St Helen's Church, Churchtown
Encyclopedia
St Helen's Church is an Anglican
church in the village of Churchtown (Kirkland
) in Lancashire
, England. Historically, it was the parish church
of Garstang
; today, as Garstang is split into more than one ecclesiastical parish, St Helen's parish is Garstang St Helen (Churchtown). It is in the Diocese of Blackburn
. It has been designated a Grade I listed building by English Heritage
. St Helen's is known as the "cathedral of the Fylde".
, with St Helen's as the parish church
. The oldest parts of the church date from the 13th century, these are the piers
and respond
s in the chancel
, and the arch piers in the nave
. The church was rebuilt in the 15th and 16th centuries. In 1736, an overflow of the River Wyre
flooded the churchyard and damaged the church, necessitating its restoration. In 1811 the roofs were replaced, the walls were raised and a clerestory
added. Further restoration work
took place 1865–1868.
on 17 April 1967. The Grade I designation—the highest of the three grades—is for buildings "of exceptional interest, sometimes considered to be internationally important".
An active church in the Church of England
, St Helen's is part of the diocese of Blackburn
, which is in the Province of York
. It is in the archdeaconry of Blackburn and the Deanery
of Garstang. In shares a benefice with St Michael's Church in St Michael's on Wyre
. The official name of the parish is Garstang St Helen (Churchtown). St Helen's is known as the "cathedral of the Fylde".
dressings. Its plan consists of a clerestoried
nave
with aisle
s to the north and south, a chapel and porch to the south, a tower to the west, and a chancel
, which has north and south aisles and a north vestry
. The roofs are low-pitched. The chapel and aisles have a plain ashlar parapet
.
The west tower has six stages. It has angled buttress
es on the west side and a crenellated
parapet. There is a turret
on its north-east corner, which has a spire
. The belfry
louvres
have trefoil
ed two-light openings with square heads. There is also a small, square window at the level of the bell-ringing chamber. The north wall of the tower has a clock.
ed orders
. The nave measures 55 in 6 in (16.92 m) by 21 in 9 in (6.63 m). It is separated from the north and south aisles by five-bay
arcade
s, with pointed arches and round pier
s. There is a recumbent effigy
in the nave to Alexander Butler (d. 1726). The Lady chapel
south of the south aisle is accessed through two pointed arches. It was founded by Margaret Rigmaiden (d. 1516) of Wedacre. The chapel contains a piscina
(basin), which has a cusped head. On the wall there is an inscription in Latin warning of "idle chatter in church".
The chancel measures 36 in 9 in (11.2 m) by 19 in 3 in (5.87 m). The pointed chancel arch separating the chancel from the nave is in the Decorated style; it has two orders with wave moulding
. The vestry at the north-east corner of the building is mostly constructed of dressed
stone, which contrasts with the rubble of the rest of the church.
The stained glass
in the church dates mostly from the 19th century. It includes work by Ward and Hughes
, William Wailes
and Heaton, Butler and Bayne
. The tower houses a ring of six bells
hung in an iron frame, that are rung from the ground floor. They were cast in 1828 by Thomas Mears of London.
that dates from 1757. South of the church there is the chamfered shaft of a sandstone cross, probably dating from the Middle Ages. North-east of the church is a stone cross. The base is from the Middle Ages but the shaft and octagonal steps were replaced in the 1930s. The whole cross and the incomplete cross shaft have also been given Grade II listings.
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 the village of Churchtown (Kirkland
Kirkland, Lancashire
Kirkland is a civil parish located on the banks of the River Wyre midway between Preston and Lancaster in the English county of Lancashire. It is also the historic name of the village of Churchtown within the parish. There are two pubs: the Punchbowl and the Horns Inn.Kirkland forms part of the...
) in 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. Historically, it was the 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:...
of Garstang
Garstang
Garstang is a town and civil parish within the Wyre borough of Lancashire, England. It is ten miles north-northwest of the city of Preston and eleven miles south of Lancaster, and had a total resident population of 4,074 in 2001....
; today, as Garstang is split into more than one ecclesiastical parish, St Helen's parish is Garstang St Helen (Churchtown). It is 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...
