Rivington Church
Encyclopedia
Rivington Church is an active Church of England parish church
in Rivington
, Lancashire
, England. The Church has been designated as a Grade II Listed building. The Church has no patron saint and is not named after a saint or martyr. It has been variously called St. Lawrence, St. George, Holy Trinity, and St. Catherine, but its correct title is Rivington Church.
, found in the locality, is housed in the Millennium Room at the church. When repairs were carried out to the flooring, the foundations of an earlier building were discovered, possibly Saxon in origin.
The present church was founded by royal patent of Queen Elizabeth I in 1566 at the petition of James Pilkington, the first Protestant Bishop of Durham, who was born in the village. The patent was granted for the church and a school at Rivington. Richard Pilkington, father of the bishop, appealed to Doctor Bird, the Bishop of Chester
, to dedicate the chapel and chapelyard and it was consecrated by him in October 1541. At the consecration, the inhabitants of the village stated on oath they had used this site for generations. The Reverend Samuel Newton was ejected from the church on "Bartholemew Sunday" in 1662 and most probably the staunchly Puritan
congregation followed him and many became Presbyterian
. This event led to the eventual founding of Rivington Unitarian Chapel
.
The church is primarily as built in 1666 with alterations and restoration
in the late 19th century. The present north wall is the original wall of the building. Rivington was created a parish out of the ancient ecclesiastical parish of Bolton le Moors
in 1856, and at their own cost, and by a privilege which only eleven churches in the country possessed, the parishioners were able to select their own minister.
with large quoins, some measuring five feet, at the corners and a slate roof. It is a small plain building with three three-light windows on each side. The nave
is 55 feet 6 inches in length by 27 feet 6 inches in width and the chancel
, 13 feet 6 inches by 15 feet 6 inches. There is a 19th century gabled porch between the centre and western windows on the south side and a modern vestry on north side. The west gable wall has an elliptical-headed doorway and there is an octagonal bell turret
with square base and a conical roof with a weathervane. The roof is covered with green slates and finished with overhanging eaves. The three bay nave has square-headed windows of three square lights on the north side, and round headed on the south side. There is a doorway between the second and third windows from the east on each side and a door at the west end. The chancel has three round-headed lights in each side and there is a five light east window.
The earliest gravestone is marked 1616. The earliest memorial in the church is dated 1627. Stones near the entrance include the 'Anderton Stone' which depicts shack bolts from the Anderton coat of arms
and a crucified figure with 'INRI' believed to originate from Anderton
Hall chapel. Above it is a carved with a Sator Square reading "SATOR AREPO TENET OPERA ROTAS" which possibly predates the Christian era.
on a stem, with two linen-fold panels in each side. The screen and pulpit are considered to predate the church building. On the north wall there is a genealogical painting copied in 1835 from a sixteenth century painting relating to the Pilkington family which was damaged by fire in 1834. There is an 18th century brass chandelier with fluted body and two tiers of arms.
There are graves stones including one inscribed 'Richard Pilkyngton' beneath the wooden floor.
with a stone slate roof. It was built in 1542 to hold a large bell bought from the Wigan church in the same year. The bell is missing.
The detached bellhouse, the only such structure in Lancashire, was used as a charnel house but is now used as a tool house by the sexton and grave digger.
Church of England parish church
A parish church in the Church of England is the church which acts as the religious centre for the people within the smallest and most basic Church of England administrative region, known as a parish.-Parishes in England:...
in Rivington
Rivington
Rivington is a small village and civil parish of the Borough of Chorley, Lancashire, England, occupying . It is about southeast of Chorley and about northwest of Bolton. Rivington is situated on the fringe of the West Pennine Moors, at the foot of Rivington Pike...
, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, England. The Church has been designated as a Grade II Listed building. The Church has no patron saint and is not named after a saint or martyr. It has been variously called St. Lawrence, St. George, Holy Trinity, and St. Catherine, but its correct title is Rivington Church.
History
The earliest reference to a church on this site is in a deed of 1280 mentioning three acres of "terra ecclesiastical" in Rivington. A Saxon fontBaptismal font
A baptismal font is an article of church furniture or a fixture used for the baptism of children and adults.-Aspersion and affusion fonts:...
, found in the locality, is housed in the Millennium Room at the church. When repairs were carried out to the flooring, the foundations of an earlier building were discovered, possibly Saxon in origin.
The present church was founded by royal patent of Queen Elizabeth I in 1566 at the petition of James Pilkington, the first Protestant Bishop of Durham, who was born in the village. The patent was granted for the church and a school at Rivington. Richard Pilkington, father of the bishop, appealed to Doctor Bird, the Bishop of Chester
Bishop of Chester
The Bishop of Chester is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Chester in the Province of York.The diocese expands across most of the historic county boundaries of Cheshire, including the Wirral Peninsula and has its see in the City of Chester where the seat is located at the Cathedral...
