Holy Trinity Church, Bolton-le-Sands
Encyclopedia
Holy Trinity Church, Bolton-le-Sands, (formerly St Michael's Church), is in the village of Bolton-le-Sands
, Lancashire
, England. It is an active Anglican
parish church
in the deanery of Tunstall, the archdeaconry of Lancaster, and the diocese of Blackburn
. Its benefice is united with that of St Mark, Nether Kellett. The church has been designated by English Heritage
as a Grade II* listed building.
, which date from the late 15th century. The nave
was built in 1813. In 1847 the Lancaster
architectural practice of Sharpe and Paley added the chancel
. The church was restored
in 1863–64 by E. G. Paley
(by this time Sharpe had retired from the practice). The north aisle
was widened in 1880, at which time a timber porch was also added. This work was done by the same architectural practice, by then Paley and Austin.
with slate
roofs. The tower is in ashlar
sandstone
, and the south wall of the nave is pebbledashed. Its plan consists of a nave, a north aisle, a south porch, a chancel and a west tower. The tower is in three stages. In the bottom stage is a west door and a three-light window. This window is flanked by niches
with pinnacle
s. The bell openings also have three lights. The tower is supported by diagonal buttress
es, and on its summit is a battlement
ed parapet
. At its southwest is a projection for stairs. The windows in the south nave wall contain Perpendicular tracery
. The chancel is in Early English style.
running between the nave and chancel, and the north aisle. It is supported by octagonal piers
, other than the second pier from the east, which is rectangular. The nave has a hammerbeam roof
, and the chancel roof is scissor-braced. Between the chancel and the aisle is a sandstone memorial to the memory of a man who died in 1642 with the inscription "It is supposed that he lived above 100 yeares". Elsewhere there are 19th-century monuments in Classical
style, and brasses
dated 1692 and 1872. The reredos
is in alabaster
and dates from 1897. The stained glass in the west window dates from 1891. It depicts archangel
s, was designed by Carl Almquist, and made by Shrigley and Hunt
. The glass in the chancel windows was designed by William Wailes
. Also in the church are two pieces of carved Anglo-Saxon
stone dating from the 10th century.
Bolton-le-Sands
Bolton-le-Sands is a large village and civil parish of the City of Lancaster in Lancashire, England. The parish had a population of 4,098 recorded in the 2001 census,...
, 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 Tunstall, the archdeaconry of Lancaster, 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...
. Its benefice is united with that of St Mark, Nether Kellett. 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
A church has been on the site since before 1094. The oldest parts of the present church are the tower and the north arcadeArcade (architecture)
An arcade is a succession of arches, each counterthrusting the next, supported by columns or piers or a covered walk enclosed by a line of such arches on one or both sides. In warmer or wet climates, exterior arcades provide shelter for pedestrians....
, which date from the late 15th century. 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 built in 1813. In 1847 the 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...
architectural practice of Sharpe and Paley added 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...
. The church was restored
Victorian restoration
Victorian restoration is the term commonly used to refer to the widespread and extensive refurbishment and rebuilding of Church of England churches and cathedrals that took place in England and Wales during the 19th-century reign of Queen Victoria...
in 1863–64 by E. G. Paley
Edward Graham Paley
Edward Graham Paley, usually known as E. G. Paley, , was an English architect who practised in Lancaster, Lancashire, in the second half of the 19th century.-Education and career:...
(by this time Sharpe had retired from the practice). The north 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...
was widened in 1880, at which time a timber porch was also added. This work was done by the same architectural practice, by then Paley and Austin.
Exterior
The church is constructed in rubbleRubble
Rubble is broken stone, of irregular size, shape and texture. This word is closely connected in derivation with "rubbish", which was formerly also applied to what we now call "rubble". Rubble naturally found in the soil is known also as brash...
with 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...
roofs. The tower is in ashlar
Ashlar
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...
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,...
