St Andrew's Church, Leyland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Andrew's, Leyland |
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Parish Church of St Andrews
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| OS grid reference | SD 54111 21591 |
| Location | Leyland, Lancashire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Conservative Evangelical |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* |
| Designated | 26 July 1951 |
| Administration | |
| Deanery | Leyland |
| Archdeaconry | Blackburn |
| Diocese | Blackburn |
| Province | York |
St Andrew's Church is an important Anglican church in Leyland, England. It is an active parish church, serving the local community. The church is listed as a Grade II* building. This means it is a very special historic building.
Contents
History of St Andrew's Church
The area around Leyland used to be a very large church parish. It included many smaller areas like Leyland, Euxton, and Clayton-le-Woods. People believe there was a Norman church on this spot a long time ago.
In the 1100s, a baron named Warine Bussel gave the church to Evesham Abbey. This was a monastery in Worcestershire. From the 1300s, the abbey chose the priests for Leyland church. Later, in the 1500s, when monasteries were closed down, the right to choose the priest went to John Fleetwood.
The chancel (the part of the church near the altar) was built in the 1300s. The tower was likely built in the late 1400s or early 1500s. The older nave (the main part of the church where people sit) was rebuilt in 1816–17. A firm called Paley and Austin restored the church in 1874. The roofs of the nave and chancel were replaced in the 1950s.
St Andrew's Church Today
St Andrew's was officially named a Grade II* listed building on July 26, 1951. This protects its historical importance.
The church is an active parish church. It is part of the Diocese of Blackburn and the Province of York. It belongs to the Conservative Evangelical group within the Church of England.
Architecture of St Andrew's
St Andrew's Church is built from stone. Its roofs are made of stone slate and copper. The church has a main part called the nave, a square tower at the west end, and a chancel at the east end. There is also a small room called a vestry north of the chancel.
Outside the Church
The tower has a crenellated top, which looks like the top of a castle wall. It has strong buttresses at its corners. There are clocks on three sides of the tower. It also has arched openings with louvres for the bells.
The Gothic-style nave also has a crenellated top and a copper roof. It has five arched windows on its north and south walls. These windows have decorative stone patterns called tracery. The chancel is smaller than the nave. Its arched windows also have tracery. The east window has three sections under a pointed arch.
Inside the Church
The inside of the tower is about 16 feet 6 inches (5.03 m) square. The floor is a bit lower than the nave. You go up five steps through a tall arch to enter the nave. The nave itself is about 73 feet (22 m) long and 52 feet 6 inches (16.00 m) wide. There are three galleries inside. In the southeast corner, there is a small chapel.
The chancel is about 39 feet 3 inches (11.96 m) long and 18 feet 4 inches (5.59 m) wide inside. You enter it from the nave through a shaped arch. In the south wall of the chancel, there are three stone seats called sedilia. Next to them is a piscina, which is a basin with two bowls.
The church has beautiful Stained glass windows. Some were made by Clayton and Bell and Harry Stammers. There are also old monuments from the 1700s and 1800s. The Faringdon Chapel in the nave has brass decorations from the 1800s.
Other Features Outside
East of the chancel, there is a small building from the early 1800s. It was used to store a watch and a hearse (a vehicle for funerals). It is made of smooth stone and has a slate roof. The churchyard also contains the war graves of 15 soldiers from World War I and three from World War II.
See also
- Grade II* listed buildings in Lancashire
- Listed buildings in Leyland, Lancashire
- List of ecclesiastical works by Paley and Austin
