St Aidan's Church, Billinge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Aidan's Church, Billinge |
|
|---|---|
St Aidan's Church, Billinge, from the northwest
|
|
 St Aidan's Church, Billinge
Location in Merseyside
|
|
| 53°30′03″N 2°42′18″W / 53.5009°N 2.7051°W | |
| OS grid reference | SD 533 007 |
| Location | Main Street, Billinge, St Helens, Merseyside |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Churchmanship | Evangelical |
| Website | St Aidan, Billinge |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Founded | c. 1539 |
| Dedication | Saint Aidan |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* |
| Designated | 23 August 1966 |
| Architect(s) | Henry Sephton T. G. Jackson |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Georgian, Gothic Revival |
| Groundbreaking | 1716 |
| Completed | 1908 |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Stone, stone-slate roof |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Billinge |
| Deanery | Wigan |
| Archdeaconry | Warrington |
| Diocese | Liverpool |
| Province | York |
.JPG)
St Aidan's Church is a historic church located on Main Street in Billinge, Merseyside, England. It is an active Anglican church, meaning it belongs to the Church of England. This beautiful building was first built between 1716 and 1718. It replaced an older, smaller chapel that was once on the same spot. Later, in 1907–08, the church was made bigger and updated. Today, St Aidan's Church is recognized as a Grade II* listed building, which means it's a very important historical building.
Contents
History of St Aidan's Church
St Aidan's Church started as a small chapel around 1539. The current church building replaced this old chapel. It was built between 1716 and 1718. The design was created by an architect named Henry Sephton. A merchant from Liverpool named James Scarisbricke helped a lot. He gave £200 towards the cost of building the church.
The church was first built with a rectangular shape. It measured about 17.4 meters (57 feet) long and 11.3 meters (37 feet) wide. It had a small rounded section at the east end called an apse. The church could hold about 200 people. In 1823 and 1824, extra seating areas called galleries were added. These were on the north and south sides of the church.
In 1828, the church became a separate parish. This meant it had its own official area and community. Later, in 1907–08, the church was rebuilt and made larger. This work was done by an architect named T. G. Jackson. He moved the apse further east. He also added a transept (a part that sticks out like an arm of a cross) to the south. An organ room and a vestry (a room for clergy) were added to the north. These changes made the chancel (the area around the altar) much larger. At the same time, the old galleries and box pews (enclosed seating areas) were removed. In 1993, a glass screen was put in under the west gallery.
Exploring the Church's Architecture
Outside the Church
St Aidan's Church is built from stone and has a roof made of stone-slates. The church has a main area called a nave with four sections. It also has a south transept, which is like a chapel. On the north side, there is a room for the organ. The chancel at the east end has a rounded apse.
At the front of the church (the west end), you can see pairs of corner pilasters. These are like flat columns attached to the wall. There are also parts of a triglyph frieze, which is a decorative band. In the middle, there is a doorway with two Doric columns next to it. The doorway has a decorative frame and a fanlight above it.
Above the doorway is a small tower. This tower has Ionic pilasters at its corners. Between these pilasters, there is a window with three sections. It has a square top and Gothic patterns called tracery. Above this window is a clock face. On top of the tower, there are four urns at the corners. There is also a small dome-shaped structure called a cupola that holds a bell. The cupola is supported by Tuscan columns. On top of the cupola is a ball shape and a weather vane to show wind direction.
Along the sides of the nave, there are windows with three sections and rounded tops. They have special triple keystones and patterned tracery. Between these window sections are Doric pilasters. Above the windows, there is an Ionic entablature, which is a decorative band. There is also a parapet (a low wall) with a battle-like top and urns placed along it. The south transept has a large window with four sections. The windows in the apse are similar to those in the nave. A balustrade (a row of small pillars) runs along the top of the apse.
Inside the Church
Inside St Aidan's Church, you'll see arches that are supported by Doric columns. These columns stand on tall bases called plinths. The roof is shaped like a barrel vault, which is a rounded ceiling. At the west end, there is a gallery for seating, supported by thin columns.
Around the apse, there are Corinthian pilasters with grooves, and a frieze decorated with cherubs. The church has a beautiful brass chandelier from the 18th century. There is also a communion table in the south transept that dates back to the early 1700s. The brass lectern (a stand for reading) was given to the church in 1909. It was a gift to remember a previous vicar. This lectern is a copy of one found in York Minster from 1686.
The windows in the chancel have stained glass from 1913. These were made by a company called Hardman. Inside the church, there is an 18th-century brass tablet. This tablet was originally in the pew (seat) of James Scarisbricke. His generous donation towards building the church is also recorded on a board on the south wall. The pipe organ was installed in 1919 as a war memorial. It was built by Jardine and Company from Manchester. It has two manuals (keyboards) and 19 stops (controls for different sounds).
Why St Aidan's is a Special Building
On August 23, 1966, St Aidan's Church was officially named a Grade II* listed building. This is the middle of three levels of listing. It means the church is a "particularly important building of more than special interest." These buildings are protected because of their historical or architectural value.
Other Important Structures Nearby
Churchyard Features
In the churchyard, on the south side of the church, you can find the tomb of George and Kitty Smith. It has the date 1720 carved on it. The tomb is a stone coffin with rings at its ends. On top, there is a carving of a curtain and a snake wrapped around a winged skull. This tomb is listed at Grade II. This is the lowest of the three listing grades. It means the tomb is "nationally important and of special interest."
The walls of the churchyard and the gate piers (large posts) are also listed at Grade II. The walls run along the west and south sides of the churchyard. They were built in the early 18th century from stone. They have a special weathered top with a rounded edge. There are gates with piers on both the west and south sides. The west piers are decorated with panels and have Doric tops with urns on top. The south piers are simpler, square, and topped with ball shapes.
St Aidan's Church Today
St Aidan's is an active Anglican parish church. It is part of the deanery of Wigan, the archdeaconry of Warrington, and the diocese of Liverpool. The church follows an Evangelical style of worship. St Aidan's holds regular services on Sundays and weekdays. It also arranges baptisms, weddings, and funerals for the community. The church runs several groups and activities for people of all ages.
See also
- Grade II* listed buildings in Merseyside
- Listed buildings in Billinge, Merseyside
