St Mark's Church, Scarisbrick facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mark's Church, Scarisbrick |
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St Mark's Church from the south
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 St Mark's Church, Scarisbrick
Location in the Borough of West Lancashire
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| 53°36′49″N 2°56′27″W / 53.613685°N 2.940701°W | |
| OS grid reference | SD 37774 13452 |
| Location | Scarisbrick, Lancashire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Dedication | St Mark |
| Consecrated | 19 April 1853 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Architect(s) | George Shaw William Edward Willink |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | c. 1300 |
| Years built | 1848–51 |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Sandstone |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Scarisbrick |
| Deanery | Ormskirk |
| Archdeaconry | Wigan and West Lancashire |
| Diocese | Liverpool |
| Province | York |
St Mark's Church is a special building located in Scarisbrick, Lancashire, England. It stands at the corner of Southport Road and Jacksmere Lane. This church was built a long time ago, between 1848 and 1851. It is an active Anglican church, which means it's part of the Church of England. St Mark's is a local parish church, serving the community of Scarisbrick. It also includes another small church called The Good Shepherd Mission, which is a "tin chapel" (a church made with corrugated iron) on Smithy Lane.
Contents
History of St Mark's Church
How the Church Started
The area of Scarisbrick used to be part of a larger church area called Ormskirk. St Mark's Church was first built as a "chapel of ease." This means it was a smaller church built to help people who lived far from the main church in Ormskirk.
The idea to build St Mark's came from Reverend E. J. G. Hornby, who was the vicar (a type of priest) of Ormskirk at the time. Charles Scarisbrick, who owned Scarisbrick Hall, gave the land for the church.
Building and Opening the Church
The church was built from 1848 to 1851. It was designed by an architect named George Shaw. The church was officially opened and made sacred on April 19, 1853, by the Bishop of Chester.
Becoming an Independent Parish
Later, on December 14, 1869, Scarisbrick became its own independent church area, or parish. Reverend W. R. Ramsden became the first vicar of St Mark's.
In 1878, the Marquis and Marchioness de Castéja gave more land to St Mark's. This extra land was used to make the churchyard bigger and to build a school. The church building itself was made larger in 1908 by William Edward Willink. He added a new room for the clergy (called a vestry) and a new entrance (called a porch). He also made some changes inside the church.
What the Church Looks Like
Outside the Church Building
St Mark's Church is built from a light cream-grey stone called sandstone. This stone came from a local quarry nearby. The roof is made of blue slate. The stone walls are rough and textured, but the areas around the windows and doors are smooth.
The church has a main part called a nave. At the front, there's a small tower for bells, called a bellcote. There are also two narrow, tall windows, known as lancet windows. The back part of the church, called the chancel, is a bit lower. Other windows are also in the lancet style, with stone supports called buttresses between them. The church's design style is from around the year 1300.
Inside the Church
Inside St Mark's, you'll find a special war memorial. It includes two beautiful stained glass windows. Each window has two sections. One window shows figures like Joshua and Cornelius. The other window shows Saint George and Saint Nicholas.
There are also two marble plaques next to the windows. These plaques remember 33 people who died in World War I and 11 people who died in World War II. In 1947, an electronic organ was given to the church.
Around the Church Grounds
Outside the church, there is a stone wall that marks the boundary. It has a special gate called a lychgate, which is also made of the same stone as the church. In the churchyard, there are nine graves for soldiers who died in World War I and World War II. These are called Commonwealth War Graves.
St Mark's also has a parish hall. This hall is used for meetings and other events. Bishop Flagg officially opened and dedicated it on June 6, 1986.
How the Church is Managed
St Mark's is an active church within the Church of England. It is part of the Anglican Diocese of Liverpool, which is part of the Province of York. It belongs to the Wigan and West Lancashire archdeaconry and the Ormskirk deanery. The vicar of Ormskirk helps to support the church. As of December 2015, the main priest in charge is Reverend Eileen Heaney.
The church also looks after The Good Shepherd Mission. This is a small "tin chapel" located on Smithy Lane, which helps serve the local community.
