St Mary's Church, Tarleton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary's Church, Tarleton |
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St Mary's Church, Tarleton, from the southwest
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| OS grid reference | SD 456 201 |
| Location | Tarleton, Lancashire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | Churches Conservation Trust |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Redundant |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* |
| Designated | 11 October 1968 |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Georgian |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 47 feet 9 inches (14.55 m) |
| Width | 21 feet (6.40 m) |
| Other dimensions | Apse 12 feet (3.66 m) by 8 feet (2.44 m) |
| Materials | Brick with stone slate roofs; ashlar in upper part of tower |
St Mary's Church is an old Anglican church located near the village of Tarleton in Lancashire, England. It's a special building because it's listed as a Grade II* historic site, meaning it's very important and protected. The church is no longer used for regular services, so it's called a "redundant" church. It is now looked after by the Churches Conservation Trust. They describe it as a "picturesque early Georgian chapel" with a "lovely unspoiled interior," which means it's a beautiful old building with its original inside still intact.
Contents
History of St Mary's Church
St Mary's Church was built on the same spot where an even older chapel once stood. This first chapel, dedicated to St Helen, was built around 1525. In the 1530s, a small religious retreat, called a hermitage, was in the chapel's yard. It was used by a person named Hugh Dobson.
Later, the chapel was sold to Sir Thomas Hesketh, who had it taken down. In 1719, a woman named Henrietta Maria Legh, from a place called Bank Hall, gave the land for the new church. Other people helped pay for the building. Henrietta Maria Legh and her family had the right to choose the church's priest. However, this right was later taken over by the main priest of Croston.
More parts were added to the church in 1824. These included a porch at the west end, a gallery (a raised seating area) on the south side, and an extra section on top of the tower. The church stopped holding regular services in 1886. This happened because a new church, Holy Trinity Church, was built closer to the center of the village. After that, St Mary's was sometimes used as a chapel for funerals. On November 1, 1980, St Mary's was officially declared "redundant," meaning it was no longer needed for church services. It was then given to the Churches Conservation Trust on February 10, 1982, to be preserved.
Architecture and Design
St Mary's Church is built from handmade bricks that were once covered in plaster. Its roofs are made of stone slates. The upper parts of the tower are made of smooth, cut stone called ashlar.
Outside the Church
The church has a simple rectangular shape with four sections, called bays. At the east end, there's a semi-octagonal (half-eight-sided) section called an apse. At the west end, there's a bell-tower, and in front of that, a flat-topped porch. The church is about 47 feet 9 inches (14.55 m) long and 21 feet (6.40 m) wide. The apse is about 12 feet (3.66 m) by 8 feet (2.44 m).
Along the north and south walls, there are large, round-headed windows. These windows have thin bars that create interesting patterns at the top. Above each window is a special wedge-shaped stone called a keystone. Between the windows, there are triangular columns called pilasters, which act like supports or buttresses.
The apse has a similar window on each side, but the very east end is plain. A drainpipe runs down the east end. Its top part is decorated with the coat of arms of the Banastre family and the date 1719. On top of each corner and on the east gable (the triangular part of the wall), there's a decorative ornament shaped like a flaming urn. Around the top edge of the apse, there's a decorative molding called a modillioned cornice.
At the west end of the porch, there's a round-headed doorway with a keystone. On each side of the doorway, there's a window similar to the ones on the church's sides. Above this, the west end of the church and the lower part of the tower are covered in stucco (a type of plaster). The tower is thin and oblong. On each side of the tower, there's a small round-headed window. Below a decorative band of stone, called a string course, each side of the tower has an opening with wooden slats for the bells. Around the very top of the tower, there's another decorative molding. On its very top, there's a small round building called a rotunda. This rotunda has a dome-like roof, called a cupola, supported by columns. On top of the cupola is a weathervane. The tower used to have two bells, but one was moved to Holy Trinity Church. The bell that remains is from 1824.
Inside the Church
The porch area includes a small room called a vestry and stairs that lead up to the gallery. The gallery is a raised area with wooden panels. It is supported by square columns with grooves, called fluted columns. This gallery runs along the west and south sides of the church.
At the east end, there are special enclosed seats called box pews. These were made for George Anthony Legh Keck, who lived at Bank Hall. The west end has open benches. In the middle of the north side, there's a reading desk. The church also has an eight-sided pulpit with panels. The font, used for baptisms, is from the 18th century and looks like a simple baluster (a decorative post). There's also a cast iron stove from the 19th century, decorated with wreaths and standing on claw feet. The floor is made of large flat stones called flagstones.
The church does not have electricity, so oil lamps hang over the aisle to provide light. It also has no heating because the chimney for the stove was removed. The organ is a type of American harmonium, which is a musical instrument that uses pedals to pump air into its bellows.
Outside the Church Grounds
The churchyard is still used for burials. Robert Crompton Fletcher, who was an important church leader from 1901 to 1916, is buried there.
The churchyard also contains the war graves of four soldiers who died in World War I and one airman who died in World War II. These graves are a reminder of those who served and gave their lives.
St Mary's Today
The churchyard is still actively used and is cared for by volunteers. These volunteers also open the church to visitors during Heritage Open Days in September. Heritage Open Days are special events where historic buildings, often closed to the public, open their doors for free.
There is also a special tradition called 'Old Church Sunday'. This is an annual church service held on the fourth Sunday in August. On this day, the service that would normally be held at Holy Trinity Church is instead held at St Mary's. This tradition started in 1886 when Holy Trinity Church opened and regular services moved there.
See also
- Grade II* listed buildings in Lancashire
- Listed buildings in Tarleton
- List of churches preserved by the Churches Conservation Trust in Northern England
