Church of St John the Divine, Holme Chapel facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Church of St John the Divine, Holme Chapel
St John the Divine, Holme-in-Cliviger
West front of the church
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OS grid reference	SD 876 285
Location	Holme Chapel, Cliviger, Burnley, Lancashire
Country	England
Denomination	Anglican
Website	St John, Holme Chapel
History
Status	Parish church
Dedication	Saint John the Divine
Consecrated	29 July 1794
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Heritage designation	Grade II
Designated	1 April 1953
Architectural type	Church
Style	Neoclassical
Groundbreaking	1788
Completed	1897
Construction cost	£780
Specifications
Materials	Sandstone
Administration
Parish	St John the Divine, Holme-in-Cliviger
Deanery	Burnley
Archdeaconry	Blackburn
Diocese	Blackburn
Province	York

The Church of St John the Divine is a historic church located in Holme Chapel, a village near Burnley, Lancashire, England. It's an active Anglican church, meaning it's part of the Church of England. This church is special because it's a "Grade II listed building," which means it's recognized as an important historical building in England.

The church was built a long time ago, between 1788 and 1794. It replaced an older, smaller chapel. The design of the church is in a simple Classical style. You can see a bell tower with a unique octagonal (eight-sided) top above the front of the church. Inside, there are special carved wooden seats that came from another church that was torn down. These seats have interesting carvings, including a "poppyhead" and "misericords."

History of the Church

The Church of St John the Divine stands where a much older, smaller chapel used to be. That first chapel was quite small, only about 42 feet long and 18 feet wide. People described it as a "simple but charming little building." It was probably built during the time of King Henry VIII (in the 1500s).

By 1788, the old chapel was falling apart, so it was taken down. The new church, the one you see today, was built on higher ground. It cost £870 to build, which was a lot of money back then! A local important person, Dr. T. D. Whitaker, helped pay for it.

The new church could seat 400 people. It was officially opened and blessed on July 29, 1794, by the Bishop of Chester. Dr. Whitaker later became the vicar (a type of priest) for this church. In 1897, more parts were added to the church, including the chancel (the area around the altar) and a vestry (a room for clergy).

Church Design

Outside the Church

The church is built from square-cut sandstone blocks. It has special corner stones called "quoins" that make it look strong. The roof is likely made of slate, but you can't see it easily because of the stone wall around the top, called a "parapet." The style of the church is simple Classical.

The church has a rectangular shape. It has a main area called the nave (where people sit) with three sections, and a chancel with two sections. There's also a vestry. All around the church, there's a decorative stone band called a "string course" and a carved edge called a "moulded cornice" at the top.

The front of the church, facing west, has two levels. In the middle of the lower level, there's the main entrance. It has a rounded doorway surrounded by a frame in the Tuscan style. This doorway is set inside a larger, rounded "blind arch" (an arch that doesn't open) with a half-moon shaped window called a "lunette." On either side of the entrance, there are two windows with rounded tops and circular patterns inside. The upper level has two similar, but smaller, windows.

On the roof, above the west front, is a bell tower. It has an eight-sided top, called an "octagonal cupola." Along the sides of the church, you'll see windows that look like the ones on the west front. The east wall of the chancel has a special "Venetian window," which is a large window made of three parts.

Inside the Church

When you go inside, you'll see a screen between the nave and the chancel. This screen has a large rounded arch in the middle and smaller arches on the sides. At the back of the church, there's a gallery (a raised seating area) supported by three rounded arches. The front of the gallery has decorated columns called "pilasters" that create four panels. These panels show the Ten Commandments.

The pulpit (where the preacher stands) is very old, from the 1500s. It has eight sides and a top that looks like castle battlements. It's decorated with detailed, carved patterns.

You'll also find two pairs of special oak seats in the church. These seats were moved here from another church in Blackburn that was torn down in 1820. One pair of seats has a "poppyhead" finial, which is a carved decoration at the end of a pew. The other pair has two "misericords." A misericord is a small shelf on the underside of a folding church seat. When the seat is folded up, the misericord provides a small support for someone standing during long services. One of these misericords has carvings of leaves, and the other shows a mermaid holding a mirror, with fish supporting her.

Some of the wooden panels inside the church are carved in a "linenfold" style, which looks like folded cloth, and have a vine pattern. There are also memorials to important people, including a stone carving (a bust) of Dr. T. D. Whitaker and a painting of General Scarlett.

Churchyard and Burials

South of the church, there's an archway with parts of a very old stone cross from the medieval times on top.

The churchyard is also the burial place of some famous people. General Sir James Yorke Scarlett, who died in 1871, is buried here. He was famous for leading a brave charge in a battle called the battle of Balaclava during the Crimean War. His nephew, Sir John Thursby, 1st Baronet, who died in 1901, is also buried here.

What Makes the Church Special

The Church of St John the Divine was officially named a Grade II listed building on April 1, 1953. This means it's considered "nationally important and of special interest." It's the lowest of three grades, but still very important!

Experts who study buildings have said that the additions made in 1897 (the chancel and vestry) were "tactfully done," meaning they fit well with the original design. They also thought the bell tower was "handsome."

The Church Today

St John's is still an active church today. It's part of the diocese of Blackburn and works together with St John, Worsthorne.

See also

• Listed buildings in Cliviger
• Holme Hall, Cliviger

Images for kids

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  West front of the church