St Cuthbert's Church, Lytham facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St Cuthbert's
Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
OS grid reference	SD 357 272
Location	Lytham, Lancashire
Denomination	Anglican
Website	St Cuthbert, Lytham
History
Status	Parish church
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Heritage designation	Grade II*
Architect(s)	W. H. Hobden Paley and Austin Austin and Paley
Completed	1834–1835
Administration
Deanery	Kirkham
Archdeaconry	Lancaster
Diocese	Blackburn
Province	York

St Cuthbert's is an Anglican church located in Lytham, Lancashire, England. It was built between 1834 and 1835. This church replaced an older one that stood in the same spot. Today, it is a busy parish church within the Diocese of Blackburn. Since 1971, it has been recognized as a Grade II* listed building. This means it is a very important historical building.

History of St Cuthbert's Church

The church you see today is actually the third one built on this site. The first church was made of cobbles. In 1770, a new church was built to replace it.

Building the Current Church

The 1770 building was then replaced by the current church. It was built from 1834 to 1835. The design was created by an architect named W. H. Hobden.

Later Additions and Changes

Over the years, the church has been made larger.

• In 1872, a chancel was added. This is the part of the church where the altar is. It was designed by the architects Paley and Austin from Lancaster.
• In 1882, the same architects added a north aisle. An aisle is a side section of the church. They also added a vestry and a room for the organ.
• New seating was put in, and the front of the gallery was updated in 1887.
• The church was made even bigger in 1909.
• A special memorial chapel was added in 1931. This was designed by Austin and Paley, who took over the original architects' practice.

On January 13, 1971, St Cuthbert's Church was given a Grade II* listed building status. This is the second highest of three grades. It shows how important the building is to history and architecture.

St Cuthbert's Today

St Cuthbert's is an active parish church. It belongs to the Diocese of Blackburn. It is also part of the Archdeaconry of Lancaster and the Deanery of Kirkham.

Architecture of the Church

St Cuthbert's Church is built from dark red brick. It has sandstone details, called dressings. The church is designed in the Perpendicular style, which is a type of Gothic architecture. The roofs are made of slate.

Church Layout and Exterior

The church has a specific layout:

• A tall tower stands at the west end.
• There is a main area called the nave.
• On either side of the nave are aisles.
• To the east, there is a chancel.
• A vestry is located north of the chancel.
• A small porch is found at the west end of the south aisle.

The tower has strong corner supports called buttresses. It has three levels and a crenellated top, which looks like the top of a castle wall. The tower also has two-light belfry louvres (slatted openings for bells) and a two-light window on the west side.

The aisles have three-light windows in the Perpendicular style. The clerestory of the nave, which is the upper part of the nave wall with windows, has smaller two-light windows. The chancel has two-light windows. The large east window has three lights and is in the Arts and Crafts style. Like the tower, the walls of the aisles, nave, porch, and chancel also have crenellated tops.

Inside the Church

The tower holds a ring of eight bells. These bells are hung in a wooden frame. Inside the church, you can find monuments dedicated to the local Clifton family.

The church has beautiful stained glass windows:

• One window, designed in 1860, is by Hardman & Co..
• Another window from 1874 shows the Mount of Olives. This was made by Morris & Co..
• There is also stained glass work by Charles Eamer Kempe, Jean-Baptiste Capronnier, and Clayton and Bell.

Churchyard and Nearby Areas

The area around St Cuthbert's Church is also interesting.

The Sundial

The Grade II listed sundial in the churchyard

About 3 meters (10 feet) south-east of the church porch, there is a sandstone sundial. It doesn't have a date, but it probably dates from the 1700s. The base of the sundial has decorative carvings. The copper plate and gnomon (the part that casts the shadow) are inscribed with the Latin words "Dum spectes fugio," which means "While you look, I flee." This sundial is also a Grade II listed building.

War Graves

The churchyard is also the resting place for service members. It contains the war graves of nine people who died in World War I. There are also five graves for those who died in World War II.

Lifeboat Monument

About 30 meters (98 feet) north of the church, there is a monument. It remembers the crew of the St Annes-on-Sea lifeboat Laura Janet. These brave people drowned in 1886. They were trying to rescue the crew of a ship called the Mexico during a storm.

The monument is made of red sandstone and is 4 meters (13 feet) tall. It stands on a square base with two steps. The monument has a carving of the lifeboat and lists the names of the lost crew members. This monument is also a Grade II listed building.

The Vicarage

To the west of St Cuthbert's Church is the vicarage. This is the house where the vicar (church leader) lives. It might have been built in 1836 and possibly designed by W. H. Hobden. It is made of red brick with stone details. The style is similar to Elizabethan style and Jacobean buildings. The vicarage is also a Grade II listed building.

See also

• Listed buildings in Lytham
• List of ecclesiastical works by Paley and Austin