Christ Church, Chatburn
Encyclopedia
Christ Church, Chatburn, is in the village of Chatburn
, Lancashire
, England. It is an active Anglican
parish church
in the deanery of Whalley, the archdeaconry of Blackburn and the diocese of Blackburn
. The church has been designated by English Heritage
as a Grade II listed building.
of Lancaster
. It was one of Sharpe's first commissions and one of his early churches in Romanesque
style. The foundation stone was laid on 22 June 1837. Under the stone a bottle was placed containing coins, medals, and a copy of the Blackburn Standard. The church was consecrated
on 18 September 1838 by the Bishop of Chester
. On 3 May 1854 the spire was struck by lightning, damaging both the spire and the tower.
In 1881 it was decided to enlarge the church, and the architect Frederick Robinson from Derby
was commissioned to supervise this. The nave
was widened by the addition of north and south aisle
s, and the chancel
by the addition of a north transept
, acting as an organ chamber, and a south transept, used as a choir vestry
. This was carried out in 1882–83. The architectural historian Nikolaus Pevsner
remarks on the uniform architectural style used by the two architects, writing "all is so entirely of a piece".
with sandstone
dressings and it has a slate
roof; the spire is in sandstone. The expansion of 1882–83 is in Runcorn
red sandstone, with dressings in Bath stone
. The tower has three stages; the lowest stage has two blank arches on each side and two round-headed windows on the west front. There are similar windows on each side of both upper stages, and in the top stage are clock faces. The plan of the church consists of a west tower with a spire, a nave with north and south aisles and a south porch, and a chancel with a semicircular apse
. Internally, at the west end is a gallery. The two-manual
organ was made by Brindley & Foster
of Sheffield
in 1890.
Chatburn
Chatburn is a village located in the Ribble Valley, East Lancashire, England. It is situated in a hollow between two ridges north-east of Clitheroe, just off the A59 road. It lies near Pendle Hill, which is to the east of the village. The River Ribble flows to the west of the town...
, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, England. It is an active Anglican
Anglicanism
Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
parish church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
in the deanery of Whalley, the archdeaconry of Blackburn and the diocese of Blackburn
Diocese of Blackburn
The Diocese of Blackburn is a Church of England diocese, covering much of Lancashire, created in 1926 from part of the Diocese of Manchester. The Diocese includes the towns of Blackburn, Blackpool, Burnley, and the cities of Lancaster, and Preston, as well as a large part of the Ribble Valley...
. The church has been designated by English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
as a Grade II listed building.
History
Construction of the church began in 1837, the architect being Edmund SharpeEdmund Sharpe
Edmund Sharpe was an English architect and engineer. He started his career as an architect, initially on his own, then in partnership with Edward Paley, designing mainly churches but also some secular buildings...
of Lancaster
Lancaster, Lancashire
Lancaster is the county town of Lancashire, England. It is situated on the River Lune and has a population of 45,952. Lancaster is a constituent settlement of the wider City of Lancaster, local government district which has a population of 133,914 and encompasses several outlying towns, including...
. It was one of Sharpe's first commissions and one of his early churches in Romanesque
Romanesque Revival architecture
Romanesque Revival is a style of building employed beginning in the mid 19th century inspired by the 11th and 12th century Romanesque architecture...
style. The foundation stone was laid on 22 June 1837. Under the stone a bottle was placed containing coins, medals, and a copy of the Blackburn Standard. The church was consecrated
Consecration
Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service, usually religious. The word "consecration" literally means "to associate with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different groups...
on 18 September 1838 by the Bishop of Chester
Bishop of Chester
The Bishop of Chester is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Chester in the Province of York.The diocese expands across most of the historic county boundaries of Cheshire, including the Wirral Peninsula and has its see in the City of Chester where the seat is located at the Cathedral...
. On 3 May 1854 the spire was struck by lightning, damaging both the spire and the tower.
In 1881 it was decided to enlarge the church, and the architect Frederick Robinson from Derby
Derby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
was commissioned to supervise this. The nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
was widened by the addition of north and south aisle
Aisle
An aisle is, in general, a space for walking with rows of seats on both sides or with rows of seats on one side and a wall on the other...
s, and the chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
by the addition of a north transept
Transept
For the periodical go to The Transept.A transept is a transverse section, of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In Christian churches, a transept is an area set crosswise to the nave in a cruciform building in Romanesque and Gothic Christian church architecture...
, acting as an organ chamber, and a south transept, used as a choir vestry
Vestry
A vestry is a room in or attached to a church or synagogue in which the vestments, vessels, records, etc., are kept , and in which the clergy and choir robe or don their vestments for divine service....
. This was carried out in 1882–83. The architectural historian Nikolaus Pevsner
Nikolaus Pevsner
Sir Nikolaus Bernhard Leon Pevsner, CBE, FBA was a German-born British scholar of history of art and, especially, of history of architecture...
remarks on the uniform architectural style used by the two architects, writing "all is so entirely of a piece".
Architecture
The original parts of Christ Church are constructed in limestoneLimestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
with sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
dressings and it has a slate
Slate
Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. The result is a foliated rock in which the foliation may not correspond to the original sedimentary layering...
roof; the spire is in sandstone. The expansion of 1882–83 is in Runcorn
Runcorn
Runcorn is an industrial town and cargo port within the borough of Halton in the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. In 2009, its population was estimated to be 61,500. The town is on the southern bank of the River Mersey where the estuary narrows to form Runcorn Gap. Directly to the north...
red sandstone, with dressings in Bath stone
Bath Stone
Bath Stone is an Oolitic Limestone comprising granular fragments of calcium carbonate. Originally obtained from the Combe Down and Bathampton Down Mines under Combe Down, Somerset, England, its warm, honey colouring gives the World Heritage City of Bath, England its distinctive appearance...
. The tower has three stages; the lowest stage has two blank arches on each side and two round-headed windows on the west front. There are similar windows on each side of both upper stages, and in the top stage are clock faces. The plan of the church consists of a west tower with a spire, a nave with north and south aisles and a south porch, and a chancel with a semicircular apse
Apse
In architecture, the apse is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome...
. Internally, at the west end is a gallery. The two-manual
Manual (music)
A manual is a keyboard designed to be played with the hands on a pipe organ, harpsichord, clavichord, electronic organ, or synthesizer. The term "manual" is used with regard to any hand keyboard on these instruments to distinguish it from the pedalboard, which is a keyboard that the organist plays...
organ was made by Brindley & Foster
Brindley & Foster
Brindley & Foster was a pipe organ builder based in Sheffield who flourished between 1854 and 1939.-Background:The business was established by Charles Brindley in 1854. He was joined by Albert Healey Foster in 1871 and the company acquired the name Brindley & Foster.Charles Brindley was born in...
of Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
in 1890.