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St Paul's Church, Scotforth
St Paul's Church, Scotforth.jpg
St Paul's Church, Scotforth, from the northeast
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OS grid reference SD 479,600
Location Scotforth, Lancaster, Lancashire
Country England
Denomination Church of England
Website St Paul's, Scotforth
History
Status Parish church
Founded 11 August 1874
Dedication Saint Paul
Consecrated 18 February 1876
Architecture
Functional status Active
Heritage designation Grade II
Designated 25 October 1985
Architect(s) Edmund Sharpe
Paley, Austin and Paley
Austin and Paley
Architectural type Church
Style Romanesque Revival
Completed 1891
Specifications
Capacity 350
Administration
Parish St Paul, Scotforth
Deanery Lancaster
Archdeaconry Lancaster and Morecambe
Diocese Blackburn
Province York

St Paul's Church is a beautiful church located in Scotforth. Scotforth is a part of Lancaster in Lancashire, England. This church is a very important building. It is listed as a Grade II building on the National Heritage List for England. This means it is a special historic building that needs to be protected.

St Paul's Church is an active Anglican parish church. This means it is a local church that serves the community. It is part of the Church of England.

History of St Paul's Church

St Paul's Church was designed by an architect named Edmund Sharpe. He had an architecture business in Lancaster. In 1874, when he was 68 years old, he designed this church. The church was opened in 1876.

The first stone for the church was placed on August 11, 1874. The church was almost finished by the end of 1875. It was officially opened and blessed on February 18, 1876. A bishop named James Fraser did the blessing.

Later, in 1890 and 1891, the church was made bigger. The west end of the church was extended. New parts called transepts were added. This work was done by a company called Paley, Austin and Paley. This company took over Edmund Sharpe's old business. The changes added more space inside the church.

Architecture and Design

St Paul's Church has a unique design. Edmund Sharpe said it was in a "late Transitional" style from around the year 1170. This style mixes ideas from both Romanesque and Gothic architecture.

What the Outside Looks Like

The church is built with bricks. The outside is covered with local gritstone. It also has yellow terracotta decorations.

The church has a main area called a nave with five sections. It has side areas called aisles. There are also transepts at the western end. The front of the church has two tall, narrow windows. Above them is a round window.

The tower of the church is above the chancel (the area near the altar). The tower has tall openings for the bells. The roof is steep and covered in lead.

What the Inside Looks Like

Inside the church, there are rows of round columns. These columns have square tops called capitals. They hold up round arches. These arches are covered with terracotta.

The chancel has a special ceiling that looks like a dome with ribs. The ceiling of the apse (a rounded end part of the church) is painted.

The seats for the church go between the columns. There is no main aisle in the middle. The font, where baptisms happen, is large. It is made from pink marble.

Some of the windows have beautiful stained glass. The glass at the west end shows scenes called the Works of Mercy. Other windows in the north aisle were made in the 1920s.

St Paul's Church, Scotforth interior
Inside St Paul's Church, showing the north side and windows

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