Laisterdyke: St Mary
Overview
Grid reference: SE 187 322
The church was designed in 1864 by James Mallinson and Thomas Healey, a practice based in Halifax which was very prolific in West Yorkshire, especially in the Bradford area. A fairly standard design in the Decorated style of the mid 14th century. The tower gives a little vertical emphasis to what would otherwise be a low and unassuming building, the nave roof carried over the aisles in one canted sweep, the chancel roof the same pitch as the nave but set a little lower, canted over the vestry in the same way.
Visiting and facilities
Building is closed for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
Chancel, aisled 5-bay nave, south-west tower, and vestries off the chancel.
Dimensions:
Nave approx 50ft x 16ft (15m x 5m)
Description of Archaeology and History
The church was designed in 1864 by James Mallinson and Thomas Healey, a practice based in Halifax which was very prolific in West Yorkshire, especially in the Bradford area. It cost less than £3,000, and was one of the ten churches built in Bradford by the Bradford Church Building Society, with smaller grants from other bodies.
The church was built on a new site on what was common land east of Bradford to serve the incoming mill workers of the area.
Exterior Description
A church typical of the modest work of Mallinson and Healey, a fairly standard design in the Decorated style of the mid 14th century. The tower gives a little vertical emphasis to what would otherwise be a low and unassuming building, the nave roof carried over the aisles in one canted sweep, the chancel roof the same pitch as the nave but set a little lower, canted over the vestry in the same way.
The tower is of four stages defined by plain drip-courses, with angle buttresses of three weatherings, the upper and lower of which are adorned with gablets. The south tower doorway is the most ornate feature of the church, a 4-centred arch with an ogee hoodmould culminating in a floriate finial, and with floriate stops. The capitals to the engaged double shafts carrying the hollow-moulded arch head are similarly carved. There are 2-light pointed windows in the exposed faces of the stage above, single small lancets to light the stairs in the next, and 2-light pointed openings to the belfry stage, the tracery of which is in a poor state, some of it lying within the belfry. The parapet above is crenellated, and there are animal water spouts. The pyramid roof is barely visible above the parapet.
The west doorway of the nave was originally the main entrance into the church, but is now closed off. It has a 4-centred arch with continuous mouldings. The wall above is pierced by a large 3-light pointed window with flowing tracery. The north aisle has a 2-light pointed window at each end matching that in the tower, similar in the east end of the south aisle. Like all the nave and chancel windows these have a hood-mould with foliate stops, while the 3-light aisle side wall windows have labels over depressed arch heads, with block stops on the north side, foliate on the south. A string course runs continuously underneath the windows, this all as at Low Moor St Mark. The aisles have buttresses of three weatherings to each alternate bay.
The north vestry has a square-headed 2-light in the east wall and a doorway at the junction with the nave, now the main entrance. There is a short flight of steps up to it flanked by dwarf stone walls, which were clearly added later. The vestry and chancel have diagonal buttresses. The chancel east window is a large 4-light with tracery as the west window, the north wall is blind while the south wall is pierced by a pointed traceried 3-light window.
Building Materials
Sandstone
Walls are of coursed local sandstone
Slate
Westmorland slates on roof
Interior
Interior Description
The interior has been much changed, all the historic furnishings and fittings having been removed; the church was originally fully pewed. There are screens up to the height of the capitals across the west bay of the nave and aisles and across the nave one bay west of the chancel arch. The altar is set facing east against the west screen, with chairs facing it.
The nave arcades have octagonal columns and moulded capitals carrying hollow-moulded pointed arches, the chancel arch similar. The open nave roof structure is scissor-braced to a collar taken down to moulded corbels, the members plain, unmoulded and painted a rather garish light brown, clashing with the red for the roof boarding and white elsewhere. There is also some bright colouring used on the partition walls, which have new Gothic-style doorways.
Fixtures and fittings
Font (object)
Late 20th Century
Tall conical octagonal light wooden font.
Churchyard
Grid reference: SE 187 322
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 | Yes |
| 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
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