St Matthew's Church, Little Lever facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St Matthew's Church, Little Lever
St Matthew's Church, Little Lever, from the southwest
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OS grid reference	SD 754,074
Location	Little Lever, Bolton, Greater Manchester
Country	England
Denomination	Anglican
Churchmanship	Anglo-Catholic
Website	St Matthew, Little Lever
History
Status	Parish church
Dedication	Saint Matthew
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Heritage designation	Grade II
Designated	9 May 2003
Architect(s)	E. G. Paley
Architectural type	Church
Style	Gothic Revival
Completed	1865
Specifications
Materials	Coursed rubble stone with ashlar dressings Slate roofs
Administration
Parish	St. Matthew, Little Lever
Deanery	Bolton
Archdeaconry	Bolton
Diocese	Manchester
Province	York

St Matthew's Church is located in the village of Little Lever. This village is part of Bolton in Greater Manchester, England. It is an active church for the Anglican faith. The church is part of the Manchester diocese. St Matthew's is also a special building. It is protected as a Grade II listed building in England. This means it has historical or architectural importance.

History of St Matthew's Church

St Matthew's Church was built in 1865. It replaced an older church from 1791 that was across the street. A famous architect named E. G. Paley from Lancaster designed it. In 1924, the church tower was made taller. This was done to remember the soldiers who fought in the First World War.

Church Architecture and Design

Outside the Church

The church is built from strong, rough stone blocks. It has smooth stone decorations and a roof made of slate tiles. Its style is called early Decorated Gothic Revival. This means it has fancy designs from a certain time period.

The church has a main area called the nave. It also has north and south transepts, which are like arms of the church. There is a porch at the west end and a chancel at the east end. A vestry is on the north side. A tall tower stands at the southeast corner.

The tower has four main levels. A small stair turret is in its southeast corner. The openings for the bells have two sections and louvres. Small, narrow lancet windows are in the stair turret. At the very top of the tower is a plain parapet and pointed pinnacles at each corner.

Along the walls of the nave are windows with two sections. These windows are separated by buttresses, which are supports built into the wall. At the west end, there are large buttresses and a porch with a pointed roof. There is also a round rose window here. On the south wall of the chancel, there is a small window with three sections. On the north side, above the vestry, are two lancet windows. At the east end, there is a large window with three sections. This window has decorative stone patterns called plate tracery. Pointed decorations called finials are on the ends of the roof gables.

Inside the Church

Inside the chancel, there is a stone reredos. This is a decorated screen behind the altar. It has stone panels on each side that show the Ten Commandments and the Creed. There is also a double sedilia, which are seats for the clergy.

The choir stalls, the front of the organ, and a screen are all beautifully carved. The floor of the chancel is covered with Minton tiles. At the west end of the church, there is a gallery. Underneath this gallery is a glass screen. The pulpit and the font are both made of heavy stone.

The church has a large organ with three manuals (keyboards). It was built in 1884 by Brindley and Foster. The same company made it even bigger in 1911.

Churchyard and Memorials

The churchyard is the area around the church. It contains war graves for soldiers and sailors. These are the burial places of five soldiers from the First World War. There are also two soldiers and two Royal Navy sailors from the Second World War buried here.

See also

• Listed buildings in Little Lever
• List of churches in Greater Manchester
• List of ecclesiastical works by E. G. Paley