St Bartholomew's Church, Great Harwood facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Bartholomew's, Great Harwood |
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St Bartholomew's Church, Great Harwood, from the southeast
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| OS grid reference | SD 73387 32716 |
| Location | Great Harwood, Lancashire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* |
| Designated | 11 July 1966 |
| Architect(s) | Paley and Austin (alterations) |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Perpendicular |
| Administration | |
| Deanery | Whalley |
| Archdeaconry | Blackburn |
| Diocese | Blackburn |
| Province | York |
St Bartholomew's Church is a historic church located in Great Harwood, a town in Lancashire, England. It's an active Anglican church, meaning it's part of the Church of England. This church is very special because it's officially recognized as a Grade II* listed building. This means it's an important historical building that needs to be protected.
Contents
History of St Bartholomew's Church
For a long time, the area of Great Harwood was part of a larger church district called the parish of Blackburn. Records from 1389 mention a small church, or "chapel of ease," in Great Harwood. This chapel was dedicated to St Lawrence.
Later, a special fund was set up by Thomas Hesketh of Martholme. This fund was for a "chantry," which was a place where prayers were said for the dead. This new part of the chapel was dedicated to St Bartholomew. Over time, the entire chapel became known as St Bartholomew's.
Building the Church
The tall tower you see today at St Bartholomew's probably dates back to the 1400s. Most of the rest of the church seems to have been built in the 1500s. It's thought that Thomas Hesketh, who also added to his home at Martholme, might have rebuilt parts of the church around that time.
In 1880 and 1881, some important changes were made. Architects named Paley and Austin from Lancaster added a new section to the main part of the church, called the nave. They also built a new chancel, which is the area around the altar. A vestry (a room for clergy) and an organ chamber were also added. The church also got a new pulpit, which is where sermons are given. These changes increased the number of seats from 377 to 470. All these improvements cost about £2,000 at the time.
Architecture and Design
St Bartholomew's Church is built in the Perpendicular style. This is a type of Gothic architecture that was popular in England from the late 1300s to the mid-1500s. The church is made from rough, uneven stones, called "coursed rubble." Its roofs are made of stone slate.
Outside the Church
The church has a main hall called the nave, with a tower at the west end. On either side of the nave are aisles, which are like side passages. To the east is the chancel, where the altar is. There's a porch on the south side and a vestry on the north.
The tower has four main sections and strong supports called buttresses at its corners. There's a small, round stair turret at the southeast corner. The top of the tower has a crenellated parapet, which looks like the top of a castle wall. The west window has three sections and a pointed arch. The belfry, where the bells are, has two-section windows with special coverings called louvres.
The nave and aisles have windows with three sections, divided by stone bars called mullions. The south wall of the chancel has two windows, each with two sections. The large east window has four sections and decorative stone patterns called tracery, typical of the Perpendicular style.
Inside the Church
Inside, the tower measures about 9 feet by 10 feet. The nave, the main part of the church where people sit, is about 66 feet 9 inches long and 15 feet 6 inches wide. You enter the nave from the tower through a tall arch.
There's a beautiful carved screen, called a reredos, from the 1800s. It used to be behind the altar but is now in the tower. It shows a scene called the Annunciation. The church also has an octagonal (eight-sided) font, which is a basin used for baptisms, dating back to the 1600s. The church's Stained glass windows were made by famous artists like Henry Holiday, Ballantine & Gardner, and A. Seward & Co.
Recently, the main lights in the church were updated to modern LED lights. This change was done by Electrical & Building Solutions with help from Saturn Lighting Bolton. It has helped save a lot of energy and made the lighting better, all without changing the church's historic look.
Churchyard and War Graves
The churchyard, which is the burial ground around the church, has an extension. In this area, you can find the war graves of two soldiers and an airman. They served in the Royal Air Force during World War I. These graves are a reminder of their sacrifice.
Importance and Management
St Bartholomew's Church was officially named a Grade II* listed building on July 11, 1966. This is a very high level of protection for a historic building in England. It means the church is considered especially important and needs to be preserved.
The church is still an active parish church. It is part of the Diocese of Blackburn, which is a larger church area. The Diocese of Blackburn is part of the Province of York, which is one of the two main church provinces in England. Within the diocese, St Bartholomew's is in the archdeaconry of Blackburn and the Deanery of Whalley.
See also
- Listed buildings in Great Harwood
- Grade II* listed buildings in Lancashire
- List of ecclesiastical works by Paley and Austin
