Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes, Blackpool facts for kids

The Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes, Blackpool is a special building in Blackpool, England. It stands on Whinney Heys Road. People often call it 'The Shrine' or 'Bishop's folly'. It is a very important historic building. It is listed as a Grade II* listed building on the National Heritage List for England. This means it is a place of special national importance. Today, the Historic Chapels Trust owns and looks after it.

Why the Shrine Was Built

The Blackpool shrine was built between 1955 and 1957. It was designed by an architect named F. X. Velarde. During World War II, Bishop Thomas E. Flynn, who was a leader in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lancaster, prayed to Our Lady of Lourdes. She is the patron saint (a special protector) of the diocese. He asked her to keep the area safe from war damage.

After the war, Blackpool was indeed not badly damaged. Because of this, the Bishop decided to build a special chapel. It was meant to be a way to say thank you for the protection. The building cost £50,000 at the time. Many local churches helped by donating money.

The land for the Shrine was given by William Eaves, a local builder. He made sure the area around the Shrine stayed open. This way, the building could be seen clearly when people arrived in town. Until the 1990s, different groups of Roman Catholic monks and nuns cared for the Shrine.

What the Shrine Looks Like

The Shrine is built from brick and concrete. It is covered with Portland stone, which is a type of white limestone. The roof and the small spire (called a flèche) are covered in copper.

Inside, the main open area (called the nave) is wide. At the front, there is a small entrance area (a narthex). At the back, there is a special area for the altar (an apse or sanctuary). There are also small rooms for priests (vestries).

The front of the building has double doors. Above these doors, there is a carved picture (a low relief) of the Holy Trinity. This was carved by an artist named David John. He also designed the tall, pointed decorations (pinnacles) on the corners of the building. These carvings show different religious figures and events.

The sides of the Shrine have special concrete panels with glass. These panels have geometric patterns. The pink and light blue glass lets a lot of light into the building. Steps made of Yorkstone lead up to the entrance. Inside, the columns that form the arches (arcades) are covered in shiny gold mosaic. The ceiling is blue, red, and gold. It has deep square patterns (coffering) around the lights. The floor of the main part of the Shrine is tiled.

The altar area (sanctuary) is raised up. You reach it by walking up marble steps through a round arch. Its floor is made of travertine with mosaic patterns. The rails around the altar are made of bronze and have an Art Deco design. The carved screen behind the altar (reredos) was also made by David John.

The Shrine's Future

In 1993, the Shrine was no longer used as a church. This is called being deconsecrated. In 2000, it became owned by the Historic Chapels Trust. This is a charity that saves old buildings, but it is not a religious group. The Shrine was in poor condition and needed a lot of repairs.

A grant of £100,000 from English Heritage helped with urgent fixes. These repairs were finished in April 2008. They fixed the leaking copper roof and improved how rainwater drained away. More money is still needed to fully fix the building. The plan is to turn it into a community center. They are currently raising money to fix the electricity, which was damaged by water, and add modern facilities. The Historic Chapels Trust is looking for groups to use the space for events once all the repairs are done.

See also

• Grade II* listed buildings in Lancashire
• List of works by F. X. Velarde
• List of chapels preserved by the Historic Chapels Trust