St Luke's Church, Preston facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Luke's Church, Preston |
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St Luke's Church, Preston, from the southwest
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 St Luke's Church, Preston
Location in Preston
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| 53°45′58″N 2°41′01″W / 53.7660°N 2.6836°W | |
| OS grid reference | SD 550 302 |
| Location | St Luke's Place, Preston, Lancashire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Redundant |
| Heritage designation | Grade II |
| Designated | 20 December 1989 |
| Architect(s) | E. H. Shellard |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Groundbreaking | 1858 |
| Completed | 1859 |
| Construction cost | £4,733 |
| Closed | 1990 |
| Specifications | |
| Capacity | 800 |
| Materials | Sandstone, slate roofs |
St Luke's Church is an old church building in Preston, Lancashire, England. It used to be an Anglican church, but it's not used for church services anymore. It's now a special building, protected as a Grade II listed building because of its history and architecture.
Contents
History of St Luke's Church
Building the Church
St Luke's Church was built between 1858 and 1859. A designer named E. H. Shellard created its plans. The building cost about £4,733, which was a lot of money back then!
Opening and Later Use
The church first opened its doors on August 3, 1859. It was a big church, with enough space for 800 people to sit inside. For many years, it served as a place of worship.
However, on January 1, 1990, the church was no longer needed for services. It was then changed into homes. By February 24, 1995, the building had been fully converted into flats for people to live in.
Architecture and Design
Building Materials and Style
St Luke's Church is made from sandstone, which is a strong, natural stone. Its roof is covered with slate, a type of rock that splits into thin sheets. The church was built in a style called Early English Gothic. This style is known for its tall, narrow windows and simple, strong shapes.
Main Parts of the Church
The church has a long main hall called a nave. This nave has six sections, or "bays." Above the nave, there's a row of windows called a clerestory. This helps bring light into the church. On either side of the nave are aisles, which are like walkways.
At the front of the church is the chancel, where the altar would have been. There's also a small room for the organ on one side and a vestry (a room for clergy) on the other.
The Steeple and Tower
One of the most noticeable parts of the church is its steeple, located at the southwest corner. The tower, which is part of the steeple, has five levels. A small stair turret, like a mini-tower with stairs inside, is at the northwest corner.
On the south side of the tower, there's an arched doorway. The second and third levels of the tower have lancet windows. These are tall, narrow windows that look like the tip of a spear.
The fourth and fifth levels have triple arcades. These are rows of arches. The arches on the fifth level are actually bell openings, where the church bells would have been. They have special wooden slats called louvres to protect the bells.
Decorations and Top of the Tower
Look closely at the top corners of the tower, and you'll see gargoyles shaped like angels. These are stone carvings that often act as water spouts. There are also tall, pointed decorations called pinnacles.
On top of the tower is a broach spire. This is a tall, pointed roof that rises straight from the square tower. It has two levels of small windows called lucarnes, which let light into the spire.
Windows and Other Features
Along the sides of the aisles, the sections are separated by buttresses. These are strong supports built into the walls. Each section has two lancet windows. The clerestory above has six round windows on each side.
At the west end of the nave, there are two tall lancet windows. Below them are two smaller lancets, and above them is a beautiful round window called a wheel window. At the east end of the chancel, there's a stepped triple lancet window, meaning three lancet windows of different heights.
You can find more lancet windows at the west end of the south aisle, in the organ room, and in the vestry. Most of the windows have tracery, which are stone patterns that divide the glass into different shapes. Many of these patterns are "Geometrical," meaning they use shapes like circles and triangles.
See also
- Listed buildings in Preston, Lancashire