, and the south wall of the nave is pebbledashed. Its plan consists of a nave, a north aisle, a south porch, a chancel and a west tower. The tower is in three stages. In the bottom stage is a west door and a three-light window. This window is flanked by niches
Niche (architecture)
A niche in classical architecture is an exedra or an apse that has been reduced in size, retaining the half-dome heading usual for an apse. Nero's Domus Aurea was the first semi-private dwelling that possessed rooms that were given richly varied floor plans, shaped with niches and exedras;...
with pinnacle
Pinnacle
A pinnacle is an architectural ornament originally forming the cap or crown of a buttress or small turret, but afterwards used on parapets at the corners of towers and in many other situations. The pinnacle looks like a small spire...
s. The bell openings also have three lights. The tower is supported by diagonal buttress
Buttress
A buttress is an architectural structure built against or projecting from a wall which serves to support or reinforce the wall...
es, and on its summit is a battlement
Battlement
A battlement in defensive architecture, such as that of city walls or castles, comprises a parapet , in which portions have been cut out at intervals to allow the discharge of arrows or other missiles. These cut-out portions form crenels...
ed 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...
. At its southwest is a projection for stairs. The windows in the south nave wall contain Perpendicular 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:...
. The chancel is in Early English style.
Interior
The arcade is in five baysBay (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:...
running between the nave and chancel, and the north aisle. It is supported by octagonal piers
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...
, other than the second pier from the east, which is rectangular. The nave has a hammerbeam roof
Hammerbeam roof
Hammerbeam roof, in architecture, is the name given to an open timber roof, typical of English Gothic architecture, using short beams projecting from the wall.- Design :...
, and the chancel roof is scissor-braced. Between the chancel and the aisle is a sandstone memorial to the memory of a man who died in 1642 with the inscription "It is supposed that he lived above 100 yeares". Elsewhere there are 19th-century monuments in Classical
Classical architecture
Classical architecture is a mode of architecture employing vocabulary derived in part from the Greek and Roman architecture of classical antiquity, enriched by classicizing architectural practice in Europe since the Renaissance...
style, and brasses
Monumental brass
Monumental brass is a species of engraved sepulchral memorial which in the early part of the 13th century began to partially take the place of three-dimensional monuments and effigies carved in stone or wood...
dated 1692 and 1872. The reredos
Reredos
thumb|300px|right|An altar and reredos from [[St. Josaphat's Roman Catholic Church|St. Josaphat Catholic Church]] in [[Detroit]], [[Michigan]]. This would be called a [[retable]] in many other languages and countries....
is in alabaster
Alabaster
Alabaster is a name applied to varieties of two distinct minerals, when used as a material: gypsum and calcite . The former is the alabaster of the present day; generally, the latter is the alabaster of the ancients...
and dates from 1897. The stained glass in the west window dates from 1891. It depicts archangel
Archangel
An archangel is an angel of high rank. Archangels are found in a number of religious traditions, including Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Michael and Gabriel are recognized as archangels in Judaism and by most Christians. Michael is the only archangel specifically named in the Protestant Bible...
s, was designed by Carl Almquist, and made by Shrigley and Hunt
Shrigley and Hunt
Shrigley and Hunt was the name of an English firm which produced stained glass windows and art tiles.The business began in the 1750s when Shrigley's was a painting, carving and gilding firm in Lancaster, Lancashire....
. The glass in the chancel windows was designed by William Wailes
William Wailes
William Wailes, , was the proprietor of one of England’s largest and most prolific stained glass workshops.- Biographical :Wailes was born and grew up in Newcastle on Tyne, England’s centre of domestic glass and bottle manufacturing. His first business was as a grocer and tea merchant...
. Also in the church are two pieces of carved Anglo-Saxon
Anglo-Saxon architecture
Anglo-Saxon architecture was a period in the history of architecture in England, and parts of Wales, from the mid-5th century until the Norman Conquest of 1066. Anglo-Saxon secular buildings in Britain were generally simple, constructed mainly using timber with thatch for roofing...
stone dating from the 10th century.