St Peter's Church, Scorton
Encyclopedia
St Peter's Church, Scorton, is located in the village of Scorton
, Lancashire
, England. It is an active Anglican
parish church
in the deanery of Garstang, the archdeaconry of Lancaster and the diocese of Blackburn
. Its benefice is united with those of All Saints, Barnacre
, and St John the Evangelist, Calder Vale
. The church has been designated by English Heritage
as a Grade II listed building. Its spire is a landmark near the M6 motorway
.
and Wyresdale Hall
. The architects were Paley and Austin of Lancaster
, and the church cost £14,000 (£ as of ).
In the late 1950s, it had a special family grave set up by local man James Metcalfe, for his family. The graves are grouped together to the right of the entrance to the church, and are dedicated to both the Metcalfe and the Farnworth family.
rubble
, with tiled roofs and a shingled
spire. Its plan consists of a nave
and a chancel
under a continuous roof, a north aisle
, a south porch, and a west tower surmounted by a broach spire
. The tower has diagonal buttress
es, a stair projection on the south side, a doorway on the north side, and a three-light west window with a pointed head. The bell openings have two lights, other than that on the south, which has a single light, and all are flat-headed. All the windows have pointed heads. Along the north aisle are three windows, one with three lights and two with two lights. The west window has two lights. On the south side of the church are five three-light windows. The east window has five lights.
between the nave and the north aisle has three-bays
, the arches being carried on octagonal piers
. The ceiling of the tower entrance to the church is decorated with Tudor rose
s, and with a frieze
inscribed with words from Psalm 122
. In the chancel is a twin sedilia
under trefoil
heads, and a piscina
. The reredos
is carved and gilded
. The stained glass in the east window dates from about 1879, and is by Burlison and Grylls
. It depicts Saint Peter
and the Transfiguration of Jesus
. The two-manual
organ was built in 1879 by John Nicholson, rebuilt in 1973 by Rushworth and Dreaper
, and restored in 2009 by David Wells. It was awarded a Historic Organ Certificate in 2008. The ring
consists of eight bells, all of which were cast in 1879 by John Warner & Sons
.
dating from the same time as as the church, and probably designed by the same architects as the church. It is constructed in oak on a sandstone base, and has a red tiled roof. It is listed at Grade II. The lych gate was renovated in 1988.
Scorton, Lancashire
Scorton is a small village near the River Wyre, in the Wyre district of Lancashire, England. It is located north of Garstang. The name means "farmstead near a ditch or ravine"-Background:...
, 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 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....
in the deanery of Garstang, the archdeaconry of Lancaster and 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...
. Its benefice is united with those of All Saints, Barnacre
Barnacre-with-Bonds
Barnacre-with-Bonds is a civil parish in the Wyre district of Lancashire, England. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 1,751. The parish covers an area to the south and east of Garstang, including the settlements of Bonds, Calder Vale and Bowgreave....
, and St John the Evangelist, Calder Vale
Calder Vale
Calder Vale is an English village, located on the edge of the Forest of Bowland in Lancashire. It lies on the River Calder in a deep valley with only a single road providing access to it....
. The church 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. Its spire is a landmark near the M6 motorway
M6 motorway
The M6 motorway runs from junction 19 of the M1 at the Catthorpe Interchange, near Rugby via Birmingham then heads north, passing Stoke-on-Trent, Manchester, Preston, Carlisle and terminating at the Gretna junction . Here, just short of the Scottish border it becomes the A74 which continues to...
.
History
The church was built in 1878–79 for the Ormrod family of BoltonBolton
Bolton is a town in Greater Manchester, in the North West of England. Close to the West Pennine Moors, it is north west of the city of Manchester. Bolton is surrounded by several smaller towns and villages which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, of which Bolton is the...
and Wyresdale Hall
Wyresdale Hall
Wyresdale Hall is a country house located to the northeast of Scorton, Lancashire, Endland. It was built in 1856–58, and designed by the Lancaster architect E. G. Paley for the Ormrod family of Bolton. It has since been extended and outbuildings have been added. The hall is in Gothic...
. The architects were Paley and Austin of Lancaster
Lancaster, Lancashire
Lancaster is the county town of Lancashire, England. It is situated on the River Lune and has a population of 45,952. Lancaster is a constituent settlement of the wider City of Lancaster, local government district which has a population of 133,914 and encompasses several outlying towns, including...
, and the church cost £14,000 (£ as of ).
In the late 1950s, it had a special family grave set up by local man James Metcalfe, for his family. The graves are grouped together to the right of the entrance to the church, and are dedicated to both the Metcalfe and the Farnworth family.
Exterior
St Peter's 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,...
rubble
Rubble
Rubble is broken stone, of irregular size, shape and texture. This word is closely connected in derivation with "rubbish", which was formerly also applied to what we now call "rubble". Rubble naturally found in the soil is known also as brash...
