time ago, between 1840 and 1841. It was designed by two architects named Arthur and George Yates Williams.

Over the years, a few changes were made to the church:

• A porch was added to the west side of the building later on.
• In 1892, the original stairs leading to the pulpit (where sermons are given) were replaced with a spiral staircase.
• In 1984, a special screen was put under the west gallery. This created a separate room for the church community to use.

Looking at the Church's Design

The Church of St Clement has a special style called Gothic Revival. This means it looks like older Gothic churches from the Middle Ages.

Outside the Church

The church is built from stone and has a roof made of slate.

• The main part of the church, called the nave, has seven sections or "bays."
• At the east end, there's a chancel with a slightly angled end called an apse.
• Along the sides, you'll see tall, narrow windows called lancet windows. These are placed between stone supports called buttresses.
• At the west end, there's a part that sticks out. It has doors on the north and south sides and stairs leading up to a gallery inside.
• The west side also has three stepped lancet windows.
• On top of the west end, there's an eight-sided bell turret with small gabled openings. It has a short spire with a decorative top piece called a finial.
• A porch with a pointed entrance and gabled buttresses extends from this section.
• The east end's apse has a sloped roof and a window made of three lancet windows together.

Inside the Church

When you go inside St Clement's, you'll notice several interesting features:

• There are galleries (like balconies) on three sides of the church. The organ is located at the west end.
• Strong cast iron columns support these galleries.
• A screen has been put under the west gallery to create a separate enclosed space, often used as a community room.
• At the east end, the altar (communion table) is set in a shallow, many-sided area.
• Next to the communion table, there are boards with the Ten Commandments written on them.
• The arch leading to the chancel is simple and has an inscription.
• The pulpit is a "two-decker" design, meaning it has two levels. It includes a reading desk. The upper part is held up by four iron columns and is reached by a spiral staircase.
• The church still has its original box pews, which are like individual enclosed seating areas. Some of these have been removed around the pulpit.
• The ceiling is a plaster vault (a curved ceiling) that is painted with stars.
• Experts Pollard and Pevsner noted that the interior is a rare example of a Victorian church that has stayed almost completely the same as it was built.

See also

• Grade II* listed buildings in Merseyside