Accrington: St Andrew
Overview
Grid reference: SD 748 286
The early 20th-century Gothic church of St Andrew stands in the eastern suburbs of Accrington. It was built in 1912-13 by Grimshaw and Cunliffe; a stone is set in the west wall, inside, laid by the Earl of Derby, May 23rd 1912. : The church is designed in the Arts and Crafts Perpendicular style typical of this period on the eve of World War I, a style found in the work of Austin & Paley in this area.
Visiting and facilities
Building is open for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
Five-bay aisled nave under one roof, double gabled shallow transepts, chancel flanked by side chapel and vestry/organ chamber, south-east tower.
Dimensions:
Nave estimated to be c 22m (67ft) x 7m (22ft).
Footprint of Church buildings: 535 m²
Description of Archaeology and History
Accrington has Saxon origins, and is unusual in that it was still held at the time of the Domesday Book (1086) by a Saxon Thegn, Leowine. There was a grange here of Kirkstall Abbey till the Reformation. The settlement developed slowly through the post-medieval period. In the 19th century Accrington rapidly expanded for the textile industry, as with most Lancashire towns. The parish church of St Andrew was built in 1912-13 by Grimshaw and Cunliffe; a stone is set in the west wall, inside, laid by the Earl of Derby, May 23rd 1912. It would appear to be unchanged since, apart from a refurbishment of the Lady chapel in the 1950s.
Exterior Description
The church is designed in the Arts and Crafts Perpendicular style typical of this period on the eve of World War I, a style found in the work of Austin & Paley in this area, for example at Great Harwood St John, or Blackburn Ewood Park St Bartholomew built in 1909-1911 by J A Seward of Preston.
The west end of the nave has a large 4-light Perpendicular tracery window divided horizontally by a panel of blind arcading, which corresponds with the gallery inside. There are stepped string courses in blackened stone over the window and in the gable above. Flanking this at the north-west corner is a Tudor-style porch with a chequered and crenellated parapet above a depressed-arch pointed doorway with continuous mouldings, within a rectangular frame with trefoils in the spandrels. The nave is flanked on the south-west corner by a 3-stage tower with another Tudor-arched doorway on the south side, and a square window with a roundel containing flowing tracery in the west face. A string course steps over this.
At the top of the first stage is a randomly chequered band, with a small white stone statue of St Andrew under a canopy at the south west corner, rising from the corner buttress (these are clasping with gablets to this level) on a moulded corbel. The buttresses turn into diagonal stepped buttresses at the second stage. The belfry stage has coupled 2-light openings with louvres, under a plain embattled parapet.
The aisles have 3 large segmental headed windows, while the shallow 2-bay double-gabled transepts have tall arched windows, all with idiosyncratic perpendicular tracery. The east window is a 5-light, with a 3-light in the south chapel, both pointed with panel tracery. The roofs are all coped and have shoulders with moulded kneelers, and there are Celtic finial crosses to the east and west gables
Building Materials
Sandstone
Snecked sandstone with ashlar dressings
Interior
Interior Description
Moving inside, the interior is of pink sandstone. There is a plain panelled gallery suspended across the west end, which opens through a doorway to the inwardly protruding tower stair on the south side. The 5-bay aisle arcades are carried on slim octagonal columns, with transverse arches to the transepts. High chancel arch rising from Perpendicular moulded capitals.
There are high quality carved wooden screens, in particular an elegant arcade with panelled spandrels to the south chapel. The chapel was furnished and provided with a stained glass window by the Tasker family in 1950 (see below). The corresponding space on the north side is taken up by the huge pipe organ, displayed to the west and towards the chancel. The original choir stalls survive, the nave has rows of wooden chairs, perhaps of the 1950s. There is a waggon roof to the nave, and an arch-braced king-post roof to the chancel. The floors are of quarry tile, with red carpet in the chancel and central aisle.
Fixtures and fittings
Altar
Oak table
Pulpit
The pulpit is of oak, hexagonal with carved tracery panels on a coved pedestal.
Lectern
20th Century Wooden eagle lectern. Reading stand and panelled wooden reading desk, late 20th century.
Font (component)
Stone font, circular bowl supported by four buttresses, unusual.
Stained Glass (window)
20th Century • East window Christ in Majesty • South baptistery window, Suffer the Children, dedicated in memory of John Briggs a master of the Sunday School. Abbot & Co of Lancaster, 1943. • South chapel window, deeply coloured glass, the Nativity. By John Hayward, 1959.
Organ (component)
20th Century Two manual organ by Jardine-Smith Organ Co, Manchester 1926: Specification by Dr Hermann Brearley, Organist of Blackburn. There is a brass plaque on the oak screen under the pipes, recording that it was donated by Josephine Critchley in memory of her parent (died 1894).
Plaque (object)
• Gilded ceramic plaque in Lady chapel recording the giving of the furnishings and east window in 1950 by Amelia Ann Jasker in memory of her parents. • Architectural Gothic wooden framed board onto which are attached small brass plaques with the names of deceased parishioners, and a list of vicars.
Churchyard
Grid reference: SD 748 286
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
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