Christ Church, Wesham
Encyclopedia
Christ Church is an Anglican
church in Wesham
, a small town in the English county of Lancashire
. It is an active parish church
in the Diocese of Blackburn
and the archdeaconry of Lancaster. It was built 1893–94 by Paley, Austin and Paley. It has been designated a Grade II listed building by English Heritage.
of Christ Church was built 1893–94 to a design by Lancaster-based architecture firm Paley, Austin and Paley. The same firm, by then known as Austin and Paley, completed the building in 1927, adding a chancel
and a steeple
.
The church was used as a chapel-of-ease to Kirkham until 1913, when it was made a separate parish. The foundation stone was laid on 30 June 30 1892, by the Lady E. C. Clifton, and the church was consecrated by Bishop Moorhouse on 27 September 1894. The cost of the building was £3,350. The church was seated with open pine benches to accommodate 440 persons.
On 11 June 1986, Christ Church was designated a Grade II listed building by English Heritage
. The Grade II designation—the third highest of the three grades—is for buildings that are "nationally important and of special interest". An active church in the Church of England
, Christ Church is part of the diocese of Blackburn
, which is in the Province of York
. It is in the archdeaconry of Lancaster and the Deanery
of Kirkham. It forms a benefice with Christ Church, Treales.
in red terracotta. The roof is red tile. The church plan consists of a nave and chancel under one roof, with a steeple to the south-west. The tower is of three stages and has a stepped sandstone parapet
; the steeple is clad in green slate
.
The nave has six bay
s and internally there are stone pier
s. The chancel has a large east window with mouchette tracery
.
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...
church in Wesham
Wesham
Medlar with Wesham is civil parish on the Fylde in Lancashire, England. It lies within the Borough of Fylde, and had a population of 3,245 in 1,294 households recorded in the 2001 census....
, a small town in the English county of 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...
. It is an active parish church
Church of England parish church
A parish church in the Church of England is the church which acts as the religious centre for the people within the smallest and most basic Church of England administrative region, known as a parish.-Parishes in England:...
in 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...
and the archdeaconry of Lancaster. It was built 1893–94 by Paley, Austin and Paley. It has been designated a Grade II listed building by English Heritage.
History and administration
The naveNave
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...
of Christ Church was built 1893–94 to a design by Lancaster-based architecture firm Paley, Austin and Paley. The same firm, by then known as Austin and Paley, completed the building in 1927, adding a 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...
and a steeple
Steeple (architecture)
A steeple, in architecture, is a tall tower on a building, often topped by a spire. Steeples are very common on Christian churches and cathedrals and the use of the term generally connotes a religious structure...
.
The church was used as a chapel-of-ease to Kirkham until 1913, when it was made a separate parish. The foundation stone was laid on 30 June 30 1892, by the Lady E. C. Clifton, and the church was consecrated by Bishop Moorhouse on 27 September 1894. The cost of the building was £3,350. The church was seated with open pine benches to accommodate 440 persons.
On 11 June 1986, Christ Church was designated a Grade II listed building 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...
. The Grade II designation—the third highest of the three grades—is for buildings that are "nationally important and of special interest". An active church in the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
, Christ Church is part of 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...
, which is in the Province of York
Province of York
The Province of York is one of two ecclesiastical provinces making up the Church of England, and consists of 14 dioceses which cover the northern third of England and the Isle of Man. York was elevated to an Archbishopric in 735 AD: Ecgbert of York was the first archbishop...
. It is in the archdeaconry of Lancaster and the Deanery
Deanery
A Deanery is an ecclesiastical entity in both the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of England. A deanery is either the jurisdiction or residence of a Dean.- Catholic usage :...
of Kirkham. It forms a benefice with Christ Church, Treales.
Architecture
Christ Church is in the Decorated Perpendicular style and is constructed of red brick with dressingsAshlar
Ashlar is prepared stone work of any type of stone. Masonry using such stones laid in parallel courses is known as ashlar masonry, whereas masonry using irregularly shaped stones is known as rubble masonry. Ashlar blocks are rectangular cuboid blocks that are masonry sculpted to have square edges...
in red terracotta. The roof is red tile. The church plan consists of a nave and chancel under one roof, with a steeple to the south-west. The tower is of three stages and has a stepped sandstone parapet
Parapet
A parapet is a wall-like barrier at the edge of a roof, terrace, balcony or other structure. Where extending above a roof, it may simply be the portion of an exterior wall that continues above the line of the roof surface, or may be a continuation of a vertical feature beneath the roof such as a...
; the steeple is clad in green 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...
.
The nave has six bay
Bay (architecture)
A bay is a unit of form in architecture. This unit is defined as the zone between the outer edges of an engaged column, pilaster, or post; or within a window frame, doorframe, or vertical 'bas relief' wall form.-Defining elements:...
s and internally there are stone pier
Pier (architecture)
In architecture, a pier is an upright support for a superstructure, such as an arch or bridge. Sections of wall between openings function as piers. The simplest cross section of the pier is square, or rectangular, although other shapes are also common, such as the richly articulated piers of Donato...
s. The chancel has a large east window with mouchette tracery
Tracery
In architecture, Tracery is the stonework elements that support the glass in a Gothic window. The term probably derives from the 'tracing floors' on which the complex patterns of late Gothic windows were laid out.-Plate tracery:...
.
See also
- List of works by Paley, Austin and Paley
- List of ecclesiastical works by Austin and Paley (1916–44)