St Peter's Church, Preston, Lancashire
Encyclopedia
St Peter's Church, Preston, is a redundant
Anglican
parish church
located in St Peter's Square, Preston, Lancashire
, England. It has been designated by English Heritage
as a Grade II* listed building. It was a Commissioners' church
, having received a grant towards its construction from the Church Building Commission. In 1973 it became part of Preston Polytechnic, later the University of Central Lancashire
.
and Henry Hutchinson
. A grant of £6,765 (£ as of ) was given towards its construction by the Church Building Commission. The steeple was added in 1851–52 by Joseph Mitchell. A bequest of £1,000 (£ as of ) was made towards the cost of the steeple by Thomas German, alderman and mayor of the borough. The church was taken over in 1973 by Preston Polytechnic (later the University of Central Lancashire). It became known as St Peters Arts Centre.
. Its architectural style is Decorated. The plan consists of a six-bay
nave
with a clerestory
, north and south aisle
s, a chancel
with an organ house to the north and a vestry
to the south, and a southeast steeple in the angle between the aisle and the chancel. At the west end of each aisle is a tall projecting porch. Both porches have two-light windows and embattled
parapet
s; the south porch has an arched south doorway, and the north porch has a link to a glazed extension added in the 20th century. At the west end of the nave is a small two-light window, tall embattled turret
s at the corners, and a large crocket
ed bellcote on the apex of the gable
. The clerestory has two-light square-headed windows on each side, and an embattled parapet. The windows along the sides of the aisles have two-centred arches and contain three lights, with two types of tracery
. The chancel has a five-light east window, and embattled turrets at the corners. The tower is in three stages, with angle buttress
es, and a stair turret at the south west corner. In the bottom stage is a three-light window, and there are bands of blind arcading
in the middle stage. The bell openings each have three louvred
lights. The parapet is embattled with crocketed corner pinnacle
s. Flying buttress
es link the top of the tower to the spire, which is also crocketed; it contains lucarne
s, and is topped by a weathervane.
columns. In the south aisle is a wall monument to Thomas German who died in 1847. The tower is floored with decorative tiles that include an inscription referring to German's benefaction. The font
dates from 1884.
, gates, and wall of the former churchyard have been designated as as Grade II listed building.
Redundant church
A redundant church is a church building that is no longer required for regular public worship. The phrase is particularly used to refer to former Anglican buildings in the United Kingdom, but may refer to any disused church building around the world...
Anglican
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...
parish church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
located in St Peter's Square, Preston, 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 has been designated 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...
as a Grade II* listed building. It was a Commissioners' church
Commissioners' church
A Commissioners' church is an Anglican church in the United Kingdom built with money voted by Parliament as a result of the Church Building Act of 1818 and 1824. They have been given a number of titles, including Commissioners' churches, Waterloo churches and Million Act churches...
, having received a grant towards its construction from the Church Building Commission. In 1973 it became part of Preston Polytechnic, later the University of Central Lancashire
University of Central Lancashire
The University of Central Lancashire is a university based in Preston, Lancashire, England.The university has its roots in The Institution For The Diffusion Of Useful Knowledge which was founded in 1828. In 1992 it was granted University status by the Privy Council...
.
History
St Peter's was built between 1822 and 1825, and was designed by Thomas RickmanThomas Rickman
Thomas Rickman , was an English architect who was a major figure in the Gothic Revival.He was born at Maidenhead, Berkshire, into a large Quaker family, and avoided the medical career envisaged for him by his father, a grocer and druggist; he went into business for himself and married his first...
and Henry Hutchinson
Henry Hutchinson
Henry Hutchinson was an English architect who partnered with Thomas Rickman in December 1821 to form the Rickman and Hutchinson architecture practice, in which he stayed until his death in 1831. Hutchinson was born on October 16, 1800, in Ticknall, Derbyshire. He partnered with Rickman after he...
. A grant of £6,765 (£ as of ) was given towards its construction by the Church Building Commission. The steeple was added in 1851–52 by Joseph Mitchell. A bequest of £1,000 (£ as of ) was made towards the cost of the steeple by Thomas German, alderman and mayor of the borough. The church was taken over in 1973 by Preston Polytechnic (later the University of Central Lancashire). It became known as St Peters Arts Centre.
