St Helen's Church, Sefton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sefton Parish Church, Dedicated to St Helen |
|
|---|---|
Sefton Parish Church from the south
|
|
| 53°30′16″N 2°58′16″W / 53.5044°N 2.9712°W | |
| OS grid reference | SD 356 012 |
| Location | Sefton, Merseyside |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | www.achurchnearyou.com |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Dedication | Saint Helen |
| Consecrated | c. 1170 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Status |
| Heritage designation | Grade I |
| Designated | 11 October 1968 |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Perpendicular |
| Administration | |
| Deanery | South Sefton |
| Archdeaconry | Knowsley and Sefton |
| Diocese | Liverpool |
| Province | York |
St. Helen's Church is a historic Anglican church located in the village of Sefton, Merseyside, England. It is an active church within the Diocese of Liverpool. People often call it the "Cathedral of the Fields" or the "Jewel of South West Lancashire" because it's so special. It's the only building in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton that has a Grade I heritage listing, which means it's very important and protected. The church is especially famous for its amazing carved wooden decorations from the Tudor period.
Contents
History of St. Helen's Church
Early Beginnings
The land where St. Helen's stands was first set aside for religious use around 1170. Soon after, a private chapel was built for the Molyneux family. We don't know much about the land before this. However, the churchyard has a unique oval shape. This suggests it might have been a Saxon burial ground even before the Norman Conquest.
Changing Styles Over Time
By 1291, a small chapel in the Norman style existed here. It was valued at £26 19s 4d back then. None of this first chapel remains today. But, during work on the East Window in the early 2000s, old Norman floor tiles were found. You can now see them in the Lady Chapel.
Around 1320, the original building was completely replaced. A new church in the Decorated Gothic style was built. It had a small nave (the main part of the church) with pointed windows. A tall steeple with a spire was also added. The spire was partly rebuilt in 1802 after strong winds damaged it.
During the 14th and 15th centuries, more changes were made. These might have included adding a chancel (the area around the altar) or a Lady chapel (a chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary). You can see evidence of these changes in the West window of the north aisle, which looks different from the 14th-century parts.
The Church You See Today
During the time of King Henry VIII, before the English Reformation, the church was rebuilt a lot. The 14th-century tower stayed, but almost everything else was new. A traditional Tudor church in the Perpendicular style was built. This included a new nave and chancel with a clerestory (upper windows). Side aisles and chapels were added to the north and south. There was also a two-story porch and a small vestry (a room for clergy). The north chapel is the Lady Chapel, and the south chapel, called the Molyneux Chapel, was once a Chantry (a chapel for prayers for the dead).
Most of the church you see from the south side today is made of new stone from the 1530s rebuild. However, some parts of the north aisle use older stonework from the 14th and 15th centuries. This suggests that parts of the older church were reused in the new Tudor building. Inside the chancel, you can see a 15th-century sedilia (seats for clergy) and a piscina (a basin for washing sacred vessels). These are older than the current structure.
Later, in the late 16th century, new rectangular windows were put in the south aisle. These windows let a lot of light into the church. They are simple but contain small pieces of stained glass from before the Reformation.
Amazing Decorations
Tudor and Jacobean Art
The most amazing part of the church's inside are the seven wooden screens. They were made in the early to mid-16th century when the current church was built. Experts say the chancel screen is the "magnificent centrepiece" of the whole church. These screens are beautifully carved with Gothic and Renaissance designs, including little cherub-like figures called putti.
The wooden stalls in the chancel and the twenty-six rows of pews in the nave were made especially for Sefton around 1590. They are richly carved and interesting because they show only everyday designs, not religious ones. This is unusual for a church! They are made of oak and have a special "poppy head" design at the end of each pew. Each one has a single letter of the alphabet carved in an old Irish style.
The pulpit (where sermons are given) is made of carved wood from the Jacobean period (1635). It has its original backplate and sounding-board. It's covered in detailed Arabesque patterns.
