St Peter's Church, Woolton, Liverpool facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Peter's Church, Woolton |
|
|---|---|
St Peter's Church, Woolton, from its yard
|
|
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| OS grid reference | SJ 423 869 |
| Location | Church Road, Woolton, Liverpool, Merseyside |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Website | St Peter's, Woolton |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* |
| Designated | 14 March 1975 |
| Architect(s) | Grayson and Ould |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic Revival (Perpendicular) |
| Groundbreaking | 1886 |
| Completed | 1887 |
| Specifications | |
| Spire height | 90 feet (27 m) |
| Materials | Sandstone |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Much Woolton |
| Deanery | Liverpool South Childwall |
| Archdeaconry | Liverpool |
| Diocese | Liverpool |
| Province | York |
St Peter's Church is a beautiful and important church located in Woolton, Liverpool, England. It's an active Anglican church, meaning it's part of the Church of England. This church is very special because it's listed as a Grade II* building, which means it's a particularly important historic building. It's also one of the biggest churches in Liverpool, and its tall bell tower used to be the highest point in the city! St Peter's Church also has some cool connections to the famous band, The Beatles.
Contents
History of St Peter's Church
In 1826, a smaller chapel was built near where the current church stands. This chapel was made of sandstone and could fit about 200 people. It was built in a style called Neoclassical.
As the town of Woolton grew, more people needed a bigger church. Also, many people didn't like the style of the old chapel anymore. So, with help from wealthy people living nearby, they decided to build a brand new church. The first stone for this new church was laid in 1886. Local architects named Grayson and Ould designed the church, and it was finished in 1887. Later, in 1989, an extension was added to the west side of the church, which includes a cool eight-sided hall.
Church Design and Features
Outside the Church
St Peter's Church is built from red sandstone. It's a very large church designed in the Perpendicular style, which is a type of Gothic Revival architecture. The church can seat almost 500 people!
The church has a main area called a nave, and side sections called aisles. It also has a south porch, a north transept, and a special area near the altar called a chancel. There's also a north chapel and a south vestry. The church has a tall tower on the southwest side, which is about 90 feet (27 meters) high. This tower has strong supports called buttresses and a small, angled tower called a turret. It also has openings for bells, a decorative border, gargoyles (stone carvings that look like monsters), and a fancy top edge with pointed decorations called pinnacles. The windows are large, letting in lots of light.
Inside the Church
Inside St Peter's, you'll see rows of arches called arcades supported by columns shaped like four-leaf clovers. The main part of the church, the nave, has a special type of wooden ceiling called a hammerbeam roof. The chapel has a ceiling that is angled and decorated with stencils.
The reredos, which is a screen behind the altar, has five special areas called niches. These niches hold beautiful paintings from 1905 by Sigismund Goetze. The font, where baptisms happen, is made of alabaster and has a fancy carved cover. The pulpit, where sermons are given, is also made of alabaster and has a carved band of angels. There are decorative wrought iron screens separating the chancel and the chapel. The chancel also has special seats called a sedilia with pointed arches.
Most of the colorful stained glass windows were made by C. E. Kempe. There are also two windows made by Morris & Co.. You can find a memorial inside the church dedicated to those who served in the First World War, made by Heaton, Butler and Bayne.
The church has a large pipe organ. It was first built in 1895 and has been updated several times. It has three keyboards and 38 different sounds, with 2,338 pipes! The tower also holds ten bells that can be rung together.
Outside the Church Grounds
At the entrance to the churchyard, there's a large and fancy lychgate. This gate was also designed by Grayson and Ould, the same architects who designed the church. It has a wooden roof on a stone base. The roof is covered with wooden tiles, and the wooden beams are beautifully carved. A cross sits on top of the lychgate. This lychgate is also a Grade II listed building, meaning it's an important historic structure.
In the churchyard, there's another memorial for the First World War. It's designed in the Art Nouveau style and has a Celtic cross on it. It also has the word "PEACE" and the date the war ended. You can also find the grave of Bob Paisley (1919–1996) here, who was a famous footballer and manager for Liverpool F.C..
The Beatles Connection
St Peter's Church has a very famous connection to the legendary band, The Beatles. On July 6, 1957, John Lennon first met Paul McCartney in the church hall of St Peter's. At the time, John was playing with his group called The Quarrymen. Paul eventually joined the group, and they later became The Beatles!
In the churchyard of St Peter's, there's a grave for a person named Eleanor Rigby. This is a fun coincidence because it's the same name as a famous Beatles' song. Also in the churchyard is the grave of John Lennon's uncle, George Toogood Smith, who raised John when he was a child.
See also
- Grade II* listed buildings in Liverpool – Suburbs
