Weight: 913 lbs Diameter: 34.93" Bell 1 of 1
Founded by John Taylor & Co 1911
Dove Bell ID: 51157 Tower ID: 18436 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Blackpool: St Peter, South Shore
Overview
Grid reference: SD 308 344
An Edwardian Gothic church of very red brick which stands out principally because of this. Built on the site of an earlier Mission Hall in 1908, by Potts, Son & Hennings, who also built the town hall and the grammar school in Blackpool, and Whitechapel library, as well as several other public buildings and houses. This would appear to be one of very few churches built by this practice. The style would have to be called free late Gothic Revival with Arts-and-Crafts influence, but with a touch of Romanesque in the tower, chancel apse and other details.
Visiting and facilities
Building is open for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
4-bay aisled nave, transepts expressed only above the aisles, 2-bay apsidal chancel flanked by north vestry and south-east sacristy, south-west tower, and west porch.
Dimensions:
Nave estimated to be c 23m x 8m (80ft x 25’6ft).
Description of Archaeology and History
Built on the site of an earlier Mission Hall in 1908, by Potts, Son & Hennings, who also built the town hall and the grammar school in Blackpool, and Whitechapel library, as well as several other public buildings and houses. This would appear to be one of very few churches built by this practice, another being Micklehurst All Saints, built in 1892 which shows the same rather naïve boldness.
The furnishings and fittings are the sum of several periods of donations, the latest being the fitting of the sanctuary in 1992.
Exterior Description
The style would have to be called free late Gothic Revival with Arts-and-Crafts influence, but with a touch of Romanesque in the tower, chancel apse and other details, quite an ambitious, or naïve, design depending on your point of view. In a way it is reminiscent of the Tower which is visible from outside the church and perhaps of 1900’s Blackpool itself, gauche and over the top, trying a bit too hard. Age has not dimmed the screaming redness of the brick, which due to its inherent hardness is still sharp-edged and looks like shiny plastic in the rain.
The tower is square of one tall stage with slit openings below the belfry stage, which has square 3-light louvred openings with a blind gable above, and a pyramid cap. It is squeezed in between the south transept and vestry, and with the tall gable of the former, the low hipped roof of the latter and the apse of the chancel behind makes for a crowded and varied roofline. The sacristy has 2-light square windows in each face, its east wall is carried along the face of the apse which is contained behind it, as is the vestry on the other side. Beyond this are houses directly adjacent to the church.
Only the west and south facades can be fully appreciated because of the street corner site. The west window is a large pointed 6-light divided into three groups of two by very thick mullions, also a transom across the middle; this a motif employed throughout.. Below this is a projecting canted baptistery with a crenellated parapet. It has a lancet with odd wavy tracery in the heads in each face, and one more such in the aisle end walls each side of the baptistery. The gable is framed by prominent stepped buttresses.
The aisles of the nave have two square 3-lights with transoms to each bay between pronounced buttresses, the heads of the lights cusped. A shallow gabled porch takes up the west bay. The clearstorey has a pair of cusped lancets to each bay except the western bay which has a single lancet. The south transept has a large pointed 5-light above a protruding block with pedimented parapet and two 3-lights as in the aisles. The chancel has three lancets with tracery in the heads.
Building Fabric and Features
Nave
20th century 4-bay aisled
Transept
20th century expressed above aisles
Chancel
20th century 2-bay apsidal
Vestry
20th century north
Sacristy
20th century south east
Tower (component)
20th century south west
Porch
20th century west
Building Materials
Brick
20th century Red Accrington
Terracotta
20th century details
Stone
20th century dressings
Timber
20th century roof structure
Slate
20th century roof covering
Interior
Interior Description
Moving inside, the interior is calmer but again a mix of styles. The brickwork is mostly exposed but the aisle walls are painted cream to cill level. Doors lead off into the plain church hall with stage adjacent. Going into the church and looking west, the baptistery is contained within a broad low arch. There are glazed internal draught lobbies. Looking east, the aisle arcades are carried on broad round-headed stone arches under a continuous hoodmould, springing without capitals from lozenge-shaped piers, from which transverse arches cross the narrow aisles, creating ambulatories.
The eastern nave bays have smaller paired arches, giving access to the transepts. The organ chamber is on two levels, with an upper arch in which the pipes are displayed, above a parapet with terracotta panels. Underneath this are pews facing south, now disused, and access to the vestries, with much useful space. Similar arch on the other side, with a gallery. There is a nave altar on a small platform between the ranks of simple pitched-pine benches filling the nave.
The chancel arch is pointed and plain. The chancel apse has a rib-vaulted ceiling, painted white above the cream apse walls. The pulpit, stone chancel screen with panelled upper part, lectern and choir stalls are all of a piece, the woodwork carved with roundels with various patterns. There are steps up to the chancel and sanctuary. Panelling around the walls, with an embossed brass aumbry (donated 1992) in the north side.
Fixtures and fittings
Altar
20th century Light stained pitched pine chest carved with keys of St Peter, 1992. Similar but plainer nave altar. Oak table in Lady chapel.
Reredos
20th century Wooden panelling with tracery heads and cornice and canopy to the raised central section. 1950s, given by the Mother’s Union as a World War I and II memorial.
Pulpit
20th century The pulpit is of oak, hexagonal with pierced panels with intricate tracery and inscription, with a stone base, of one piece with the communion rails and choir stalls.
Lectern
20th century Oak reading desk, panelled stem and carved top.
Font (component)
20th century Octagonal stone font with carved panels and buttresses to each corner.
Stained Glass (window)
20th century • The three east windows by Barrowclough & Sanders, 1930s. Christ flanked by St Peter and St Mary. • South aisle window various scenes from Christ’s ministry by Shrigley & Hunt of Lancaster, 1930s. • South aisle window by Shrigley & Hunt of Lancaster, 1950s. Christ as Sower, Good Shepherd and Harvester. • South aisle, St George by Shrigley & Hunt of Lancaster, 1930s. • Windows at the west end, given in the 1930s, by Shrigley & Hunt, baptism/childhood/motherhood themes. • North aisle window has the Good Shepherd, 1915.
Plaque (component)
20th century brass memorials
Organ (component)
20th century Two manual pipe organ by Charles Smethurst, 1950. 1 electric piano and 1 electronic organ.
Rail
20th century Wood, very simple.
Panel
20th century Roll of Honour of those fallen in both world wars.
Bells
Portable Furnishings and Artworks
Registers date from 1948.
Churchyard
Grid reference: SD 308 344
Burial and War Grave Information
It is unknown whether the building is consecrated.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has been used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard is used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has war graves.
National Heritage record for England designations
There are no records of National Heritage assets within the curtilage of this site.
Environment
Ancient, Veteran & Notable Trees
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
There are no records of Ancient, Veteran or Notable Trees within the curtilage of this site.
Renewables
| Renewable | Installed |
|---|---|
| Solar PV Panels | No |
| Solar Thermal Panels | No |
| Biomass | No |
| Wind Turbine | No |
| Air Source Heat Pump | No |
| Ground Source Heat Pump | No |
| Ev Charging | No |
Species summary
There are no records of species within the curtilage of this site.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
'Seek advice' Species
More information on species and action to be taken upon discovery.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
Further information
Sources
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