St Oswald's Church, Preesall
Encyclopedia
St Oswald's Church is an Anglican
church in Preesall
, a town on the Fylde
coastal plain in Lancashire
, England. It is an active parish church
in the Diocese of Blackburn
and the archdeaconry of Lancaster. It was built 1896–1898, designed by Hubert Austin
, and has been designated a Grade II listed building by English Heritage.
of Lancaster architectural firm Austin and Paley, and built 1896–1898. Austin's signed architectural plans for the building hang inside the church. It was originally a chapel of ease
to St James' Church at nearby Stalmine
.
St Oswald's was designated a Grade II listed building by English Heritage
on 3 October 1984. The Grade II listing—the lowest of the three grades—is for buildings that are "nationally important and of special interest". An active church in the Church of England
, St Oswald's is part of the diocese of Blackburn
, which is in the Province of York
. It is in the archdeaconry of Lancaster, the Deanery
of Garstang and the benefice of the Waterside Parishes of Hambleton
, Out Rawcliffe
and Preesall.
dressings
; the roofs are slate
. The church plan consists of a nave
and chancel
, with a south aisle
, transepts and bell turret
(covered in shingles
and with a short spire
) towards the west end. There is a porch
to the south. The windows are two-light, pointed headed, with quatrefoils. There is a three-light west window and a four-light east window with cusped ogee
s.
The internal walls of the nave are of red brick, and the chancel is sandstone. The four-bay
aisle has octagonal arcade
pier
s. Stained glass
in the church includes work from the 1970s by J. Fisher and H. Harvey of Shrigley and Hunt
.
Anglicanism
Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
church in Preesall
Preesall
Preesall is a town and civil parish in Lancashire, England. The parish covers the eastern bank of the estuary of the River Wyre, including Knott End-on-Sea, Pilling Lane and the village of Preesall itself...
, a town on the Fylde
The Fylde
The Fylde ; Scandinavian: "field") is a coastal plain in western Lancashire, England. It is roughly a 13-mile square-shaped peninsula, bounded by Morecambe Bay to the north, the Ribble estuary to the south, the Irish Sea to the west, and the Bowland hills to the east...
coastal plain in 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. It is an active parish church
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 the Diocese of Blackburn
Diocese of Blackburn
The Diocese of Blackburn is a Church of England diocese, covering much of Lancashire, created in 1926 from part of the Diocese of Manchester. The Diocese includes the towns of Blackburn, Blackpool, Burnley, and the cities of Lancaster, and Preston, as well as a large part of the Ribble Valley...
and the archdeaconry of Lancaster. It was built 1896–1898, designed by Hubert Austin
Hubert Austin
Hubert James Austin was an English architect who practiced in Lancaster. With his partners he designed many churches and other buildings, mainly in the northwest of England.-Early life and career:...
, and has been designated a Grade II listed building by English Heritage.
History and administration
St Oswald's was designed by Hubert AustinHubert Austin
Hubert James Austin was an English architect who practiced in Lancaster. With his partners he designed many churches and other buildings, mainly in the northwest of England.-Early life and career:...
of Lancaster architectural firm Austin and Paley, and built 1896–1898. Austin's signed architectural plans for the building hang inside the church. It was originally a chapel of ease
Chapel of ease
A chapel of ease is a church building other than the parish church, built within the bounds of a parish for the attendance of those who cannot reach the parish church conveniently....
to St James' Church at nearby Stalmine
Stalmine
Stalmine is a village within the Wyre borough of Lancashire, England, in a part of the Fylde known as Over Wyre. The village is located on a small hill on the A588, the main road between Hambleton and Lancaster, with the highest level 75ft above sea level...
.
St Oswald's was designated a Grade II listed building by English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
on 3 October 1984. The Grade II listing—the lowest of the three grades—is for buildings that are "nationally important and of special interest". An active church in the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
, St Oswald's is part of the diocese of Blackburn
Diocese of Blackburn
The Diocese of Blackburn is a Church of England diocese, covering much of Lancashire, created in 1926 from part of the Diocese of Manchester. The Diocese includes the towns of Blackburn, Blackpool, Burnley, and the cities of Lancaster, and Preston, as well as a large part of the Ribble Valley...
