Blackburn: St Luke w St Philip
Overview
Grid reference: SD 673 274
Visiting and facilities
Building is open for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
Aisled nave and chance in one, short transepts, north-west steeple.
Dimensions:
Chancel and nave estimated to be 29 x 11 (90ft x 35 ft).
Description of Archaeology and History
Built in 1877 by F Robinson of Derby, who also designed St James Shear Brow in Blackburn. The north-west steeple was added (or completed) in 1908. The church of St Philip, built 1880 by John Lowe, was demolished in 1974.
Exterior Description
The church is Early English in style, with much use of plate tracery and foiled windows. The building and churchyard is obviously immaculately cared for, the stonework and tracery clean and fresh, the roofs flawless. The church is simple in plan, a long nave and chancel under a single steeply-pitched roof, and narrow aisles to the nave with lean-to roofs. The transepts are symmetrical, and there is a vestry tucked in the south-east angle of chancel and transept, with a lean-to roof sloping east and a pair of lancets and a door under this. A porch with a gabled roof gives access at the western end of the south aisle.
The steeple consists of a sheer octagonal spire atop a four-stage tower with clasping buttresses which terminate in conical pinnacles. There is no parapet, instead the spire rises from behind a gable on each face with panel tracery within it. Underneath this, the upper stage of the tower, are 2-light belfry openings, with louvred lancets and an open sexfoil in the head. The stage below has blind oculi, clearly for a clock that was never installed. The stage below has twin lancets in each face, while the bottom stage has a pointed entrance in the east wall, the arch and a hoodmould springing from engaged columns with moulded Early English capitals.
The west face of the nave is pierced by a large plate tracery window, comprised of two 2-lights and a large sexfoil in the gable. The north transept is similar, but of two plain lancets and a sexfoil. The clearstorey windows are also sexfoils, with twinned lancets in the aisles. The south transept which houses the organ chamber has a round window pierced by four quatrefoils. The chancel east window is three stepped lancets, with a small quatrefoil in the gable, framed by pinnacles as the tower. There is a single lancet in the sanctuary side walls, and an eaves parapet pierced with quatrefoils.
Building Fabric and Features
Nave
19th century aisled
Chancel
19th century
Transept
19th century north and south, short
Tower (component)
19th century
Steeple
20th century added 1908
Building Materials
Sandstone
19th century ashlar
Bath Stone
19th century dressings
Welsh Slate
19th century roofs
Interior
Interior Description
The interior is equally well looked after, and preserves its Victorian furnishings, fittings and liturgical arrangement. The nave and transepts are whitewashed, the sanctuary pale yellow with a painted roof, medallions. There are wooden screens with Gothic tracery carving at the west end, with a coved cornice supporting a balcony, and also screens defining the transepts. The church is fully pewed with simple benches, and still has its choir stalls, these with poppyheads.
The narrow aisles are defined by short, stumpy round pillars with heavy waterleaf capitals, carrying arcades of short pointed arches with a single chamfer. The roof trusses are carried on moulded corbels, the panels between the trusses boarded in to provide a pointed barrel-vault ceiling.
The transepts have a central column with waterleaf capital supporting a double-arched opening to each transept; a slender shaft with annulets attached to these supports the roof truss here. On the east side of the openings the next truss is carried by a similar shaft which rises from trumpet corbels, an unusual arrangement. The eastern opening of the south transept is taken up by the large organ case and pipes, the northern is taken up by a Memorial chapel.
The pointed chancel arch rises from chamfered jambs with carved moulded capitals, there is some discolouration visible here from damp. The windows are set in deep recesses, the chancel lancets having splayed reveals and rere-shafts. The focus is provided by a fine marble reredos taking up the whole width of the east wall.
Fixtures and fittings
Altar
19th century Oak table with Gothic carving.
Reredos
19th century Marble reredos of three bays, with three groups of carved figures (the Passion) within cusped arches, flanked by miniature turrets containing a figure each, presumably the Evangelists.
Pulpit
19th century Marble octagonal font with marble columns at the corners, round stem and moulded foot.
Lectern
19th century Brass eagle.
Font (component)
19th century Stone octagonal font, carved panels with ihs and crosses, with polypod stem and round base. Oak cover in the form of an octagonal spire with pinnacles and a cross finial.
Stained Glass (window)
19th / 20th century • The east window, St Luke, St Peter and St Paul, 1886. Possibly by W Wailes • The north transept window is a 2-light with a depiction of David, Saul and the Battle of Rephidim, a war memorial, 1919. Heaton Butler and Bayne • North nave, 2-light Good Shepherd • North nave 2-light, Light of the World, 1931 • North nave 2-light, Women at the well and the Good Samaritan, 1896 possibly by Heaton Butler and Bayne • South nave 2-light, Light of the World by Heaton Butler and Bayne (after Holman Hunt), 1936, brought from St Philips in 1979; and Shine as Light of the World, 1979 • South nave 2-light, Christ in the Temple 1966 • South nave 3-light, Christ healing the sick 1963
Plaque (component)
20th century Brass plaque in memorial chapel commemorating Anne Livesey, died July 1911.
Rail
19th century Oak rail, simple.
Churchyard
Grid reference: SD 673 274
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
Quinquennial Inspections
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