In the north and south chapels, you can find a large 14th-century chest for important documents, and four hatchments (diamond-shaped boards with family coats of arms) for the Blundell family. There are also more carved wooden pews.
The baptismal font (a basin for baptisms) is octagonal and from the 15th century. It's in an unusual spot at the west end of the church. It used to be painted but now has a plain wooden cover from 1688. Oak boards with the Ten Commandments and Apostles' Creed painted in gold hang in the tower. They are from a similar time and would have originally been behind the altar.
The communion rail, with its twisted supports, was added between 1690 and 1700.
Georgian Era Changes
During the 18th century, when the Neo Classical style was popular, some changes were made. Dark wooden panels with gold designs were added behind the altar. A wooden entrance area was built around the south door. A white marble memorial was placed above the 14th-century north door. In 1773, three large golden chandeliers were installed.
One change that was later removed was the addition of raised wooden galleries in the side aisles. These were put in to fit more people in the church. Their installation caused the font to be moved from its usual spot to its current unusual location. The church walls were also painted white during this time.
Restoring the Church
After the Gothic Revival movement started in the 1830s, St. Helen's was greatly restored in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The goal was to make the church look more like it did before the English Reformation.
Victorian Era Restoration
Work began in the late 1800s and finished in 1901. The Georgian galleries were removed, and the whitewash was taken off the walls. The most striking change was the addition of the carved wooden ceiling in the nave and side aisles. This ceiling was inspired by an original 16th-century piece from the porch.
From 1875 onwards, new stained glass windows were added. The organ was installed in 1893 and has been updated several times since then. Images of the Madonna and Child were put in, and private altars were brought back into the side chapels.
20th Century Updates
Between 1907 and 1922, W. D. Caroe worked on restoring the screens and designing the pews in the side aisles. These new pews replaced older family box pews from the 18th century. Only two of the old box pews remain. A small choir vestry was added in 1915 and later extended in 1990 to include kitchen facilities. Central heating was also installed throughout the building.
Stained Glass Windows
While there are a few pieces of stained glass from the 16th century, most of the windows you see today are from the late 19th century. The East window was installed in 1875. A window in the south aisle is from 1864. The windows in the South Chapel were added in 1936, and a window in the north aisle from 1927.
The Church Bells
The tower's size suggests it had at least one bell soon after it was built, but there are no records to confirm this. The first two bells were installed in 1588. Another two were added in 1601, and then two lighter bells in 1815, making a total of six. The final two bells were added in 1945 after World War II ended. All the bells were fully restored in 2023. If you're interested, bell ringing practice happens every Wednesday evening at 7:30 pm, and new members are always welcome!
Churchyard Features
The churchyard has three structures that are also protected as Grade II listed buildings. These include the base of a cross, which is probably from the Middle Ages, a sundial likely from the 18th century, and the churchyard wall itself. The churchyard is also the resting place for sixteen service members who died in World War I and World War II.
Famous People Buried Here
Many notable people are buried at St. Helen's. These include ancestors of the Blundell family of Little Crosby and the Molyneux family of Sefton and Croxteth. Both families have their own special chapels in the church. The Rothwells of Ormskirk, who helped with the Victorian restoration, are also buried here.
Inside the church, you can find the tombs of Sir Richard Molyneux (died 1290) and Sir William Molyneux (died 1320). They were knights who fought in the Crusades and are the oldest people buried in the church. Their statues now lie under an arch in the Molyneux chapel.
Nicholas Blundell, a diarist from the 17th and early 18th centuries, is buried in the Blundell family crypt beneath the Blundell chapel. In the churchyard, John Saddler, known as the father of Transfer Printing, is also buried.
Visiting St. Helen's
The church is open for visitors every Monday morning from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm. It's also open during Heritage Days in September. For more details, you can check the website www.achurchnearyou.com.
See also
- Grade I listed buildings in Merseyside
- Grade I listed churches in Merseyside
- Listed buildings in Sefton, Merseyside
