St Bartholomew's Church, Colne facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Bartholomew's, Colne |
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| OS grid reference | SD 8889540124 |
| Location | Church Street, Colne, Lancashire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade I |
| Designated | 29 January 1988 |
| Specifications | |
| Height | 62 feet (19 m) |
| Administration | |
| Deanery | Pendle |
| Archdeaconry | Blackburn |
| Diocese | Blackburn |
| Province | York |
St Bartholomew's Church is an old and important church located in the town of Colne in Lancashire, England. It is an active Anglican parish church where people still worship today.
A church has stood on this spot since at least the 1100s. However, most of the building you see today was built in the 1500s. Because of its historical and architectural importance, it is a Grade I listed building. This means it is considered a building of "exceptional interest."
Contents
History of the Church
The first church on this site was likely founded in the 12th century by a nobleman named Robert de Lacy. While most of the current building is from the 1500s, some parts, like the pillars in the main hall, are even older, dating back to the late 12th or early 13th century.
Over the centuries, the church has been repaired and changed many times.
- In 1590, a man named Lawrence Towneley donated a special stone basin for baptisms, called a font.
- In 1815, an architect named Thomas Taylor carried out repairs.
- Between 1856 and 1857, another architect, E. G. Paley, restored the building.
- A major restoration happened from 1889 to 1891. The architects added a new aisle, an organ chamber, and rooms for the clergy called vestries. They also added new seats, screens, a pulpit, and an altar. This work cost almost £7,000, which would be a very large amount of money today.
Finally, in 1988, the church was officially recognized as a Grade I listed building, protecting it for future generations.
Architecture and Design
The church was built using carefully shaped stone in a style called Perpendicular style. This style is known for its strong vertical lines and large windows.
The Outside of the Church
The church has a main hall (the nave), side aisles, a special area for the choir (the chancel), and a tall tower at the west end. The windows on the south side are large and straight-topped. The main east window is very large with five sections and detailed stone patterns, known as tracery.
The tower is 62 feet (about 19 metres) high. It has strong supports called buttresses at its corners. Near the top, there are pointed windows for the bells. The top of the tower has a jagged, castle-like edge called a crenellated parapet, with stone carvings of gargoyles below it.
There is also a small porch on the south side. Above its entrance is a small carved space called a niche and a sundial on the very top. Inside the porch, there are stone benches on each side.
Inside the Church
The main hall, or nave, is about 55 feet long and 19 feet wide (16.8 by 5.8 metres). On both sides, there are rows of arches, called arcades, that separate the nave from the side aisles. The pillars on the south side are octagonal (eight-sided), while the pillars on the north side are round.
One of the most interesting items inside is the octagonal font from the 1500s. Its sides are carved with shields showing symbols of the Passion of Christ and the initials of Lawrence Towneley, the man who donated it. The pulpit, where sermons are given, is made of beautifully carved oak and stands on a stone base.
The chancel, where the main altar is, is separated from the side chapels by oak screens. The church tower holds a ring of eight bells. Six of these bells were made in 1814, and the other two were added in 1900.
The Churchyard
The church is surrounded by a churchyard, which is mostly to the south of the building. It is a historic burial ground, and the oldest gravestone with a readable date is from 1606.
In the churchyard, there is also a stone cross that dates back to the Middle Ages. It has a square base with an eight-sided shaft and top. This ancient cross is so important that it has its own special protection as a Grade II listed structure.
See also
- Grade I listed buildings in Lancashire
- Grade I listed churches in Lancashire
- Listed buildings in Colne
- List of works by Thomas Taylor
- List of ecclesiastical works by E. G. Paley
- List of works by Paley, Austin and Paley
