Weight: 560 lbs Diameter: 29.75" Bell 1 of 1
Founded by Naylor, Vickers & Co 1869
Dove Bell ID: 58902 Tower ID: 22858 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Grid reference: SD 531 305
A large Victorian polychrome brick church with prominent south-west tower, the west facade facing onto Brook Street, a main road running north and steeply uphill from the town. The church was built in 1868-70 at the height of the population boom in Preston, by Myres, Veevers & Myres, a local practice. A glazed extension was added to the west porch in the 1970s. It is designed in a mixed Early English and Decorated style.
Building is open for worship
Ground plan:
5-bay nave with south-west tower, north and south transepts, 3-bay chancel (choir / chancel / sanctuary) and apsidal vestries attached to east side of transepts. Glazed extension. Churchyard surrounded by iron railings set into a low brick wall.
Dimensions:
Nave estimated to be c 24m x 11m (80ft x 36ft).
Footprint of Church buildings: 812 m²
The site has low archaeological potential. There was never a previous church on the site and prior to the church’s construction the land on which it stands was a ‘mere waste’ (Hewitson). Preston has a Roman and medieval past, but there have been no recorded archaeological finds of significance in the vicinity of the church.
There is a garden of remembrance in which ashes have been interred to the N of the church.
Land for the church and schools was given by Thomas Tomlinson Esq. of London, and part of the parish of St Peter ‘sliced off’ to form a new district. The schools (now the church hall, in the ownership of the local authority) were completed first, and worship was held in them until the church’s completion. The foundation stone for the church was laid on 18 August 1868 by the local MP, Sir T. G. Fermor-Hesketh. The church cost £6,000 and was designed to accommodate 1,000 people.
The church is designed in a mixed Early English and Decorated style. The roof line is nicely variegated and the massing is excellent, the aspect pleasing from all sides, whereas the main view from the west has been unfortunately compromised by the addition of a porch with a copper roof and naïve detailing intending and failing to complement that of the architecture to which it is attached. Even with this the church is still impressive.
The large tower has angle buttresses of two steep weatherings framing two lancets over small circular windows to the lower stage, with blue brick bands arched over them. There is a chequered band to the belfry stage, and tall coupled belfry windows, triple-recessed, with slender shafts in the centre and carved imposts run out round the pilastered corners. Carved band above with very prominent corner gargoyles in the form of winged beasts, a parapet of two pierced bands (the upper of stone), and octagonal corner pinnacles with cross finials.
The west front of the nave has a shallow rectangular porch (now mostly covered by a glazed extension) with elaborate carved stone enrichment including a pierced parapet with two gablets over tablets with lettered banners ("I am the true vine" and "I am the bread of life"), and above this a pointed west window of 4 cusped lights with trefoil and quatrefoil tracery, a polychrome band arched over it and a zig-zag band crossing the apex. Steeply-pitched and swept roof with coped gables and cross finials.
The nave walls have buttresses of one weathering and gablets which break above the roof line, and have 2-light windows with polychrome heads and bands. The transepts have three small lancets with sawtooth decoration under a large arched 4-light window with deep polychrome sill-band. The north apse has an arched doorway with shafts and sawtooth decoration, under a steep gablet. The chancel has a traceried 5-light east window, with square-headed windows in the side walls with two or three pointed lights.
Nave
19th century 5-bay
Tower (component)
19th century south-west
Transept
19th century north and south
Chancel
19th century 3-bay
Vestry
19th century apsidal to chancel
Porch
20th century west addition
Brick
19th century red mainly, but with some blue, black and white
Sandstone
19th century dressings
Slate
19th century roofs
The highlight of the interior is the fine hammer-beam roof throughout, steep and nicely articulated providing for a sense of space. The timbers are dark-stained like the rest of the furniture and contrast with the whitewashed walls. The church is pewed throughout. The floor is under blue carpet. There are other interesting details, for example the galleries over the transepts, with pierced panelled fronts carried on slender posts; similar at the west end, with a glazed in vestibule underneath. There are bench pews here, and single pointed doorways in the east wall of the transepts at both levels giving access to the apsed vestries. The ground floor of the north transept is a baptistery, the south a War Memorial Chapel. This has a handsome dark wood altar and reredos.
