St Michael and All Angels Church, Altcar
Encyclopedia
St Michael and All Angels Church, Altcar, is to the west of the village of Great Altcar
, West Lancashire
, England. The church is timber-framed
and has been designated by English Heritage
as a Grade II* listed building. It is an active Anglican
parish church
in the diocese of Liverpool
, the archdeaconry of Liverpool and the deanery of Sefton. Its benefice
is combined with that of St Stephen's, Hightown. In the Buildings of England series it is described as "an utterly charming church".
dated 1429. In the 17th century the church is said to have been of timber and plaster. In the 1740s it was destroyed by fire and a new church was consecrated in 1747. This was said to have been a small brick building with a cupola
containing one bell and a very plain interior. That church was demolished and the present church was built in 1878–79 to a design by John Douglas
at the expense of the 4th Earl of Sefton
. The church was restored in the 1990s, mainly to deal with rot which was affecting the timber.
on a brick plinth
with a red tile roof. The framing is mostly close studding
with a middle rail. It has been suggested that timber framing was used, not only for aesthetic reasons, but also because the foundations on underlying peat
were not sufficiently stable for a stone building. The plan of the church consists of a five-bay nave
, a bell turret
on the west gable
end, a south porch, a narrow north aisle
, a two-bay chancel
at a lower level, a north organ chamber, and a vestry
. The bell turret is close-studded and has a pyramidal roof with a finial
and a weather vane
. The church is unique in Douglas' output as being entirely half-timbered.
were designed by Douglas and are of carved timber. The reredos
consists of painted tiles, executed by Craven, Dunhill & Co. to designs by Heaton, Butler and Bayne
. It depicts Christ breaking bread before Cleophas and Mary in the centre, St Michael
on the left, and Euphrasia on the right. The only stained glass in the church is in the west window. This is dated 1885 and depicts the baptism of Jesus
.
Great Altcar
Great Altcar is a village and civil parish in West Lancashire, close to Formby on the West Lancashire Coastal Plain. The name Altcar is Norse meaning "marsh by the Alt". The church of St Michael and All Angels is a timber framed structure dating from 1879....
, West Lancashire
West Lancashire
West Lancashire is a non-metropolitan district with the status of a borough in Lancashire, England. Its council is based in Ormskirk. The other town in the borough is Skelmersdale....
, England. The church is timber-framed
Timber framing
Timber framing , or half-timbering, also called in North America "post-and-beam" construction, is the method of creating structures using heavy squared off and carefully fitted and joined timbers with joints secured by large wooden pegs . It is commonplace in large barns...
and 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. 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 diocese of Liverpool
Anglican Diocese of Liverpool
The Diocese of Liverpool is a Church of England diocese based in Liverpool, covering Merseyside north of the River Mersey along with West Lancashire, Wigan in Greater Manchester, Warrington and Widnes in Cheshire...
, the archdeaconry of Liverpool and the deanery of Sefton. Its benefice
Benefice
A benefice is a reward received in exchange for services rendered and as a retainer for future services. The term is now almost obsolete.-Church of England:...
is combined with that of St Stephen's, Hightown. In the Buildings of England series it is described as "an utterly charming church".
History
The earliest record of a church or chapel on the site is in a leaseLeasing
Leasing is a process by which a firm can obtain the use of a certain fixed assets for which it must pay a series of contractual, periodic, tax deductible payments....
dated 1429. In the 17th century the church is said to have been of timber and plaster. In the 1740s it was destroyed by fire and a new church was consecrated in 1747. This was said to have been a small brick building with a cupola
Cupola
In architecture, a cupola is a small, most-often dome-like, structure on top of a building. Often used to provide a lookout or to admit light and air, it usually crowns a larger roof or dome....
containing one bell and a very plain interior. That church was demolished and the present church was built in 1878–79 to a design by John Douglas
John Douglas (architect)
John Douglas was an English architect who designed about 500 buildings in Cheshire, North Wales, and northwest England, in particular in the estate of Eaton Hall. He was trained in Lancaster and practised throughout his career from an office in Chester, Cheshire...
at the expense of the 4th Earl of Sefton
William Molyneux, 4th Earl of Sefton
William Philip Molyneux, 4th Earl of Sefton, KG was a British peer.Born Viscount Molyneux, he was the eldest son of Charles Molyneux, 3rd Earl of Sefton and his wife, Mary. He was educated at Eton College, Berks. In 1854, Molyneux became an ensign in the Grenadier Guards and inherited his father's...
. The church was restored in the 1990s, mainly to deal with rot which was affecting the timber.
Exterior
The church is half-timberedTimber framing
Timber framing , or half-timbering, also called in North America "post-and-beam" construction, is the method of creating structures using heavy squared off and carefully fitted and joined timbers with joints secured by large wooden pegs . It is commonplace in large barns...
on a brick plinth
Plinth
In architecture, a plinth is the base or platform upon which a column, pedestal, statue, monument or structure rests. Gottfried Semper's The Four Elements of Architecture posited that the plinth, the hearth, the roof, and the wall make up all of architectural theory. The plinth usually rests...
with a red tile roof. The framing is mostly close studding
Close studding
Close studding is a form of timber work used in timber-framed buildings in which vertical timbers are set close together, dividing the wall into narrow panels...
with a middle rail. It has been suggested that timber framing was used, not only for aesthetic reasons, but also because the foundations on underlying peat
Peat
Peat is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation matter or histosol. Peat forms in wetland bogs, moors, muskegs, pocosins, mires, and peat swamp forests. Peat is harvested as an important source of fuel in certain parts of the world...
were not sufficiently stable for a stone building. The plan of the church consists of a five-bay 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...
, a bell 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 the west gable
Gable
A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of a sloping roof. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system being used and aesthetic concerns. Thus the type of roof enclosing the volume dictates the shape of the gable...
end, a south porch, a narrow 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...
, a two-bay 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...
at a lower level, a north organ chamber, and a 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 bell turret is close-studded and has a pyramidal roof with a finial
Finial
The finial is an architectural device, typically carved in stone and employed decoratively to emphasize the apex of a gable or any of various distinctive ornaments at the top, end, or corner of a building or structure. Smaller finials can be used as a decorative ornament on the ends of curtain rods...
and a weather vane
Weather vane
A weather vane is an instrument for showing the direction of the wind. They are typically used as an architectural ornament to the highest point of a building....
. The church is unique in Douglas' output as being entirely half-timbered.
Interior
The communion rails, chancel rails, and pulpitPulpit
Pulpit is a speakers' stand in a church. In many Christian churches, there are two speakers' stands at the front of the church. Typically, the one on the left is called the pulpit...
were designed by Douglas and are of carved timber. 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....
consists of painted tiles, executed by Craven, Dunhill & Co. to designs by 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...
. It depicts Christ breaking bread before Cleophas and Mary in the centre, St Michael
Michael (archangel)
Michael , Micha'el or Mîkhā'ēl; , Mikhaḗl; or Míchaël; , Mīkhā'īl) is an archangel in Jewish, Christian, and Islamic teachings. Roman Catholics, Anglicans, and Lutherans refer to him as Saint Michael the Archangel and also simply as Saint Michael...
on the left, and Euphrasia on the right. The only stained glass in the church is in the west window. This is dated 1885 and depicts the baptism of Jesus
Baptism of Jesus
The baptism of Jesus marks the beginning of Jesus Christ's public ministry. This event is recorded in the Canonical Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke. In John 1:29-33 rather than a direct narrative, the Baptist bears witness to the episode...
.