St Paul's Church, Skelmersdale facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Paul's Church |
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| OS grid reference | SD 476,062 |
| Location | Church Road, Skelmersdale, Lancashire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | St Paul, Skelmersdale |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Founded | 1776 |
| Dedication | Saint Paul |
| Consecrated | 18 December 1906 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II |
| Designated | 25 June 1973 |
| Architect(s) | Austin and Paley |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Groundbreaking | 1903 |
| Completed | 1906 |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Sandstone, tiled roofs |
| Administration | |
| Parish | St Paul, Skelmersdale |
| Deanery | Ormskirk |
| Archdeaconry | Warrington |
| Diocese | Liverpool |
| Province | York |
St Paul's Church is a historic building located on Church Road in Skelmersdale, Lancashire, England. It is an active Anglican parish church, meaning it serves the local community. The church is officially recognized as a Grade II listed building, which means it's an important historical site.
Contents
History of St Paul's Church
A small chapel was first built in Skelmersdale in 1776. This chapel was a "chapel of ease," which means it was a smaller church built for people who lived far from the main parish church. It was enlarged twice, first in 1823 and again in 1850, to make more space for the growing community.
In 1856, the chapel became a full parish church and was named after Saint Paul. Later in the 1800s, the old chapel was damaged because the ground underneath it sank. This was due to coal mining in the area.
Because of the damage, a brand new church was built nearby. The first stone for the new church was laid in July 1903. The church was officially opened and blessed on December 18, 1906. It was designed by famous architects named Austin and Paley from Lancaster. The new church was much bigger and could seat 575 people. There were plans to add a tall tower on the north side, but this tower was never built.
Architecture and Design
Outside the Church
St Paul's Church is built using sandstone and has a red tiled roof. Its design is in a style called "free Perpendicular," which is a type of Gothic Revival style.
The church has a main hall called a nave with five sections. It also has a special upper row of windows called a clerestory. At the front, there's a rounded area for baptisms called a baptistry. On the sides, there are long, narrow parts called aisles. The area near the altar is called the chancel.
The windows along the sides of the church have flat tops and interesting stone patterns called tracery. At the west end, there are strong supports called buttresses next to the baptistry. Above the baptistry, there is a large window with four sections. The base of the planned tower has a pointed roof.
Inside the Church
Inside St Paul's Church, you'll see rows of arches called arcades. These arches are held up by strong, eight-sided pillars. Below the upper windows, there's a continuous stone ledge with a special message carved in Latin.
The large window at the east end of the church has beautiful stained glass artwork. This artwork was created by artists named Shrigley and Hunt. The church also has a large pipe organ with two keyboards, which was built by a company called Rushworth and Dreaper.
Churchyard Features
The churchyard around St Paul's Church is a special place. It contains the graves of ten service members who died in the World War I and World War II. These graves are cared for by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
See also
- Listed buildings in Skelmersdale
- List of ecclesiastical works by Austin and Paley (1895–1914)
