St Luke's Church, Formby facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Luke's Church, Formby |
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St Luke's Church, Formby, from the south
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| OS grid reference | SD 281 067 |
| Location | St Luke's Church Road, Formby, Sefton, Merseyside |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Low Church / Evangelical |
| Website | stlukesformby.org.uk |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Dedication | Saint Luke |
| Consecrated | 14 December 1854 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II |
| Designated | 19 July 1966 |
| Architect(s) | William Culshaw |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Groundbreaking | 1854 |
| Completed | 1897 |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Stone, slate roof |
| Administration | |
| Parish | St Luke, Formby |
| Deanery | Sefton North |
| Archdeaconry | Knowsley & Sefton |
| Diocese | Liverpool |
| Province | York |
St Luke's Church is a special old church located in St Luke's Church Road, Formby, England. It's an active church that belongs to the Church of England. The first church here was actually destroyed by a sandstorm way back in 1739! The church you see today was built in 1854 and made bigger in 1897. It's considered a very important building, listed as a Grade II historic site.
Contents
History of St Luke's Church
Not much is known about the very first church on this spot. However, there's a font from the 12th century inside. This shows that people have been worshipping here for a very long time. The original church was sadly destroyed by a sandstorm in 1739.
The idea to rebuild the church came from Reverend Miles Formby in the 1840s. He was a vicar from Melling. Reverend Formby passed away in 1849, but his older brother, Dr. Richard Formby, continued the project. Dr. Richard Formby owned the land and donated it for the new church.
The money to build the church came from Miles's widow and his sister, Mary. The church was named after Saint Luke, who is the patron saint of doctors. A famous architect from Liverpool, William Culshaw, designed the church.
When it was first built, only the main part of the church (the nave) and the porch were finished. The bishop of Chester, John Graham, officially opened them on December 14, 1854. Later, in 1897, the chancel and transepts were added. Caroline, who was Dr. Richard Formby's daughter, paid for these additions.
Church Design and Features
St Luke's Church is built from strong, rough stone with smooth stone details. It has a slate roof. The church has a long main section (the nave) with five parts. It also has north and south side sections (transepts), a special area for the altar (chancel), a porch at the south, and a small bell tower (bellcote) on the west end.
Along the sides of the nave, you'll see strong supports called buttresses. Between these supports are windows with two lights, decorated with a style called Geometrical tracery. At the west end, there are more buttresses and a large window with three lights. Above that, there's a beautiful round rose window.
Inside the church, you'll find a simple Norman font. It's decorated with a rope-like pattern. In the porch, there's a gravestone for Richard Formby, who died in 1407. He was a knight for King Henry IV. This gravestone was brought from York Minster.
The stained glass in the west window has medical symbols. The rose window above it shows pictures of local flowers. The church used to have a pipe organ built in 1909. This was replaced in 1958 by a new organ. That organ was later moved and then removed completely. Today, the church uses a modern three-manual electronic organ.
Historical Importance
St Luke's Church was officially recognized as a Grade II listed building on July 19, 1966. This means it's considered a "nationally important and of special interest" building. It's important to protect buildings like this because they tell us about the past.
Interesting Things in the Churchyard
The oldest gravestone in the churchyard is from 1666. To the south of the church, there's an old cross base. It was moved here in 1879. It has three square steps and a spot where a cross used to stand. This cross base is also a Grade II listed building. A new wooden cross was placed there in 2000 as a special project for the new millennium.
Further south, there's an old inscribed stone. It's about 420 millimeters tall and has a cross carved into it. People believe it was used for funeral ceremonies long ago. This stone is also listed as Grade II.
Another interesting item in the churchyard is the old village stocks. These date back to the 18th century and were moved here from another part of the village. Stocks were used in the past to punish people by holding their feet or hands. They have two stone posts with slots for wooden boards and an iron bar.
You can also find the grave of Percy French (1854–1920) in the churchyard. He was a famous Irish songwriter and entertainer.
St Luke's Church Today
St Luke's Church is located on the west side of Formby, surrounded by pine trees. It's a busy church that holds services on Sundays and weekdays. They also perform baptisms, weddings, and funerals. The church has many different groups and activities for people to join.
See also
- Listed buildings in Formby