More interest is provided by the unusual pulpit, reached through an arch in the wall behind next to the chancel arch. The arch is of three orders with marble colonettes and a quatrefoil pierced head. Behind this is a flight of steps within the thickness of the north chancel wall, with an Early English arcade of paired columns carrying arches with continuous hoodmould, continuing east over two plain pointed doors.
On the other side of the chancel arch is a large pointed opening within which the organ pipes are displayed; further east is a simple pointed doorway and credence shelf within an arch under a continuous hoodmould mirroring that opposite. The chancel arch itself is tall and pointed of two orders on simple abaci, the outer carved with dogtooth and a hoodmould. There is a low oak chancel screen with blind tracery panels. A panelled reredos under the large stained glass east window provides a dignified focus at the east end. The sanctuary floor has polychromatic tiles and there are plain panelled choir stalls.
Altar
19th century High altar: light stained pitched pine chest with blind tracery and miniature buttresses. Given in memory of J. Turner. Dark wood altar with reredos in the Memorial Chapel (pictured), Jacobean style with carved arcading and lozenge panels, brought from closed church of St Thomas, Preston.
Pulpit
19th century The pulpit is of limestone, square with paired lancets in the panels and moulded cornice, raised on columns and attached to the wall behind with miniature gallery pierced by quatrefoils adjacent leading from the arch behind.
Lectern
19th century Brass eagle, gift of Mr M Myres (the church architect).
Font (component)
19th century Octagonal stone font bowl with symbols pierced in the faces supported on columns, richly carved; gift of Mr T Tomlinson (donor of the land on which the church is built). Conical oak cover, gift of Day School.
Reredos
19th century Carved oak reredos with blind tracery panels, rich vine scroll carved cornice with brattished acanthus frieze. Given in memory of the Reverend E. S. Murdoch.
Pew (component)
19th century Plain timber.
Stall
19th century Plain timber choir stalls.
Rail
19th century Wooden rail, wrought iron standards with gilded leaves.
Organ (component)
19th century Two manual pipe organ, 1874, builder unknown but possibly Ainscough. Rebuilt in 1912 by R G Phillips.
Plaque (component)
20th century World War I memorial, large oak panel with gilded lettering under an architectural canopy mounted next to the chancel arch on the south side. (WM Ref 13193) Plaque in the memorial chapel to the men of the 2nd West Lancashire Brigade who died in both world wars. (WM Ref 54950) Roll of Honour from closed church of St Thomas, Preston.
Stained Glass (window)
19th / 20th century • East window has the Ascension, c 1890 by A Seward of Lancaster. Given in memory of Mrs W. H. Murdoch. • South aisle c 1926 by A Seward of Lancaster, depicts Jesus preaching (Matthew 7:29); memorial window. • South aisle has World War Two Memorial window (pictured) depicting sailor and pilot flanking a soldier receiving a sword from Christ. Panels in the corners with the names of the fallen. Note by Dr Neil Moat: “Second World War memorials in stained glass are actually far less common than for the previous conflict, and usually far more generalised, whilst incorporating the names of the fallen was almost never done by this date. So the example at Emmanuel, Preston, is an extraordinary and rare throwback to an earlier tradition of memorialisation.” • West end (former baptistery, now kitchenette) 2-light World War I memorial window, c 1920 by A Seward & co ltd of Lancaster. Theme Suffer the Little Children and Christ’s baptism. Also lancet with St Michael. • North aisle 3-light, the Good Samaritan, c 1927 by A Seward of Lancaster; memorial window. • Various 1960, 70s and 80s windows of no great quality, some memorial windows.
Weight: 560 lbs Diameter: 29.75" Bell 1 of 1
Founded by Naylor, Vickers & Co 1869
Dove Bell ID: 58902 Tower ID: 22858 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Grid reference: SD 531 305
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.
There are no records of National Heritage assets 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.
There are no records of Ancient, Veteran or Notable Trees within the curtilage of this site.
| 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 |
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.
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.
If you notice something incorrect or missing, please explain it in the form below and submit it to our team for review.