St Peter's Church, Bolton Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids St Peter's Church
The Parish Church of St Peter, Bolton-le-Moors
St Peter's Church
53°34′44″N 2°25′23″W / 53.579°N 2.423°W / 53.579; -2.423
Location	Bolton
Country	England
Denomination	Church of England
Churchmanship	Central churchmanship
Website	boltonparishchurch.co.uk
History
Status	Parish Church
Founded	Anglo-Saxon origin
Dedication	Saint Peter
Consecrated	29 June 1871
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Heritage designation	Grade II*
Designated	26 April 1974
Architect(s)	Edward Paley
Style	Gothic Revival
Completed	1871
Construction cost	£45,000
Specifications
Length	156 feet (48 m)
Width	67 feet (20 m)
Height	Roof 82 feet (25 m) Tower 180 feet (55 m)
Materials	Longridge stone
Administration
Parish	Bolton-le-Moors
Deanery	Bolton
Archdeaconry	Bolton
Diocese	Manchester
Province	York

St Peter's Church, also known as Bolton Parish Church, is a special church in Bolton, England. It is a Church of England parish church, which means it serves the local community. The church is dedicated to St Peter and is built in the Gothic Revival style. This style copies the look of old Gothic churches from the Middle Ages.

St Peter's Church is a very important building. It is listed as a Grade II* listed building. This means it is a historic building that needs to be protected. The church is still active today and is part of the Diocese of Manchester.

A Look at the Church's Past
- Early Churches on the Site
- Why a New Church Was Built
What Does the Church Look Like?
- Outside the Church
- Inside the Church: Fittings and Furnishings
Images for kids
See also

A Look at the Church's Past

The church stands on a hill overlooking the River Croal. This spot has been home to a church for a very long time. The current building is actually the fourth church built on this exact site!

Early Churches on the Site

When the church from the 1400s was taken down in 1866, builders found old stones hidden underneath. These stones were from before the Normans arrived in England. They included parts of an old preaching cross and other pieces from the 1000s, 1100s, and 1200s. They also found a stone coffin and parts of a stone figure from the 1300s. These discoveries tell us that two earlier churches stood here: one from the Anglo-Saxon time and one from the Norman period.

We don't know much about the first two churches. The third church, built in the 1400s, had a strong tower, a main hall (called a nave), and side areas (called aisles). Over time, more parts were added, like galleries in the 1700s.

Why a New Church Was Built

During the Industrial Revolution, Bolton grew very quickly. The old church became too small for all the people. It was also in bad condition. So, it was decided to take it down and build a new, bigger church. You can still see some pieces from the older churches in a special museum area inside the current building.

The church you see today was built between 1867 and 1871. It was designed by a famous architect named E. G. Paley. The building cost a lot of money, about £47,000 back then. A rich local businessman, Peter Ormrod, paid for it.

What Does the Church Look Like?

The church is quite large. It is about 20 metres (67 feet) wide and 47 metres (156 feet) long. The roof reaches about 25 metres (83 feet) high. The tower is even taller, standing at about 55 metres (180 feet). It is the tallest church tower in the historic county of Lancashire!

Outside the Church

The church is built from ashlar sandstone, which is stone cut into smooth blocks. It has slate roofs. The main parts of the church are the nave (the central area), side aisles, transepts (parts that stick out like arms), and a chancel (the area near the altar). There's also a special lady chapel and a room for the pipe organ.

On the south side, there's a porch with a fancy wrought-iron screen. The tower is at the west end and has strong buttresses at its corners. These are like supports that help the tower stand tall. The tower has windows at different levels and a large west door. This door has beautiful, hammered ironwork designed by Hubert Austin.

The main part of the church, the nave, has five sections. Each section has a three-light window with decorative patterns. Above the aisles, there's a clerestory with paired windows and gargoyles. The east end of the chancel has a large seven-light window. The transepts also have large, decorated windows.

Inside the Church: Fittings and Furnishings

The floors in the chancel and the west end of the nave are covered with colourful encaustic tiles made by Minton. The pulpit, where the priest gives sermons, is made of wood and wraps around a stone pillar. It has a wrought iron rail on its stairs. The wooden seats in the nave and the choir stalls are all original from when the church was built.

The church has eight bells. Five of them were made in 1699, and three in 1806. In 1974, these old bells were replaced with bells from another church. Five new bells were made from the old ones, and one very large bell was kept. This large bell has a message on it: "I to the Chvrch the living call And to the grave doe svmmon all Henry Bagley made mee 1699."

The church also has a magnificent organ. The first organ was built in 1795. The current organ was built in 1882 by A. G. Hill. It has almost 3,000 pipes inside! The largest pipe is 16 feet long, and the smallest is only half an inch. The organ was updated in 2008.