St Chad's Church, Claughton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Chad's Church, Claughton |
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St Chad's Church, Claughton, from the northwest
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| OS grid reference | SD 567,666 |
| Location | Claughton, Lancashire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| History | |
| Status | Former parish church |
| Founded | 1070 |
| Dedication | Saint Chad |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Redundant |
| Heritage designation | Grade II |
| Designated | 4 December 1985 |
| Architect(s) | Austin and Paley (restoration and additions of 1904) |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic, Gothic Revival |
| Completed | 1904 |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 50 feet (15 m) |
| Width | 26 feet (8 m) |
| Materials | Sandstone, slate roof |
St Chad's Church is a special old building in the village of Claughton, Lancashire, England. It used to be a church where people worshipped, but it's not used for services anymore. It's officially recognized as a Grade II listed building, which means it's an important historical place.
Contents
The Story of St Chad's Church
The very first church on this spot was built way back in 1070! We even have records of the church leaders (called rectors) going all the way back to 1230. The building you see today was built in 1815, on the same old site.
Changes Over the Years
In 1869, a designer named Hubert Austin created new stone patterns (called tracery) for the big window at the east end of the church. This work cost about £270. This money also paid for beautiful stained glass windows, designed by Henry Holiday.
Later, in 1904, another famous architecture firm, Austin and Paley, did more work on the church. They added a new section on the north side (called an aisle), a small entrance room (a porch), and strong supports (buttresses) on the outside walls. They also replaced the floor, removed the old plaster ceiling, and put in new seats, a pulpit (where the speaker stands), and a lectern (a stand for books). All this work cost around £900.
Why the Church Closed
St Chad's Church stopped being used for regular services on December 1, 2002. This happened because fewer people were attending, and the building needed a lot of repairs.
Looking at the Church's Design
St Chad's Church is built from rough sandstone and has a slate roof. Some parts of the church are even older, dating back to about 1300 and 1602!
Parts of the Building
The church has a main hall (the nave) and a special area for the altar (the chancel), all in one open space. It also has a north aisle, a small room for the priest (a vestry), and a porch at the entrance.
Along the side of the aisle, you'll see three windows with two sections each, divided by stone bars (called mullions). There's also a single window where the aisle meets the vestry. On the south wall, there are three windows with fancy stone patterns typical of the Perpendicular Gothic style.
Special Features
At the west end of the church, there's a single window with a trefoil (three-leaf) shape at the top. You can also see a carved stone panel on the nave wall with the name "W. Croft" and the date "1602." The large east window, likely from around 1300, has three sections with crisscrossing stone patterns and a pointed top.
On the west roof peak (the gable), there's a double bellcote, which holds two bells. One of these bells is said to have the date 1296 carved on it, making it possibly the oldest bell in all of England! The other bell is from 1727.
Inside the church, you'll find an arcade (a row of arches) from 1904, built in the Perpendicular style. It has three rounded arches supported by round pillars (called piers). The baptismal font (a basin for baptisms) has a decorative base and is from the 1700s or early 1800s.
Outside the Church
In the churchyard, south of the church, there's an old medieval sandstone cross base. It's just the bottom part of a cross, with an empty space where the cross itself used to be. This cross base is also a Grade II listed item, showing its historical importance.
More to Explore
- Listed buildings in Claughton, Lancaster
- List of ecclesiastical works by Austin and Paley (1895–1914)