. It has been designated a Grade I 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...
. St Helen's is known as the "cathedral of the Fylde".
History
Historically, the village of Churchtown was part of the ecclesiastical parish of GarstangGarstang
Garstang is a town and civil parish within the Wyre borough of Lancashire, England. It is ten miles north-northwest of the city of Preston and eleven miles south of Lancaster, and had a total resident population of 4,074 in 2001....
, with St Helen's as the 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:...
. The oldest parts of the church date from the 13th century, these are the 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...
and respond
Respond
A respond is a half-pier or half-pillar which is bonded into a wall and designed to carry the springer at one end of an arch....
s in 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...
, and the arch piers in 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...
. The church was rebuilt in the 15th and 16th centuries. In 1736, an overflow of the River Wyre
River Wyre
The River Wyre is a river in Lancashire, United Kingdom, which flows into the Irish Sea at Fleetwood. It is approximately 28 miles in length...
flooded the churchyard and damaged the church, necessitating its restoration. In 1811 the roofs were replaced, the walls were raised and a clerestory
Clerestory
Clerestory is an architectural term that historically denoted an upper level of a Roman basilica or of the nave of a Romanesque or Gothic church, the walls of which rise above the rooflines of the lower aisles and are pierced with windows. In modern usage, clerestory refers to any high windows...
added. Further restoration work
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...
took place 1865–1868.
Assessment and administration
St Helen's is situated close to the banks of the River Wyre. It was designated a Grade I listed building by English HeritageEnglish Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
on 17 April 1967. The Grade I designation—the highest of the three grades—is for buildings "of exceptional interest, sometimes considered to be internationally important".
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...
, St Helen's 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 Blackburn 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 Garstang. In shares a benefice with St Michael's Church in St Michael's on Wyre
St Michael's On Wyre
St Michael's on Wyre is a village on the Fylde, in the Borough of Wyre, in Lancashire, England; it lies on the River Wyre. The village is centred on the church of St Michael's which was founded before AD 640...
. The official name of the parish is Garstang St Helen (Churchtown). St Helen's is known as the "cathedral of the Fylde".
Exterior
St Helen's is constructed in the Perpendicular style of rubble with ashlarAshlar
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...
dressings. Its plan consists of a clerestoried
Clerestory
Clerestory is an architectural term that historically denoted an upper level of a Roman basilica or of the nave of a Romanesque or Gothic church, the walls of which rise above the rooflines of the lower aisles and are pierced with windows. In modern usage, clerestory refers to any high windows...
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...
with 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 to the north and south, a chapel and porch to the south, a tower to the west, and 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...
, which has north and south aisles and a north 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....
. The roofs are low-pitched. The chapel and aisles have a plain ashlar 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 west tower has six stages. It has angled buttress
Buttress
A buttress is an architectural structure built against or projecting from a wall which serves to support or reinforce the wall...
es on the west side and a crenellated
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...
parapet. There is a turret
Turret
In architecture, a turret is a small tower that projects vertically from the wall of a building such as a medieval castle. Turrets were used to provide a projecting defensive position allowing covering fire to the adjacent wall in the days of military fortification...
on its north-east corner, which has a spire
Spire
A spire is a tapering conical or pyramidal structure on the top of a building, particularly a church tower. Etymologically, the word is derived from the Old English word spir, meaning a sprout, shoot, or stalk of grass....
. The belfry
Bell tower
A bell tower is a tower which contains one or more bells, or which is designed to hold bells, even if it has none. In the European tradition, such a tower most commonly serves as part of a church and contains church bells. When attached to a city hall or other civic building, especially in...
louvres
Louver
A louver or louvre , from the French l'ouvert; "the open one") is a window, blind or shutter with horizontal slats that are angled to admit light and air, but to keep out rain, direct sunshine, and noise...
have trefoil
Trefoil
Trefoil is a graphic form composed of the outline of three overlapping rings used in architecture and Christian symbolism...
ed two-light openings with square heads. There is also a small, square window at the level of the bell-ringing chamber. The north wall of the tower has a clock.
