St Patrick's Church, Preston Patrick
Encyclopedia
St Patrick's Church, Preston Patrick, is in the village of Preston Patrick, Cumbria
, England. It is an active Anglican
parish church
in the deanery of Kendal, the archdeaconry of Westmorland and Furness, and the diocese of Carlisle
. The church has been designated by English Heritage
as a Grade II listed building. Although now dedicated to Saint Patrick
, the church was formerly dedicated to Saint Gregory
. According to the architectural historian Nikolaus Pevsner
, it stands in a position "handsomely isolated on a hill".
architects Edmund Sharpe
and E. G. Paley
reported that the chapel on the site appeared, from its architectural design, to have been built during the reign of Henry VII
(1457–1509). The architects designed a new church. Building started in 1852 and the new church opened on 28 November 1852; it cost about £1,400 (£ as of ). In 1892 the chancel
was rebuilt by Austin, Paley and Austin, the successors of Sharpe and Paley.
with limestone dressings in the nave
, and sandstone
dressings in the chancel. The roof is of slate
, with a stone ridge and copings
. Fabric from the earlier church is incorporated in this church consisting of a window in the tower and niches
in the chancel. The architectural style is Perpendicular. The plan of the church consists of a west tower, a four-bay
nave with a north aisle
and a south porch, a single-bay chancel, and a vestry
. The tower is square, and in four stages that are separated by a string courses. The top stage contains bell openings in each face, and the tower is surmounted by battlement
ed parapet
s. At its southwest corner is a bell turret
that rises to a higher level than the tower. In the body of the church, the west and east windows have four lights. The stained glass, which dates from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, includes a window on the south side of the nave by Heaton, Butler and Bayne
. The two-manual
organ was made by Wilkinson in 1891, and was overhauled in 1992.
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
, 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 Kendal, the archdeaconry of Westmorland and Furness, and the diocese of Carlisle
Diocese of Carlisle
The Diocese of Carlisle was created in 1133 by Henry I out of part of the Diocese of Durham, although many people of Celtic descent in the area looked to Glasgow for spiritual leadership. The first bishop was Æthelwold, formerly the king's confessor and now prior of the Augustinian priory at...
. 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. Although now dedicated to Saint Patrick
Saint Patrick
Saint Patrick was a Romano-Briton and Christian missionary, who is the most generally recognized patron saint of Ireland or the Apostle of Ireland, although Brigid of Kildare and Colmcille are also formally patron saints....
, the church was formerly dedicated to Saint Gregory
Pope Gregory I
Pope Gregory I , better known in English as Gregory the Great, was pope from 3 September 590 until his death...
. According to 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...
, it stands in a position "handsomely isolated on a hill".
History
In 1850 the LancasterLancaster, 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...
architects Edmund Sharpe
Edmund 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...
and 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:...
reported that the chapel on the site appeared, from its architectural design, to have been built during the reign of Henry VII
Henry VII of England
Henry VII was King of England and Lord of Ireland from his seizing the crown on 22 August 1485 until his death on 21 April 1509, as the first monarch of the House of Tudor....
(1457–1509). The architects designed a new church. Building started in 1852 and the new church opened on 28 November 1852; it cost about £1,400 (£ as of ). In 1892 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...
was rebuilt by Austin, Paley and Austin, the successors of Sharpe and Paley.
Architecture
The church is 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 limestone dressings 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...
, and 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 in the chancel. The roof is of 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...
, with a stone ridge and copings
Coping (architecture)
Coping , consists of the capping or covering of a wall.A splayed or wedge coping slopes in a single direction; a saddle coping slopes to either side of a central high point....
. Fabric from the earlier church is incorporated in this church consisting of a window in the tower and 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;...
in the chancel. The architectural style is Perpendicular. The plan of the church consists of a west tower, a four-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:...
nave with a 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...
and a south porch, a single-bay chancel, 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 tower is square, and in four stages that are separated by a string courses. The top stage contains bell openings in each face, and the tower is surmounted by 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...
s. At its southwest corner is 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...
that rises to a higher level than the tower. In the body of the church, the west and east windows have four lights. The stained glass, which dates from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, includes a window on the south side of the nave 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...
. 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 Wilkinson in 1891, and was overhauled in 1992.