St James' Church, Brindle facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St James' Church, Brindle
St James' Church, Brindle, from the southeast
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OS grid reference	SD 599,243
Location	Brindle, Lancashire
Country	England
Denomination	Anglican
Website	St James, Brindle
History
Status	Parish church
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Heritage designation	Grade II
Designated	17 April 1967
Architect(s)	E. G. Paley (chancel)
Architectural type	Church
Style	Gothic, Gothic Revival
Specifications
Materials	Sandstone and gritstone, slate roofs
Administration
Parish	Brindle
Deanery	Chorley
Archdeaconry	Blackburn
Diocese	Blackburn
Province	York

St James' Church is a special old church located in Brindle, a village in Lancashire, England. It's an active Anglican church, meaning it's still used for services and is an important part of the local community. This church is officially recognized as a Grade II listed building, which means it's an important historical building protected by the government.

History of St James' Church

The history of St James' Church goes way back to at least the 12th century. We know this because a rector (a type of priest) named Ughtred was recorded there in 1190. Before a big change in England called the Reformation, the church was dedicated to Saint Helen.

Building the Church Over Time

The tower of the church you see today was built around the year 1500. Later, in 1817, the main part of the church, called the nave, was built. It included what used to be the north aisle (a side section of the church). In 1869–70, the chancel (the area around the altar) was rebuilt by a famous architect named E. G. Paley from Lancaster.

Church Design and Features

St James' Church has a unique design with many interesting parts.

Outside the Church

Most of the church is built from sandstone, with the nave made from dressed gritstone (another type of stone). The roofs are covered with slate. The church has a tower on the west side, a large nave, a porch on the south side, and a chancel with a chapel to its north.

The tower is built in a style called Perpendicular Gothic, which was popular a long time ago. It has four main sections and strong diagonal buttresses (supports). There's also a small stair turret on the southeast side. At the bottom of the tower, you'll find a doorway with a special "Tudor arch" shape. Above that is a window with three sections and a clock face. The very top section of the tower has openings with louvred bells and decorative stone patterns called tracery. The top of the tower also has a battlemented parapet (a low wall with gaps), gargoyles (carved stone figures that drain water), and crocketed corner pinnacles (small, pointed towers).

On the south side of the nave, there's a porch with a pointed roof. There are also three large arched windows. The south side of the chancel has square-shaped windows with two sections. The large east window has five sections with beautiful Perpendicular tracery. The north chapel has a Tudor-arched window with three sections on its east wall. On the north side, there's a square-headed window with three sections. You can also see three medieval gravestones carved with crosses placed against the east wall of the chapel.

Inside the Church

Inside, the font (where baptisms happen) is a small, square tub. Above the south door, you can see the Royal arms of King George III. On the tower wall, there are two special boards that list donations made to the church.

The church also has a beautiful brass chandelier that dates all the way back to 1792. Some of the stained glass windows show apostles and were likely made in the early 1900s by a company called Shrigley and Hunt. The organ, which makes music, was built in 1817 by James Davis. The church has a set of six bells. Two of these bells are very old, cast around 1530 by John Woolley. The other bells were made in 1904 by John Taylor & Co.

Outside the Church Grounds

In the churchyard, there is a sundial, which is a device that tells time using the sun. It probably dates from the 18th century and is also a Grade II listed building. The churchyard is also home to the war graves of five soldiers who died in World War I. There is also a grave for an airman and an officer from the Royal Pioneer Corps who died in World War II.

Images for kids

• 

  St James' Church, Brindle, from the southeast

See also

• Listed buildings in Brindle, Lancashire
• List of ecclesiastical works by E. G. Paley