Interior and fittings
Internally, the tower measures 11 feet (3.4 m) square. It is entered from the nave through an arch of two hollow chamferChamfer
A chamfer is a beveled edge connecting two surfaces. If the surfaces are at right angles, the chamfer will typically be symmetrical at 45 degrees. A fillet is the rounding off of an interior corner. A rounding of an exterior corner is called a "round" or a "radius"."Chamfer" is a term commonly...
ed orders
Classical order
A classical order is one of the ancient styles of classical architecture, each distinguished by its proportions and characteristic profiles and details, and most readily recognizable by the type of column employed. Three ancient orders of architecture—the Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian—originated in...
. The nave measures 55 in 6 in (16.92 m) by 21 in 9 in (6.63 m). It is separated from the north and south aisles by five-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:...
arcade
Arcade (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....
s, with pointed arches and round 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. There is a recumbent effigy
Effigy
An effigy is a representation of a person, especially in the form of sculpture or some other three-dimensional form.The term is usually associated with full-length figures of a deceased person depicted in stone or wood on church monuments. These most often lie supine with hands together in prayer,...
in the nave to Alexander Butler (d. 1726). The Lady chapel
Lady chapel
A Lady chapel, also called Mary chapel or Marian chapel, is a traditional English term for a chapel inside a cathedral, basilica, or large church dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary...
south of the south aisle is accessed through two pointed arches. It was founded by Margaret Rigmaiden (d. 1516) of Wedacre. The chapel contains a piscina
Piscina
A piscina is a shallow basin placed near the altar of a church, used for washing the communion vessels. The sacrarium is the drain itself. Anglicans usually refer to the basin, calling it a piscina. Roman Catholics usually refer to the drain, and by extension, the basin, as the sacrarium...
(basin), which has a cusped head. On the wall there is an inscription in Latin warning of "idle chatter in church".
The chancel measures 36 in 9 in (11.2 m) by 19 in 3 in (5.87 m). The pointed chancel arch separating the chancel from the nave is in the Decorated style; it has two orders with wave moulding
Molding (decorative)
Molding or moulding is a strip of material with various profiles used to cover transitions between surfaces or for decoration. It is traditionally made from solid milled wood or plaster but may be made from plastic or reformed wood...
. The vestry at the north-east corner of the building is mostly constructed of dressed
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...
stone, which contrasts with the rubble of the rest of the church.
The stained glass
Stained glass
The term stained glass can refer to coloured glass as a material or to works produced from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant buildings...
in the church dates mostly from the 19th century. It includes work by Ward and Hughes
Ward and Hughes
Ward and Hughes was the name of an English company producing stained glass windows. They began in 1836 as Ward and Nixon.Perhaps the most prestigious stained glass commission of the 19th century, the re-glazing of East Window of Lincoln Cathedral, went to Ward and Nixon in 1855...
, 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...
and Heaton, Butler and Bayne
Heaton, Butler and Bayne
Heaton, Butler and Bayne is the name of an English firm who produced stained glass windows from 1855 onwards.-History:Clement Heaton originally founded his own stained glass firm in 1852, joined by James Butler in 1855. Between 1859-61 they worked alongside Clayton and Bell and were joined by...
. The tower houses a ring of six bells
Ring of bells
"Ring of bells" is a term most often applied to a set of bells hung in the English style, typically for change ringing...
hung in an iron frame, that are rung from the ground floor. They were cast in 1828 by Thomas Mears of London.
Churchyard
The churchyard is mostly to the north and south sides of the church. It contains several sandstone headstones that have received a Grade II designation from English Heritage. They date mostly from the 18th century. There is a sundialSundial
A sundial is a device that measures time by the position of the Sun. In common designs such as the horizontal sundial, the sun casts a shadow from its style onto a surface marked with lines indicating the hours of the day. The style is the time-telling edge of the gnomon, often a thin rod or a...
that dates from 1757. South of the church there is the chamfered shaft of a sandstone cross, probably dating from the Middle Ages. North-east of the church is a stone cross. The base is from the Middle Ages but the shaft and octagonal steps were replaced in the 1930s. The whole cross and the incomplete cross shaft have also been given Grade II listings.
See also
- Grade I listed buildings in Lancashire
- List of ecclesiastical works by E. G. Paley