St Stephen's Church, Prenton facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St Stephen's Church, Prenton
St Stephen's Church, Prenton, from the southwest
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OS grid reference	SJ 308 863
Location	Prenton Lane, Prenton, Birkenhead, Wirral, Merseyside
Country	England
Denomination	Anglican
Churchmanship	Evangelical
Website	[1]
History
Status	Parish church
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Heritage designation	Grade II
Designated	28 March 1974
Architect(s)	C. E. Deacon; Deacon and Horsburgh
Architectural type	Church
Style	Gothic Revival
Groundbreaking	1896
Completed	1909
Specifications
Materials	Sandstone, tiled roofs
Administration
Parish	St Stephen, Prenton
Deanery	Birkenhead
Archdeaconry	Chester
Diocese	Chester
Province	York

St Stephen's Church is a beautiful old church located on Prenton Lane in Prenton, Birkenhead, England. It's an active Anglican church, which means it's part of the Church of England. This church is very important, so it's officially listed as a Grade II building. This means it has special historical or architectural value.

Building St Stephen's Church

St Stephen's Church was built in two main parts. The first part was constructed between 1896 and 1897. This section was designed by an architect named C. E. Deacon. It included the front part of the church, called the nave, and the entrance porches.

The second part of the church was added later, from 1908 to 1909. This time, Deacon worked with another architect, Horsburgh. They extended the nave and built the chancel (the area around the altar) and the vestry (a room for clergy). There were plans to add a tall tower and spire, but these were never built.

Church Design and Features

St Stephen's Church is built from sandstone and has a Gothic Revival style. This style looks back to medieval churches with pointed arches and tall windows. The inside walls are made of brick, and the roofs are covered with tiles.

Outside the Church

The church has a main area called the nave, with smaller sections on either side called aisles. These aisles have sloping roofs. There are also chapels (smaller prayer areas) at the east end and vestries.

The large window at the west end of the church has five sections. Along the sides of the aisles, you can see groups of stepped lancet windows. These are tall, narrow windows with pointed tops. There are also doorways near the front of the church. At the east end, there are strong supports called buttresses, and the main east window has five stepped lancet windows.

Inside the Church

Inside, the main space has arcades, which are rows of arches. These arches are supported by square pillars with carved tops, called capitals, that look like plants. The arches themselves are simple and smooth. The arch leading into the chancel is very pointed, and its capitals are carved with angels.

In the chancel, there's a special seat for clergy called a sedilia, made of brick. It has small figures called putti made from terracotta. One of the chapels has a painted ceiling and special decorations from 1970, designed by Stephen Dykes Bower.

The reredos (a screen behind the altar), the altar itself, the seats for the clergy (stalls), and the pulpit (where sermons are given) were all designed by Deacon. They were carved by a craftsman named Harry Hems. A screen in the chapel, made in 1949, was designed by Bernard Miller and painted by Martin Bell.

Stained Glass Windows

The stained glass in the east window is a war memorial from 1926, made by Powells. There's another window by Powells in the chapel from 1927. In the south aisle, you'll find windows by Trena Cox. One window from 1970 was made by A. V. Holloway. There's also a special Millennium window by J. Lawson. The glass in the west window was added in 1973.

Church Organ

The church originally had a pipe organ made in 1899 by P. Conacher. It was repaired in 1909 by Gray and Davison. However, this pipe organ has now been replaced by a modern electronic organ.

Why St Stephen's Church is Special

St Stephen's Church was officially recognized as a Grade II listed building on March 28, 1974. Grade II is the lowest of the three levels of listing, given to buildings that are important to the country's history or have special design. Experts have described it as a "grand church, noble in size, original in design and excellent in its fitting-out." This means they think it's a large, impressive church with unique design and high-quality features.

See also

• Listed buildings in Prenton