, to dedicate the chapel and chapelyard and it was consecrated by him in October 1541. At the consecration, the inhabitants of the village stated on oath they had used this site for generations. The Reverend Samuel Newton was ejected from the church on "Bartholemew Sunday" in 1662 and most probably the staunchly Puritan
Puritan
The Puritans were a significant grouping of English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries. Puritanism in this sense was founded by some Marian exiles from the clergy shortly after the accession of Elizabeth I of England in 1558, as an activist movement within the Church of England...
congregation followed him and many became Presbyterian
Presbyterianism
Presbyterianism refers to a number of Christian churches adhering to the Calvinist theological tradition within Protestantism, which are organized according to a characteristic Presbyterian polity. Presbyterian theology typically emphasizes the sovereignty of God, the authority of the Scriptures,...
. This event led to the eventual founding of Rivington Unitarian Chapel
Rivington Unitarian Chapel
Rivington Unitarian Chapel is a place of Unitarian worship in Rivington, Lancashire, England. It was founded in 1703 and its motto is "Here let no man a stranger be". The chapel is a Grade II* listed building, and its restoration in 1990 was aided by English Heritage...
.
The church is primarily as built in 1666 with alterations and restoration
Victorian restoration
Victorian restoration is the term commonly used to refer to the widespread and extensive refurbishment and rebuilding of Church of England churches and cathedrals that took place in England and Wales during the 19th-century reign of Queen Victoria...
in the late 19th century. The present north wall is the original wall of the building. Rivington was created a parish out of the ancient ecclesiastical parish of Bolton le Moors
Bolton le Moors
Bolton le Moors was a civil parish and ecclesiastical parish of the hundred of Salford in the historic county of Lancashire, England...
in 1856, and at their own cost, and by a privilege which only eleven churches in the country possessed, the parishioners were able to select their own minister.
Exterior
The church is built of irregularly coursed sandstoneSandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
with large quoins, some measuring five feet, at the corners and a slate roof. It is a small plain building with three three-light windows on each side. The nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
is 55 feet 6 inches in length by 27 feet 6 inches in width and the chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
, 13 feet 6 inches by 15 feet 6 inches. There is a 19th century gabled porch between the centre and western windows on the south side and a modern vestry on north side. The west gable wall has an elliptical-headed doorway and there is an octagonal bell turret
Turret
In architecture, a turret is a small tower that projects vertically from the wall of a building such as a medieval castle. Turrets were used to provide a projecting defensive position allowing covering fire to the adjacent wall in the days of military fortification...
with square base and a conical roof with a weathervane. The roof is covered with green slates and finished with overhanging eaves. The three bay nave has square-headed windows of three square lights on the north side, and round headed on the south side. There is a doorway between the second and third windows from the east on each side and a door at the west end. The chancel has three round-headed lights in each side and there is a five light east window.
The earliest gravestone is marked 1616. The earliest memorial in the church is dated 1627. Stones near the entrance include the 'Anderton Stone' which depicts shack bolts from the Anderton coat of arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
and a crucified figure with 'INRI' believed to originate from Anderton
Anderton, Lancashire
Anderton is civil parish in the Borough of Chorley in Lancashire, England. It is now a suburb of Adlington. 5 miles northwest of Bolton, Its east boundary is in the Rivington Reservoir. Grimeford Village is in the parish...
Hall chapel. Above it is a carved with a Sator Square reading "SATOR AREPO TENET OPERA ROTAS" which possibly predates the Christian era.
Interior
The roof has four collar trusses with bracing to tie-beams and collars. There is a late medieval oak screen and a late sixteenth century octagonal, oak pulpitPulpit
Pulpit is a speakers' stand in a church. In many Christian churches, there are two speakers' stands at the front of the church. Typically, the one on the left is called the pulpit...
on a stem, with two linen-fold panels in each side. The screen and pulpit are considered to predate the church building. On the north wall there is a genealogical painting copied in 1835 from a sixteenth century painting relating to the Pilkington family which was damaged by fire in 1834. There is an 18th century brass chandelier with fluted body and two tiers of arms.
There are graves stones including one inscribed 'Richard Pilkyngton' beneath the wooden floor.
Belltower
The belltower, a Grade II Listed building in the churchyard close to the church, is a small, square, single-storey building with a basement and outside steps built in sandstoneSandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
with a stone slate roof. It was built in 1542 to hold a large bell bought from the Wigan church in the same year. The bell is missing.
The detached bellhouse, the only such structure in Lancashire, was used as a charnel house but is now used as a tool house by the sexton and grave digger.
External links
- Old News Paper Reports Relating to Rivington Church (Lancashire OnLine Parish Clerk Project)