Blackburn: St Bartholomew (Ewood)
Overview
Grid reference: SD 676 251
Visiting and facilities
Building is closed for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
4-bay aisled nave, 2-bay chancel, detached tower to the south, north organ chamber, south choir and clergy vestry, projecting west baptistery.
Dimensions:
Nave estimated to be c 25m x 7m (80ft x 23ft).
Description of Archaeology and History
In the 19th century and early 20th century Blackburn rapidly expanded for the textile industry, as with most Lancashire towns. The parish church was built in 1909, the “Lund” tower added in 1911 to designs by the architect J A Seward of Preston, who also designed the chancel at Farrington St Paul (near Preston) during the same years. The church was built to serve the new housing being built around it as Blackburn expanded south and west up the slopes.
Exterior Description
The architectural style chosen for this church is Edwardian Perpendicular, in which it is a competent essay, with some Arts and Crafts influence and individual touches. One might have taken it for an Austin & Paley design (perhaps pared down because of cost, as at Great Harwood St John), of which there are several in the Blackburn area.
The elegant tower is the highlight, giving the church a dignity and presence it would otherwise lack. This is of four stages with stepped clasping buttresses defined by pronounced string courses, the lowest stage with a stepped plinth. Starting here, there is a pointed doorway in the west face, and pointed windows in the others. The second stage up has rectangular slits, the next smaller versions of these and a clock face above. The belfry stage has 3-light belfry rectangular openings with heavy mullions and stone louvres under a projecting string course, all beneath a crenellated parapet behind which rises a short pyramid roof.
The church itself is relatively simple, chancel and nave under one roof, with low aisles and a short clearstorey; without the tower it would have appeared quite dumpy. There are stone finial crosses at each end, and the gables have short returns around the side walls, a peculiar motif. The end facades are pierced by 5-light windows, the western window with thick mullions separating the outer lights, the eastern with good Perpendicular tracery of the developed late 15th-century type.
The aisle and clearstorey have rectangular 3-lights with trefoil heads to the lights, the aisle windows with a transom to the outer lights only. The east bays have shorter versions of these windows lighting the organ chamber and vestries. The organ chamber is otherwise externally undefined from the aisle. By contrast the vestries protrude somewhat and the windows are set within a square stone frame, with an entrance through the west wall and two small domestic windows, possibly added at some point. A pointed doorway at the west end of the south aisle gives access to an internal lobby, there is another opposite it giving access from the tower.
Building Fabric and Features
Nave
20th century 4-bay aisled
Chancel
20th century 2-bay
Tower (monument)
20th century south
Organ (component)
20th century chamber
Vestry
20th century choir and clergy
Baptistery
20th century west
Building Materials
Sandstone
20th century coursed rubble with pink dressings
Timber
20th century roof structure
Slate
20th century roofing
Interior
Interior Description
Moving inside, the church is bare stone, the pointed 4-centred aisle arcades carried on round columns with simple moulded capitals, typologically rather odd here. This is an impressive space, belying the external impression. Above, moulded corbels support waggon roofs. The two eastern bays of the nave are still pewed, the western bays have tables and chairs, a work station and so on, and facilities including toilets have been built into the vestries. The floors are of encaustic tiles in the chancel, stone flags elsewhere, much under carpet.
The worship space has been sandwiched up to the western chancel bay, where there is now a dais; the old pulpit was removed during the last incumbency (as was the font). This reordering was apparently achieved without faculty. The sanctuary with its mosaic floor and High altar with marble reredos is now rather marooned at the back, behind chairs facing the other way. The organ pipes are displayed in the chancel south wall within a 4-centred arch. There are cracks visible in the masonry running the height of the walls, and in one place through the reredos.
Fixtures and fittings
Altar
20th century Oak chest with blind tracery carving.
Reredos
20th century Tripartite brown marble reredos, richly carved, with the figure of an angel central under a cross finial; beneath these is a tablet of white marble with a depiction of the Last Supper. Cracked by settlement of the foundations.
Lectern
20th century Wooden reading stand.
Stained Glass (window)
20th century In the chancel east window, the Ascension by Shrigley & Hunt of Lancaster, 1938. East organ chamber window with Story of Dorcas, by R Pringle of Blackburn, 1920s, very faded. East vestry window, the Nativity by A Seward & co, 1921.
Plaque (component)
20th century Brass plaque commemorating the Rev Charles Crowther Browitt, first vicar of the parish.
Organ (component)
20th century Large 2 manual organ by H Ainscough of Preston, 1910.
Rail
20th century Carved oak rail with tracery, early 20th century. Modern light wood rail at the front of the dais.
Inscribed Object
20th century 2 large marble rectangular tablets to the fallen in World War I.
Churchyard
Grid reference: SD 676 251
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
Sources
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