St Mary's Church, Ulverston facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ulverston Parish Church |
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Ulverston Parish Church from the south
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| OS grid reference | SD 290,787 |
| Location | Ulverston, Cumbria |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | www.ulverstonparishchurch.org |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* |
| Designated | 2 March 1950 |
| Architect(s) | E. G. Paley and successors (restorations) |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic, Gothic Revival |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Sandstone and limestone, Slate roofs |
| Administration | |
| Parish | St Mary with Holy Trinity, Ulverston |
| Deanery | Furness |
| Archdeaconry | Westmoreland and Furness |
| Diocese | Carlisle |
| Province | York |
Ulverston Parish Church is a historic church located in Ulverston, Cumbria, England. It is an active Anglican church, meaning it belongs to the Church of England. This beautiful building is an important part of the local community. It is also a "Grade II* listed building," which means it is a very special historic place protected by law.
Contents
History of Ulverston Church
It's not clear exactly when the first church was built here. The tower we see today was built between 1540 and 1560. It replaced an older church that was damaged when its tall steeple fell during a storm.
The church was repaired and made bigger in 1804. Then, from 1864 to 1866, most of it was rebuilt. This work was done by an architect named Edward Graham Paley. He made the church large enough to seat about 1,400 people!
Later, in 1903–04, Paley's company added more to the church. They extended the chancel (the area near the altar) and added a south porch. In 1923, they turned a part of the church into a memorial for soldiers from the war. More recently, in 2008–09, the inside of the church was updated. This included adding a space for refreshments and meetings.
Architecture of the Church
The church is built from sandstone and limestone rocks, with slate roofs. It has a long main area called the nave, with aisles on both sides. There is also a chancel at one end and a tall tower at the west end.
Outside the Church
The tower is from the 16th century and has three main levels. It has strong supports called buttresses at its corners. The top of the tower has a decorative wall called an embattled parapet. This makes it look a bit like a castle.
The tower also has a main doorway and a large window above it. The windows in the tower and along the sides of the church have special stone patterns called tracery. These patterns are in a style known as Perpendicular Gothic. The bell openings in the tower have wooden slats called louvres.
The church's south side has a porch with a pointed roof and a decorative top piece called a finial. Inside the porch, there's an older doorway from the 12th century. This doorway is in the Norman style and has a cool zigzag pattern. Experts say this old doorway might not be in its original spot.
Inside the Church
Inside, the main hall (nave) has rows of arches called arcades. These arches are supported by eight-sided pillars. The chancel, where the altar is, is a bit higher than the rest of the church. In the chancel, you can find a double sedilia (seats for priests) and a piscina (a basin for washing sacred vessels).
The choir stalls, where the choir sits, are made of beautifully carved oak wood. There are also oak screens that separate the chancel from other rooms, like the organ chamber and the vestry (a room for changing clothes).
The church has a large organ with three keyboards, built in 1866. The colorful stained glass in the big east window was made by an artist named William Wailes. Other windows have stained glass by Heaton, Butler and Bayne.
You can also find several monuments inside the church. The oldest one, from 1588, remembers William Sandys, who passed away in 1559. The church also has a set of six bells. All of these bells were made in 1836 by Thomas Mears II at the Whitechapel Bell Foundry.
See also
- Grade II* listed buildings in South Lakeland
- Listed buildings in Ulverston
- List of ecclesiastical works by E. G. Paley
- List of ecclesiastical works by Paley and Austin
- List of ecclesiastical works by Austin and Paley (1895–1914)
- List of ecclesiastical works by Austin and Paley (1916–44)
