St Mary's Church, Newchurch in Pendle facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St Mary's Church
St Mary's Church from the southwest
St Mary's Church Location in the Borough of Pendle Show map of the Borough of Pendle St Mary's Church Location in the Forest of Bowland Show map of the Forest of Bowland
53°51′01″N 2°16′14″W / 53.8503°N 2.2705°W / 53.8503; -2.2705
Location	Newchurch in Pendle, Lancashire
Country	England
Denomination	Anglican
Website	St Mary's, Newchurch in Pendle
History
Status	Parish church
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Heritage designation	Grade II*
Designated	29 January 1988
Architectural type	Church
Style	Gothic
Specifications
Capacity	150
Materials	Hammer-dressed stone with ashlar to the porch. Slate roof
Administration
Parish	Newchurch in Pendle
Deanery	Pendle
Archdeaconry	Blackburn
Diocese	Blackburn
Province	York

St Mary's Church is a historic church located in the village of Newchurch in Pendle, Lancashire, England. It is an active Anglican parish church, meaning it serves the local community. The church is officially recognized as a Grade II* listed building. This means it is a very important historical building. It belongs to the Diocese of Blackburn.

History of St Mary's Church

The story of St Mary's Church goes back a long time.

• Early Beginnings: A small chapel was first built on this spot around the year 1250.
• New Chapel: A new chapel was officially opened on October 1, 1544. This was done by Bishop John Bird of Chester.
• Tower and Changes: The church's tower was repaired in 1653 and again in 1712. Most of the church building you see today was built around 1740.
• Adding Space: In 1815, people decided to make the church walls taller. This was to add a gallery, which is like a balcony for more seating. This work happened between 1816 and 1817. It cost about £352, which was a lot of money back then!
• New Bell: A church bell was bought in 1830.
• Later Updates: The church was restored (fixed up and improved) in 1850 and again in 1902.

What Does St Mary's Church Look Like?

The church is made from strong, rough stone. The porch, which is the entrance, has smoother stone. The roof is made of slate.

Outside the Church

• Shape: The church has a tower at the west end. It has a main area called the nave and a side area called an aisle on the north side. There's also a chancel (the area near the altar) and a porch on the south side.
• Special Areas: At the east end of the aisle, there is a Lady Chapel. This is a small chapel often dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Next to it is the vicar's (priest's) vestry, where they get ready. The choir vestry is at the west end of the aisle.
• The Tower: The tower has two main parts. It has a clock face and windows for the bells above it. The very top of the tower has a decorative, castle-like edge.
• Windows: The church has four windows on its south and north sides. They have rounded tops. At the east end, there's a special "Venetian" window with a large stone at the top.
• Old Door: On the south side, there's an old door for the priest that is now blocked up.
• Sundial: Look for a sundial on the southwest corner of the nave roof. It's dated 1718.
• "Eye of God": On the west side of the tower, there's a carving that looks like a filled-in window. People say it looks like the "Eye of God."

Inside the Church

• Entrance: In the porch, you'll find a special memorial. It lists the names of local men who died in the World Wars. It also includes those who served in the armed forces.
• Seating: Inside, to the left of the entrance, are seats for the churchwardens. There's also a board showing how the parish was divided into different areas.
• Columns and Galleries: The church has columns that support the north and west galleries. These galleries are like balconies with wooden panels.
• Chandelier: A beautiful chandelier hangs inside the church. It was made in 1756.

The Church Organ

• Installation: The organ, located in the west gallery, was built by Wordsworth and Company in 1890. It cost £550.
• Upgrades: It was fixed up in 1990. Then, in 2000, it was completely rebuilt by Harrison & Harrison. This big project cost over £75,000!

What Else Can You See Outside?

The churchyard has some interesting historical features.

• Old Tombs: There are two features in the churchyard that are also Grade II listed.
  • The Parker tomb is a table-shaped tomb from 1691.
  • The Nutter headstone is probably from 1694. It's thought that the Nutter family members on this stone might be related to Alice Nutter. She was one of the women accused during the famous Pendle witch trials.
• War Graves: The churchyard also contains the war graves of two soldiers and an officer from the Royal Flying Corps who died in World War I.

What Happens at St Mary's Today?

St Mary's Church is still a very active part of the community.

• Services: It holds regular church services for its members.
• Rushbearing Service: St Mary's is one of the few churches that still has an annual "rushbearing" service in August. This is a very old tradition!

See also

• Grade II* listed buildings in Lancashire
• Listed buildings in Goldshaw Booth