St Oswald's Church, Warton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Oswald's Church, Warton |
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St Oswald's Church, Warton, from the northwest
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| OS grid reference | SD 498,723 |
| Location | Main Street, Warton, Lancashire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Dedication | Saint Oswald |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II |
| Designated | 2 May 1968 |
| Architect(s) | Sharpe and Paley Paley, Austin and Paley |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic, Gothic Revival |
| Completed | 1892 |
| Specifications | |
| Spire height | 62 feet (19 m) |
| Materials | Pebbledash with sandstone dressings, slate roof |
| Administration | |
| Parish | St Oswald, Warton |
| Benefice | United Benefice of Warton and Borwick with Yealand |
| Deanery | Tunstall |
| Archdeaconry | Lancaster |
| Diocese | Blackburn |
| Province | York |
St Oswald's Church is a historic church located in the village of Warton, Lancashire, England. It is an active Anglican church, meaning it's part of the Church of England. It serves as a parish church for the local community. The church is connected with St Mary's in Borwick and St John the Evangelist's in Yealand Conyers.
St Oswald's Church is recognized as a Grade II listed building. This means it is an important historical building that needs to be protected. Next to the church, you can still see the old ruins of a medieval rectory, which was a home for a priest long ago.
Contents
History of St Oswald's Church
The church building you see today likely stands on the same spot as a much older church from before the 1100s. Most of the church was rebuilt in the 1400s. However, some parts of the south side, called the aisle, are even older.
Building Changes Over Time
In the 1500s, the north aisle was either added or rebuilt. Later, in 1848 and 1849, architects named Sharpe and Paley worked on the south arcade. An arcade is a row of arches.
More major repairs and changes happened in 1892. This work was done by Paley, Austin and Paley, who took over from Sharpe and Paley. They replaced windows in the upper part of the church, called the clerestory, and in the north aisle. They also rebuilt the roof.
Connection to George Washington
St Oswald's Church has a special link to the Washington family. This family were ancestors of George Washington, who became the first president of the United States. Since 1977, a special flag from Washington, D.C., has been kept in the church. American soldiers gave this flag to the church. It usually hangs inside, but on the Fourth of July, it is flown outside on a flagpole.
Architecture of the Church
The church is covered in a material called pebbledash. This is a type of plaster with small stones mixed in. It also has sandstone details and a slate roof.
Outside the Church
The church has a tower at the west end. It also has a main area called the nave, with aisles on the north and south sides. Above the nave is the clerestory, which has windows to let in light. There is also a chancel, which is the part of the church where the altar is.
The tower has strong supports called buttresses at its corners. It has openings for bells with three lights (sections). The top of the tower has a battlemented parapet, which looks like the top of a castle wall. There are pointed decorations called pinnacles at each corner. The old main door on the west side of the tower was partly blocked up and turned into a window. Above this, there is a small niche, which is a shallow alcove in the wall. The tower stands about 62 feet (19 meters) tall.
Inside the Church
The tower once had the family symbol, or arms, of the Washington family. These have been moved and are now displayed inside the tower. The tower holds three bells. They are set up for a special way of ringing called "full circle ringing," but they cannot be rung right now. The second bell was made in 1571, the largest bell (tenor) in 1731, and the smallest bell (treble) in 1782. The second bell and the frame that holds the bells are very old and important.
In the southeast chapel, there is a sedilia. This is a set of seats for the clergy, and it is thought to be from the late 1200s or early 1300s. The font, which is used for baptisms, is round and lined with lead. It has the date 1661 on it.
Some of the church pews, which were added in the 1800s, have old family symbols built into them. One of these is the Washington family's symbol, dated 1614. In the southwest aisle, you can see the royal arms of Queen Victoria.
The church has beautiful stained glass windows made by different artists, including Shrigley and Hunt, Ward and Hughes, and F. Burrow. There are also memorial tablets on the walls by George Webster. More stained glass can be found in the vestry, which is a room used by the clergy. These windows show Saints Oswald, Patrick, and Aidan.
External Features
The churchyard, which is the area around the church, contains the graves of eight service members from World War I. It also has the grave of a soldier from the Royal Artillery who died in World War II. These graves are cared for by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
See also
In Spanish: Iglesia de San Oswald (Warton) para niños
- Listed buildings in Warton, Lancaster
- List of works by Sharpe and Paley
- List of works by Paley, Austin and Paley
