St John the Baptist's Church, Broughton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St John the Baptist's Church |
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St John the Baptist's Church from the northeast
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| OS grid reference | SD 5290 3440 |
| Location | Church Lane, Broughton, Lancashire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Dedication | Saint John the Baptist |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* |
| Designated | 11 November 1966 |
| Architect(s) | Robert Roper (nave) Austin and Paley (chancel) |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic, Gothic Revival |
| Completed | 1906 |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Sandstone, slate roofs |
| Administration | |
| Parish | St John the Baptist, Broughton |
| Deanery | Preston |
| Archdeaconry | Lancaster |
| Diocese | Blackburn |
| Province | York |
St John the Baptist's Church is a beautiful old church located on Church Lane in Broughton, Lancashire, England. It is an active Anglican church, which means it belongs to the Church of England. It is a very important building, listed as a Grade II* building, which means it has special historical or architectural value. The church also works closely with two other churches nearby: St Martin's and St Peter's in Fulwood.
Contents
History of the Church
The oldest part of St John's Church is its tower, which was built in 1533. Imagine, that's almost 500 years ago! The rest of the church was much older, possibly from the 1300s, but it was taken down around 1823.
Between 1823 and 1826, the main part of the church, called the nave, was rebuilt. This work was done by an architect named Robert Roper. Later, in 1905 and 1906, more parts were added. These included the chancel (the area around the altar), vestries (rooms for clergy and church items), and a special room for the organ. These additions were designed by the architects Austin and Paley. At the same time, the whole church was repaired, and the old "box pews" (enclosed seats) were replaced with the benches you see today.
Church Design and Features
Outside the Church
St John's Church is built from sandstone and has slate roofs. It has a main part (the nave) with five sections, a porch on the north side, and a chancel with an organ room to the south. There's also a tall tower on the west side.
The tower has three levels and strong supports called buttresses on its corners. At the very top, it has a wall that looks like the top of a castle, called an embattled parapet. You can also see a small tower with stairs on the southwest side. On the west side of the tower, there's a doorway with a large window above it. This window has fancy stone patterns, known as tracery. Higher up, there are openings with slats for the bells, and small, carved stone figures called gargoyles near the corners. A decorative stone band below the top wall shows the date 1533 on the south side.
The main part of the church (the nave) is built in a style called "Early English." It has large, tall, narrow windows called lancet windows in each section. The chancel and organ room are in a "Perpendicular" style, with square-shaped windows and a castle-like wall at the top. The large window at the east end of the church has three sections. On the triangular part of the organ room's roof, there are old carved stones from the 1500s. These stones show the symbols and initials of local families from a long time ago.
Inside the Church
Inside, you'll find a large, rough stone bowl used for baptisms. We don't know exactly how old it is, but it's very ancient. There's also a beautiful brass chandelier (a fancy hanging light) from 1817.
The church has lovely stained glass windows. The ones in the chancel were made in the 1930s by a company called Powells. Other windows were created by A. F. Erridge in 1952, Jane Gray in 1985, and Halton Stained Glass in 1999. You can also see old stone carvings and a special brass plaque from 1908.
The church has a large pipe organ with three "manuals" (keyboards). It was built in 1906 by Henry Ainscough from Preston and cost £800 at the time. The organ has been repaired and updated several times over the years, with additions made in 1967 and 1980 by a company called Rushworth and Dreaper.
The church also has a set of six bells. All of them were made in 1884 by Mears and Stainbank at the famous Whitechapel Bell Foundry in London.
Things to See Outside
Around the churchyard, there are three other interesting structures that are also protected as Grade II listed buildings.
To the south of the church, you'll find a sundial, which is like an old clock that tells time using the sun. It probably dates from the 1700s. It has an eight-sided base with a brass plate and a pointer.
Near the south gate, there's a two-step mounting block. In the past, people used these blocks to help them get onto horses more easily. This one is from the 1700s or even earlier.
Close by, you can also see the village stocks. These were used a long time ago to punish people in public. These stocks are likely from the 1700s and were repaired in 1902 to celebrate the crowning of King Edward VII.
The churchyard is also a place of remembrance. It contains the war graves of three British soldiers who died in World War I and two who died in World War II.
See also
- Grade II* listed buildings in Lancashire
- Listed buildings in Broughton, Lancashire
- List of ecclesiastical works by Austin and Paley (1895–1914)
