Church of St Peter and St Paul, Ormskirk facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of St Peter and St Paul |
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| OS grid reference | SD 4130608436 |
| Location | Ormskirk, Lancashire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* |
| Designated | 11 May 1953 |
| Administration | |
| Deanery | Ormskirk |
| Archdeaconry | Wigan & West Lancashire |
| Diocese | Liverpool |
| Province | York |
The Church of St Peter and St Paul is a historic church located in the town of Ormskirk, Lancashire, England. It has been around since at least the 12th century. This church is special because it is one of only three churches in England that has both a tower and a spire. Even more unique, it's the only one where both are at the same end of the building!
Today, it is an active Anglican parish church within the Diocese of Liverpool. The church is also recognized as a Grade II* listed building, meaning it's a very important historic site.
Contents
Discovering the Church's History
The exact start date of a church in Ormskirk isn't fully known. However, it's likely there was a church on this spot way back in Saxon times. The church's parish (its local area) used to cover many nearby settlements.
Some parts of the church you see today are very old, dating back to the 12th century. The building has been changed and added to many times over the centuries. The oldest part is the north wall of the chancel (the area around the altar), built around 1170. It still has a very old Norman window, though it has been repaired.
Around 1280, two arches were added to the south of the chancel. These used to lead into a chapel. Later, the 16th-century Derby Chapel was built in the same spot.
Key Features Added Over Time
The steeple (the tall, pointed part of the church) was built in the 15th century. Its spire has been rebuilt twice, in 1790 and 1832. The Scarisbrick Chapel, to the south-west, also likely dates from the 15th century.
A large west tower was built around 1540–50. This tower was made to hold four bells from Burscough Priory. That priory was closed down around 1536 during Henry VIII's Dissolution of the Monasteries (when many monasteries were shut down).
The Derby Chapel was the last major Gothic-style addition, built in the second half of the 16th century. In 1729, the main part of the church, the nave, was rebuilt in a neoclassical style. This included the arcades (rows of arches).
Victorian Restoration Work
Much of the 18th-century work was changed between 1877 and 1891. This was part of a big restoration project by architects Paley and Austin. They rebuilt the north arcade and changed the nave arcades back to a Gothic style.
They also replaced the windows in the south aisle. The architects refloored, re-roofed, and reseated the church. They also put in a new heating system and removed the galleries. Because of all this work, many parts of the church look Victorian today.
Exploring the Church's Architecture
The church stands on a raised piece of land in the north-west of Ormskirk. It is mostly built in the Perpendicular Gothic style. This means it has tall, straight lines and large windows. The church is made of squared sandstone blocks and has stone slate roofs.
It has a nave (the main central part) with aisles (side passages) to the north and south. The steeple is located at the west end of the south aisle.
Outside the Church
The steeple is special because it changes from a square tower to an octagonal (eight-sided) spire. This happens through a unique octagonal belfry (bell tower). The bell louvres (slats that let sound out) are in a Decorated Gothic style. The whole steeple is about 109 feet (33 meters) tall.
The large square tower is about 84 feet (26 meters) high and 40 feet (12 meters) wide. It has three sections and diagonal buttresses (supports). The very top section has a crenellated parapet (a wall with gaps like a castle) and crocketed pinnacles (small, pointed decorations).
The tower's belfry windows are arched with three lights (sections). They have stone louvres and a special kind of tracery (stone patterns). These are typical of 16th-century Gothic style in the area. The Gothic windows in the nave aisles were added during the Victorian restoration. However, the sundial, base, and parapet are still in a classical style.
To the north of the main building are the chancel and vestry (a room for clergy). The Scarisbrick Chapel is to the south, and the Derby Chapel is to the south-east. You can tell the chapels apart from the outside by the different stone patterns in their windows.
Inside the Church
The ceiling of the nave is made of wood. It has carved hammerbeam trusses (strong wooden supports). The arcades (rows of arches) in the aisles have five sections. They feature moulded piers (columns) and arches that are pointed at the top. Between the steeple and the south aisle, there is a simple arch. The vestry has an unglazed window in its western wall that looks into the north aisle. It has a square top and original iron bars.
The Derby Chapel is separated by a 17th-century wooden screen. This screen has tall balusters (small pillars) and wrought iron decorations shaped like fleur-de-lis. The chapel also holds three alabaster effigies (stone figures of people). These are likely of Thomas Stanley, 1st Earl of Derby and his two wives. There are also two tomb chests (stone boxes for burials). The Scarisbrick Chapel contains a hatchment (a coat of arms) and a wall monument. James Stanley, 7th Earl of Derby is also buried here.
The church has a ring of eight bells that are used for change ringing (a special way of ringing bells). All these bells were made in 1948. There is also an older bell from 1576, but it is no longer used.
Notable Burials
Many important people from the Stanley family, who were Earls of Derby, are buried in the Derby Chapel. These include:
- Edward Stanley, 3rd Earl of Derby
- Henry Stanley, 4th Earl of Derby
- Ferdinando Stanley, 5th Earl of Derby
- William Stanley, 6th Earl of Derby
- Charles Stanley, 8th Earl of Derby
- William Stanley, 9th Earl of Derby
- James Stanley, 10th Earl of Derby
- Edward Stanley, 11th Earl of Derby
Outside the Church Grounds
The churchyard (the area around the church) is also a burial ground. It contains the war graves of 15 service members from World War I and 12 from World War II. Also buried here is William Edward Heaton, who received the Victoria Cross for his bravery in the Second Boer War.
See also
- Grade II* listed buildings in Lancashire
- Listed buildings in Ormskirk
- List of ecclesiastical works by Paley and Austin
