St John the Evangelist's Church, Kirkham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St John the Evangelist's Church |
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St John's from the southeast
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| OS grid reference | SD 417 320 |
| Location | Ribby Road, Kirkham, Lancashire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Website | Parish of the Holy Cross |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Dedication | Saint John the Evangelist |
| Consecrated | 22 April 1845 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II |
| Designated | 11 June 1986 |
| Architect(s) | A. W. N. Pugin |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Groundbreaking | 1842 |
| Completed | 1845 |
| Specifications | |
| Spire height | 100 feet (30.5 m) |
| Materials | Sandstone, slate roofs |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Holy Cross |
| Diocese | Lancaster |
St John the Evangelist's Church is located in Kirkham, Lancashire, England. It is also known as The Willows. This church is an active Roman Catholic parish church within the Diocese of Lancaster. A famous architect named A. W. N. Pugin designed the church. It is recognized as a Grade II listed building on the National Heritage List for England. This means it is an important historical building.
Contents
History of St John's Church
The first Roman Catholic chapel in Kirkham was built in 1809. It was named after the Holy Cross. People called it "The Willows" because it was surrounded by willow trees. This name is still used for the current church.
Building the New Church
The current church replaced the old chapel. It was built between 1842 and 1845. A. W. N. Pugin, a well-known architect, designed it. The church was planned to hold 500 to 600 people. It had a special heating system under the floor. However, the only light came from hand-held candles.
Opening Day
The church was officially opened on April 22, 1845. Bishop George Brown, the Roman Catholic bishop of Liverpool, led the ceremony. The next day, April 23, a big opening event took place. Four bishops and many other clergy attended. About 200 guests came by a special train from Preston. After a procession, priests sang a special prayer called the terce. A choir from St. Augustine's, Preston, then sang a High Mass. They performed music by famous composers like Mozart and Haydn. Bishop Murdock from Scotland gave a sermon. The day ended with a Te Deum, a hymn of thanks.
Changes Over Time
From 1895, Father Francis John Gillow was the parish priest. He made some changes inside the church. The floor was lowered by about 60 centimeters (2 feet). The steps at the west entrance were also removed. Pugin's original altar was moved to a side chapel. The rood screen, a decorative screen, was moved to the west end of the church. It was changed to fit its new spot. In 1906, Father Gillow added a new main altar, a pulpit, and new benches. He also installed the Stations of the Cross.
Modern Parish Life
In 2011, St John's parish joined with St Joseph's in Wesham. In 2013, these two parishes officially became one. They are now known as the Parish of the Holy Cross. In the 1930s, the church's social club had a snooker team. This team even won a few trophies. The church website shares many interesting historical documents.
Church Architecture
St John's Church is built from sandstone from Longridge. Its roofs are made of slate. The church is designed in an early Decorated style.
Outside the Church
The church has a nave with five sections, called bays. It has a clerestory (upper windows) and aisles. There is a south porch and a chancel (area around the altar) also with aisles. The sanctuary at the very end does not have aisles. To the northeast is a vestry block. At the west end, there is a tall steeple.
The tower has strong corner supports called buttresses. It also has a stair tower at the southeast corner. There is a decorative west doorway. Above it, you can see a two-light window. A smaller window leads to the bell ringers' room. The bell openings have two openings each. Above them, a continuous hood mould goes around the whole tower. On top of the tower is a broach spire. This spire has three levels of small windows called lucarnes. It also has a crown of fake lucarnes. The spire reaches about 30 meters (100 feet) high. The pointed tops of the nave and sanctuary have cross decorations called finials. Along the sides of the clerestory, there are five round windows with hood moulds. Most windows along the aisles have two lights. The east window has three lights.
Inside the Church
Inside, the church has a five-bay arcade. This means there are five arches supported by round piers with tall bases. There is an organ gallery at the west end. The Lady chapel is in the southeast part of the church. The Sacred Heart Chapel is in the northeast.
Some church furniture designed by Pugin is still used today. These include a triple sedilia (seats for clergy), a credence table (for communion items), a prie-dieu (kneeling desk), and candlesticks. Pugin's original rood screen was moved to the west end in 1895–96. It is made of Caen stone and painted brown. It has a wide central arch with three smaller arches on each side. Painted figures of the Crucifixion, also by Pugin, hang on the chancel arch. Pugin's altar has been moved to the Sacred Heart chapel and changed. Other church fittings are from the 1906 renovation. These include the high altar, made of Carrara marble and alabaster. The detailed pulpit is also made of marble and alabaster. The church has many colorful stained glass windows. They date from the mid-19th century or later. The pipe organ was built in 1846 by J. C. Bishop of London. It was repaired in 1976.
Church Bells
The church has a set of six bells. All of them were made in 1844 by Charles and George Mears. They were cast at the Whitechapel Bell Foundry. These bells are special because they were the first set of bells to be rung in an English Catholic church since the Reformation.
Churchyard Features
The walls around the churchyard and the main gateway were also designed by Pugin. They are built from the same stone as the church. The wall runs along Ribby Road. It has copings that look like a Mansard roof. The gateway is shaped like an arch. Its top is stepped and has coping similar to the wall. The arch is pointed and has sloped edges. Behind it are strong buttresses.
Importance of the Church
The church, its churchyard walls, and the gateway were given a Grade II listed building status on June 11, 1986. Grade II is the lowest of the three grades. It is given to "buildings of national importance and special interest." The architectural historian Nikolaus Pevsner wrote about the church in 1969. He described it as "a modest building" and "very impersonal," like many of Pugin's works.
See also
- Listed buildings in Kirkham, Lancashire