, which is in the Province of York
Province of York
The Province of York is one of two ecclesiastical provinces making up the Church of England, and consists of 14 dioceses which cover the northern third of England and the Isle of Man. York was elevated to an Archbishopric in 735 AD: Ecgbert of York was the first archbishop...
. It is in the archdeaconry of Lancaster, the Deanery
Deanery
A Deanery is an ecclesiastical entity in both the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of England. A deanery is either the jurisdiction or residence of a Dean.- Catholic usage :...
of Garstang and the benefice of the Waterside Parishes of Hambleton
Hambleton, Lancashire
Hambleton is a village and civil parish in the English county of Lancashire. It is situated on a coastal plain called the Fylde and in an area east of the River Wyre known locally as Over Wyre. Hambleton lies approximately north-east of its post town, Poulton-le-Fylde, and about north-east of the...
, Out Rawcliffe
Out Rawcliffe
Out Rawcliffe is a village and civil parish on the north bank of the River Wyre in the Over Wyre area of the Fylde in Lancashire, England.It is the location of the medieval Rawcliffe Hall...
and Preesall.
Architecture
The church is constructed of red brick with 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,...
dressings
Ashlar
Ashlar is prepared stone work of any type of stone. Masonry using such stones laid in parallel courses is known as ashlar masonry, whereas masonry using irregularly shaped stones is known as rubble masonry. Ashlar blocks are rectangular cuboid blocks that are masonry sculpted to have square edges...
; the roofs are slate
Slate
Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. The result is a foliated rock in which the foliation may not correspond to the original sedimentary layering...
. The church plan consists of a 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...
and 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...
, with a south aisle
Aisle
An aisle is, in general, a space for walking with rows of seats on both sides or with rows of seats on one side and a wall on the other...
, transepts and 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...
(covered in shingles
Roof shingle
Roof shingles are a roof covering consisting of individual overlapping elements. These elements are typically flat rectangular shapes laid in rows from the bottom edge of the roof up, with each successive higher row overlapping the joints in the row below...
and with a short spire
Spire
A spire is a tapering conical or pyramidal structure on the top of a building, particularly a church tower. Etymologically, the word is derived from the Old English word spir, meaning a sprout, shoot, or stalk of grass....
) towards the west end. There is a porch
Porch
A porch is external to the walls of the main building proper, but may be enclosed by screen, latticework, broad windows, or other light frame walls extending from the main structure.There are various styles of porches, all of which depend on the architectural tradition of its location...
to the south. The windows are two-light, pointed headed, with quatrefoils. There is a three-light west window and a four-light east window with cusped ogee
Ogee
An ogee is a curve , shaped somewhat like an S, consisting of two arcs that curve in opposite senses, so that the ends are parallel....
s.
The internal walls of the nave are of red brick, and the chancel is sandstone. The four-bay
Bay (architecture)
A bay is a unit of form in architecture. This unit is defined as the zone between the outer edges of an engaged column, pilaster, or post; or within a window frame, doorframe, or vertical 'bas relief' wall form.-Defining elements:...
aisle has octagonal arcade
Arcade (architecture)
An arcade is a succession of arches, each counterthrusting the next, supported by columns or piers or a covered walk enclosed by a line of such arches on one or both sides. In warmer or wet climates, exterior arcades provide shelter for pedestrians....
pier
Pier (architecture)
In architecture, a pier is an upright support for a superstructure, such as an arch or bridge. Sections of wall between openings function as piers. The simplest cross section of the pier is square, or rectangular, although other shapes are also common, such as the richly articulated piers of Donato...
s. Stained glass
Stained glass
The term stained glass can refer to coloured glass as a material or to works produced from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant buildings...
in the church includes work from the 1970s by J. Fisher and H. Harvey of Shrigley and Hunt
Shrigley and Hunt
Shrigley and Hunt was the name of an English firm which produced stained glass windows and art tiles.The business began in the 1750s when Shrigley's was a painting, carving and gilding firm in Lancaster, Lancashire....
.