St James the Great Church, Wrightington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St James the Great Church, Wrightington |
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St James the Great Church, Wrightington, from the south
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| OS grid reference | SD 526,136 |
| Location | Wrightington, Lancashire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | St James the Great |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Dedication | Saint James |
| Consecrated | 1857 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II |
| Designated | 19 August 1988 |
| Architect(s) | E. G. Paley |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Completed | 1857 |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Sandstone rubble, slate roof |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Wrightington |
| Deanery | Chorley |
| Archdeaconry | Blackburn |
| Diocese | Blackburn |
| Province | York |
St James the Great Church is a beautiful church located in Church Lane, west of Wrightington in Lancashire, England. It is an active church for the Anglican faith. This special building is protected as a Grade II listed building.
The church community also has a fun theatre group called 'The St James Players'. People of all ages can join this group. They put on a play or pantomime every year in the theatre building right across from the church.
Contents
History of the Church
The church was designed by a famous architect named Edward Graham Paley. He was from Lancaster. The building work started in 1854. However, the church wasn't officially opened and blessed (this is called consecrated) until 1857. When it was first built, the church could seat about 400 people.
Church Design and Look
Outside the Church
St James' Church is built from sandstone rubble, which means rough, broken pieces of stone. It has a roof made of slate. The church's layout includes a main area called the nave, which has four sections. There's also a smaller area on the south side called an aisle, a south porch, and a special area near the altar called the chancel.
At the west end of the church, you can see a round window called a rose window. Above it is a small tower for bells, known as a bellcote, which has a pointed roof. Along the north wall of the nave, there are four pairs of tall, narrow windows called lancet windows. Between these windows are strong supports called buttresses. The south wall of the aisle has three similar windows. The chancel has two lancet windows on its south wall. At the very east end, there is a large window made of three stepped lancet windows.
Inside the Church
Inside the church, you'll find an arcade. This is a row of arches supported by columns. Some of these columns are round, and others have eight sides (octagonal). The church has an open timber roof, which means you can see the wooden beams that support the roof.
The church has an organ with two manuals (keyboards). This organ was made in 1916 by a company called Jardine from Manchester. It was later updated around 1985 by Pendlebury of Cleveleys.
Churchyard Features
The churchyard is the area around the church. Here, you can find the war graves of two people. One was a soldier and the other an airman from World War II. These graves are looked after by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
See also
- Listed buildings in Wrightington
- List of ecclesiastical works by E. G. Paley