Exterior
The former church is constructed 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,...
. Its architectural style is Decorated. The plan consists of a six-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:...
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...
with a clerestory
Clerestory
Clerestory is an architectural term that historically denoted an upper level of a Roman basilica or of the nave of a Romanesque or Gothic church, the walls of which rise above the rooflines of the lower aisles and are pierced with windows. In modern usage, clerestory refers to any high windows...
, north and 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...
s, a 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 an organ house to the north and a vestry
Vestry
A vestry is a room in or attached to a church or synagogue in which the vestments, vessels, records, etc., are kept , and in which the clergy and choir robe or don their vestments for divine service....
to the south, and a southeast steeple in the angle between the aisle and the chancel. At the west end of each aisle is a tall projecting porch. Both porches have two-light windows and embattled
Battlement
A battlement in defensive architecture, such as that of city walls or castles, comprises a parapet , in which portions have been cut out at intervals to allow the discharge of arrows or other missiles. These cut-out portions form crenels...
parapet
Parapet
A parapet is a wall-like barrier at the edge of a roof, terrace, balcony or other structure. Where extending above a roof, it may simply be the portion of an exterior wall that continues above the line of the roof surface, or may be a continuation of a vertical feature beneath the roof such as a...
s; the south porch has an arched south doorway, and the north porch has a link to a glazed extension added in the 20th century. At the west end of the nave is a small two-light window, tall embattled 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...
s at the corners, and a large crocket
Crocket
A crocket is a hook-shaped decorative element common in Gothic architecture. It is in the form of a stylised carving of curled leaves, buds or flowers which is used at regular intervals to decorate the sloping edges of spires, finials, pinnacles, and wimpergs....
ed bellcote on the apex of the gable
Gable
A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of a sloping roof. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system being used and aesthetic concerns. Thus the type of roof enclosing the volume dictates the shape of the gable...
. The clerestory has two-light square-headed windows on each side, and an embattled parapet. The windows along the sides of the aisles have two-centred arches and contain three lights, with two types of tracery
Tracery
In architecture, Tracery is the stonework elements that support the glass in a Gothic window. The term probably derives from the 'tracing floors' on which the complex patterns of late Gothic windows were laid out.-Plate tracery:...
. The chancel has a five-light east window, and embattled turrets at the corners. The tower is in three stages, with angle buttress
Buttress
A buttress is an architectural structure built against or projecting from a wall which serves to support or reinforce the wall...
es, and a stair turret at the south west corner. In the bottom stage is a three-light window, and there are bands of blind arcading
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....
in the middle stage. The bell openings each have three louvred
Louver
A louver or louvre , from the French l'ouvert; "the open one") is a window, blind or shutter with horizontal slats that are angled to admit light and air, but to keep out rain, direct sunshine, and noise...
lights. The parapet is embattled with crocketed corner pinnacle
Pinnacle
A pinnacle is an architectural ornament originally forming the cap or crown of a buttress or small turret, but afterwards used on parapets at the corners of towers and in many other situations. The pinnacle looks like a small spire...
s. Flying buttress
Flying buttress
A flying buttress is a specific form of buttressing most strongly associated with Gothic church architecture. The purpose of any buttress is to resist the lateral forces pushing a wall outwards by redirecting them to the ground...
es link the top of the tower to the spire, which is also crocketed; it contains lucarne
Lucarne
A lucarne is a small dormer window that is built on a spire or roof during the Gothic and Romanesque time period....
s, and is topped by a weathervane.
Interior
The arcades are in five bays and consists of two-centred arches carried on octagonal columns. There are galleries on three sides of the church, carried on thin cast ironCast iron
Cast iron is derived from pig iron, and while it usually refers to gray iron, it also identifies a large group of ferrous alloys which solidify with a eutectic. The color of a fractured surface can be used to identify an alloy. White cast iron is named after its white surface when fractured, due...
columns. In the south aisle is a wall monument to Thomas German who died in 1847. The tower is floored with decorative tiles that include an inscription referring to German's benefaction. The font
Baptismal 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:...
dates from 1884.
External features
The gate piersPier (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...
, gates, and wall of the former churchyard have been designated as as Grade II listed building.