St Laurence's Church, Chorley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Laurence's Church, Chorley |
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St Laurence's Church, Chorley, from the southeast
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| OS grid reference | SD 583 178 |
| Location | Union Street, Chorley, Lancashire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | St Laurence, Chorley |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* |
| Designated | 21 December 1966 |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic, Gothic Revival |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Stone, slate roofs |
| Administration | |
| Parish | St Laurence, Chorley |
| Deanery | Chorley |
| Archdeaconry | Blackburn |
| Diocese | Blackburn |
| Province | York |
St Laurence's Church is a historic church located on Union Street in Chorley, Lancashire, England. It's an active Anglican church, meaning it's part of the Church of England. This church is very special because it's listed as a Grade II* building on the National Heritage List for England. This means it's an important historical and architectural site.
Contents
History of St Laurence's Church
A church likely stood on this spot way back in the Anglo-Saxon era (a very long time ago!). It was probably a "daughter church" of a larger church in Croston. The first written mention of a priest for this church dates back to 1362. In 1442, a letter talked about a special container called a reliquary that the church owned. It was believed to hold bones of Saint Laurence.
The tall tower you see today on the church was built in the 1400s. St Laurence's became its own main parish church in 1793. This meant it became the most important church in Chorley. A big renovation of the church happened between 1859 and 1861. During this time, old balconies were removed, and new side sections called aisles were added. The church was changed again in 1913–14. Towards the end of the 1900s, the inside of the church was rearranged to make it more modern.
Architecture of the Church
The church is built from stone, and its roofs are made of slate. The main style of the church building is called Perpendicular Gothic, which is a type of Gothic architecture known for its tall, straight lines.
Outside the Church
The church has a long main area called a nave with four sections. There's a porch on the south side and side sections (aisles) on both the north and south. It also has a chancel (the area around the altar) with a south transept (a part that sticks out like an arm of a cross) and a separate south chapel. At the west end, there's a tall tower.
The tower has three levels and strong diagonal supports called buttresses. At the very top, it has a battlemented parapet (a wall with gaps, like a castle) and gargoyles (carved stone figures that often act as waterspouts). Each buttress has a carving of a shield with three boars' heads at the bottom and a small carved space called a niche higher up. On the west side of the tower, there's a doorway with a large window above it. The top level has openings with wooden slats (called louvred) for the bells. On the south side of the tower, there's a small stair turret for climbing up. At the east end of the nave, there's a small bell tower called a Sanctus bellcote. Both side aisles also have buttresses, gargoyles, and battlemented parapets. The north aisle has a large window and a doorway. The south aisle has a window and a porch. Above the porch, you can see a large round sundial.
Inside the Church
Inside the church, the arches (called arcades) are supported by eight-sided pillars called piers. In the chancel, there's a glass-covered area that holds animal bones. The church has two fonts (bowls used for baptisms). One is in the chancel and might be from the medieval period. The other is in the south aisle and has parts from different times.
At the west end of the south aisle, there are two special family pews (benches). The Standish pew is from the early 1600s and is considered a great example of its kind. The Parker pew is from the late 1600s. The church also has beautiful stained glass windows. The west window was made in the 1860s by Hardman & Co.. Other windows from 1963 and 1965 were created by Harry Stammers. You can also find memorials inside the church from the 1600s, 1700s, and later. Some of these are for members of the Standish family. There's also a special alabaster memorial for those who served in the First World War.
The church's organ was built in 1860 by Forster and Andrews. It was rebuilt in 1953 by Rushworth and Dreaper and updated again in 1990 by Sixsmith. The church has a ring of eight bells, which were made by John Taylor Bellfounders in 1996.
See also
- Grade II* listed buildings in Lancashire
- Listed buildings in Chorley
- List of ecclesiastical works by E. G. Paley
- List of works by Charles Reed
