Diameter: 20" Bell 1 of 1
Founded by Charles & George Mears 1847
Dove Bell ID: 55884 Tower ID: 21170 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Shuttleworth: St John in the Wilderness
Overview
Grid reference: SD 800 177
E. H. Shellard, 1847. Paid for by the Church Commissioners at a cost of £1,912. S porch possibly a later addition.
Visiting and facilities
Building is closed for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
5-bay nave and chancel, low N aisle, S porch, bellcote.
Description of Archaeology and History
There is known to have been a settlement at Shuttleworth since at least the 13th century and Bronze Age remains have been found in Ramsbottom. However, there is not known to have been an earlier building on the site, and there have been no known finds of archaeological significance in the immediate vicinity of the church.
The archaeological potential of the site is probably low. There are no known burials in the churchyard, though the detached graveyard is heavily buried.
Mature trees around the churchyard, but no known TPOs.
Exterior Description
A simple, chapel-like building, Early English in style. A string course and plinth run around the building. Nave and chancel are undifferentiated beneath a pitched roof, contiguous with the shallower-pitched N aisle roof. There are coped gables to E and W; the E end seems to have lost a cross finial, and there is a gabled bellcote at the W end, topped with a cross finial, its bell contained in a cusped lancet opening with a hood mould above and a string-course beneath. The N slope of the main church roof features a stone chimney to the vestry, rectangular though chamfered between its two string courses. The church has two windows at the E and W ends, each pair joined by a hood mould, each window two-light with simple geometric tracery (cusped lancets with a trefoil above). Above each of the windows, E and W, is a carved stone symbol of one of the Evangelists, in a quatrefoil within a roundel. The E and W facades each have two weathered buttresses: in each case there is a central buttress; at the E end the second buttress is to the N, at the W end it is to the S. In addition there are weathered clasping buttresses at the four corners of the building, and weathered buttresses between the windows of the S (nave) façade and the N (N aisle) façade. Each of the four nave windows is two-light (cusped lancets). There are four single cusped lancets to the N façade of the N aisle, and a pair of cusped lancets to the N aisle E and W. There are three steps up to the S porch, which has a pointed-arched doorway with colonettes and a hoodmould stopped with uncarved blocks, and a coped gable. The W pitch of the S porch roof cuts across the adjacent buttress and it is conceivable that it was a later addition. To the NE of the N aisle is a small, pointed-arched doorway to the vestry, with two steps up to it; immediately beside it to the E, a narrow entrance leads down to the boiler house.
Building Fabric and Features
Nave
19th century 5 bay
Chancel
19th century
Aisle
19th century north
Porch
19th century south
Bellcote
19th century
Building Materials
Stone
19th century local Pennine gritstone
Slate
19th century roof
Timber
19th century roof structure
Painted Plaster
19th century interior walls
Interior
Interior Description
Exposed timber roof structure, king-post construction, supported on plain corbels. The N aisle has a four-bay arcade with octagonal columns. The N aisle is now divided from the nave; square-topped doors in the second bay from the W connect them. The floor is level throughout the nave and aisle; it is of wooden boards, partly replaced by plywood on the N side of the nave (apparently because of dry rot), with a carpeted aisle beneath which tiles may survive. There is a raised platform at the W end on which the organ and some pews stand. There is also a sanctuary platform at the E end, and the altar is further raised on a small platform. On the NE side of the nave is a small, pointed-arched door to the vestry, and a second, larger but containing a square-topped door, to the N aisle. The E end is panelled and dado panelling also runs along the S wall of the nave, into which the pews are scribed. The S porch has two-leaf internal and external doors. The porch is stone-flagged; there are two steps up at the outside door and a further step up at the inner door. The outer face of the inner porch doorway has a hoodmould.
Fixtures and fittings
Stained Glass (window)
19th / 20th century N aisle, W: Two lancets. Baptistery window: Christ, with children in 1940s dress, birds and animals. Inscribed in memory of Edward Nuttall, d.1907, and his wife, churchwarden 1928-1940. (Pictured.) N aisle: Single lancet. Christ the Good Shepherd. Inscribed in memory of Richard Nuttall of Turn, Shuttleworth, by his workpeople and family, June 1896. N aisle: Single lancet. St George. Inscribed in memory of Wilfrid Beswick J.P. Chancel, E: a pair of two-light windows. Inscribed “To the Glory of God and in memory of James Edward Wild of Springfield in this Parish who was born 2 December [1853] and died 23 November [1909] these windows were erected by his window and children.” On the N side of the altar: L, top: St John in the Wilderness; bottom: the baptism of Christ – R, top: “I am the bread of life”; bottom: the last supper – trefoil: Alpha. On the S side of the altar: L, top: “I am the true vine”; bottom: the crucifixion – R, top: St John the Evangelist; bottom: the ascension – trefoil: Omega. (Pictured.) Chancel, S: two-light, cusped lancets. L: St Peter; R: St Paul. Inscribed in memory of Edwin Dyson, vicar for thirty-one years, d.1906. Nave, S: two-light. The Taking of Christ in Gethsemane. Inscribed in memory of Richard Wild JP, d.1876, and his wife Eliza, d.1889, by their daughters. Nave, S: two-light. L: Christ with children; R: Christ the Good Shepherd. Inscribed in memory of Samuel Preston, vicar’s warden, d.1892, by his widow. Nave, S: two-light. L: King David; R: Saint Cecilia. Inscribed in memory of Robert Whittaker of Scout Barns, churchwarden and organist d.1893, by his widow and children.
Altar
19th century Wood, with three linenfold panels with painted and gilded decoration.
Pulpit
20th century Wooden, octagonal on square stem, decorated with blind tracery. Brass lectern. Brass plaque records its donation in memory of Edward Nuttall of Turn Mills, Shuttleworth, d. 1907, by his widow.
Lectern
20th century Oak eagle. Brass plaque records its donation in memory of Edwin Dyson, vicar 1875-1906.
Font (component)
20th century Stone, hexagonal. Carved panel shows Christ and John the Baptist. Undated but appears to be 1940s. Wooden font cover, with a plaque recording its donation as a memorial to the Whittaker Family of Scout View.
Reredos
19th century Wooden, decorated with blind tracery and gilded and painted decoration. Two riddel posts, crowned with angels, but no curtains.
Pew (component)
19th century Mostly timber benches, plain, with umbrella-holders.
Rail
19th century Wood with cusped tracery.
Organ (component)
19th century 2-manual. A small maker’s plaque of Wadsworth & Bro., Manchester, though the BIOS National Pipe Organ Register attributes it to Young. A brass plaque records the donation of the organ blower in memory of John and Sarah Alice Hutchings.
Plaque (component)
19th / 20th century N aisle: brass plaque records donation of book of remembrance, bookcase and seat covers, in memory of Richard Nuttall and his sister Margaret, 1966. Chancel, N: oak plaque records donation of altar and reredos in memory of James Nuttall, d.1916, and his wife Mary Jane Nuttall, d.1910, by their daughter. Chancel, S: brass plaque in memory of Esther Jane, wife of the Rev. Edwin Dyson, vicar of Shuttleworth, d.1895.
Bells
Portable Furnishings and Artworks
Chairs with carved and gilded decoration. Brass plaque records their donation in memory of the Whittaker Family of Scout View. C20.
Reader’s desk. Brass plaque records its donation in memory of Edward Nuttall, churchwarden, 1907.
Churchyard
Grid reference: SD 800 177
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.
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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