St Mary's Church, Mellor facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary's Church, Mellor |
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![]() St Mary's Church, Mellor, from the southwest
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OS grid reference | SD 651,309 |
Location | Church Lane, Mellor, Lancashire |
Country | England |
Denomination | Anglican |
Website | St Mary, Mellor |
History | |
Status | Parish church |
Architecture | |
Functional status | Active |
Heritage designation | Grade II |
Designated | 13 March 1986 |
Architect(s) | Thomas Rickman and Henry Hutchinson |
Architectural type | Church |
Style | Gothic Revival |
Groundbreaking | 1827 |
Completed | 1829 |
Construction cost | £5,496 |
Specifications | |
Materials | Sandstone, slate roofs |
Administration | |
Parish | St Mary, Mellor |
Deanery | Whalley |
Archdeaconry | Blackburn |
Diocese | Blackburn |
Province | York |
St Mary's Church is located on Church Lane in Mellor, England. It is an active Anglican parish church, meaning it serves the local community. The church is an important historical building, officially listed as Grade II on the National Heritage List for England. This means it's recognized for its special architectural or historical interest. St Mary's was also one of the "Commissioners' churches," which were built with financial help from a special government fund in the 19th century.
Contents
A Look Back: The Church's Story
St Mary's Church was built between 1827 and 1829. It was designed by two architects, Thomas Rickman and Henry Hutchinson. The Church Building Commission provided a grant of £5,534 to help with its construction. The total cost to build the church was £5,496. Later, between 1897 and 1899, the church was updated and restored by a company called Austin and Paley. They added a chancel (the area around the altar) by raising the east end and put in new choir furnishings.
Exploring the Church's Design
What Does the Outside Look Like?
St Mary's Church is built from sandstone and has a slate roof. It has a long main hall called a nave with six sections, and a raised section of windows called a clerestory. There are also side aisles and a tower at the west end.
The tower has three levels and strong corner supports called buttresses. You'll find the main entrance door on the west side, with a decorative circular window above it. The middle part of the tower has single windows, and the top part, where the bells are, also has single windows. A tall, pointed spire sits on top of the tower, slightly set back from the edge.
What's Inside the Church?
Inside, the church has five-bay arcades. These are rows of pointed arches supported by piers (large columns) made of four smaller columns grouped together. At the west end, there's a gallery with beautifully carved wooden panels, which holds the church organ.
A screen separates the main part of the church from the altar area. This screen includes a pulpit (where sermons are given) on its north side. The font, used for baptisms, is made of white marble. It has a carved cover shaped like a pyramid with angels.
The church features lovely stained glass windows. Some in the south aisle were made by Capronnier in the late 1800s. A window in the north aisle, from 1928, was created by Whitefriars. There are also two older windows from the early 1900s, possibly by Shrigley and Hunt.
The church's organ has three manuals (keyboards). It was originally built by Renn and Boston and later expanded in 1897 by Edwin Smith.
Outside the Church
The churchyard is also a special place. It contains the war graves of ten soldiers from World War I and six from World War II. These graves honor service personnel from Commonwealth countries.