, with tiled roofs and a shingled
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...
spire. Its 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 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...
under a continuous roof, a north 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...
, a south porch, and a west tower surmounted by a broach spire
Broach spire
A broach spire is a type of spire, a tall pyramidal or conical structure usually on the top of a tower or a turret. A broach spire starts on a square base and is carried up to a tapering octagonal spire by means of triangular faces....
. The tower has diagonal buttress
Buttress
A buttress is an architectural structure built against or projecting from a wall which serves to support or reinforce the wall...
es, a stair projection on the south side, a doorway on the north side, and a three-light west window with a pointed head. The bell openings have two lights, other than that on the south, which has a single light, and all are flat-headed. All the windows have pointed heads. Along the north aisle are three windows, one with three lights and two with two lights. The west window has two lights. On the south side of the church are five three-light windows. The east window has five lights.
Interior
Inside the church the arcadeArcade (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....
between the nave and the north aisle has three-bays
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:...
, the arches being carried on octagonal piers
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...
. The ceiling of the tower entrance to the church is decorated with Tudor rose
Tudor rose
The Tudor Rose is the traditional floral heraldic emblem of England and takes its name and origins from the Tudor dynasty.-Origins:...
s, and with a frieze
Frieze
thumb|267px|Frieze of the [[Tower of the Winds]], AthensIn architecture the frieze is the wide central section part of an entablature and may be plain in the Ionic or Doric order, or decorated with bas-reliefs. Even when neither columns nor pilasters are expressed, on an astylar wall it lies upon...
inscribed with words from Psalm 122
Psalm 122
Psalm 122 is the 122nd psalm from the Book of Psalms. It is one of 15 psalms that begins with the words "A song of ascents" .The text:Psalm 122A song of ascents...
. In the chancel is a twin sedilia
Sedilia
Sedilia , in ecclesiastical architecture, is the term used to describe stone seats, usually to be found on the south side of an altar, often in the chancel, for the use of the officiating priests...
under trefoil
Trefoil
Trefoil is a graphic form composed of the outline of three overlapping rings used in architecture and Christian symbolism...
heads, and a piscina
Piscina
A piscina is a shallow basin placed near the altar of a church, used for washing the communion vessels. The sacrarium is the drain itself. Anglicans usually refer to the basin, calling it a piscina. Roman Catholics usually refer to the drain, and by extension, the basin, as the sacrarium...
. The reredos
Reredos
thumb|300px|right|An altar and reredos from [[St. Josaphat's Roman Catholic Church|St. Josaphat Catholic Church]] in [[Detroit]], [[Michigan]]. This would be called a [[retable]] in many other languages and countries....
is carved and gilded
Gilding
The term gilding covers a number of decorative techniques for applying fine gold leaf or powder to solid surfaces such as wood, stone, or metal to give a thin coating of gold. A gilded object is described as "gilt"...
. The stained glass in the east window dates from about 1879, and is by Burlison and Grylls
Burlison and Grylls
Burlison and Grylls is the name of an English company who produced stained glass windows from 1868 onwards.The company of Burlison and Grylls was founded in 1868 at the instigation of the architects George Frederick Bodley and Thomas Garner. Both John Burlison and Thomas Grylls had trained in the...
. It depicts Saint Peter
Saint Peter
Saint Peter or Simon Peter was an early Christian leader, who is featured prominently in the New Testament Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles. The son of John or of Jonah and from the village of Bethsaida in the province of Galilee, his brother Andrew was also an apostle...
and the Transfiguration of Jesus
Transfiguration of Jesus
The Transfiguration of Jesus is an event reported in the New Testament in which Jesus is transfigured and becomes radiant upon a mountain. The Synoptic Gospels describe it, and 2 Peter 1:16-18 refers to it....
. The two-manual
Manual (music)
A manual is a keyboard designed to be played with the hands on a pipe organ, harpsichord, clavichord, electronic organ, or synthesizer. The term "manual" is used with regard to any hand keyboard on these instruments to distinguish it from the pedalboard, which is a keyboard that the organist plays...
organ was built in 1879 by John Nicholson, rebuilt in 1973 by Rushworth and Dreaper
Rushworth and Dreaper
Rushworth and Dreaper was a firm of organ builders based in Liverpool, England Upon its bankruptcy, its archives were mostly destroyed, and the Victorian clock in the works tower was removed...
, and restored in 2009 by David Wells. It was awarded a Historic Organ Certificate in 2008. The ring
Ring of bells
"Ring of bells" is a term most often applied to a set of bells hung in the English style, typically for change ringing...
consists of eight bells, all of which were cast in 1879 by John Warner & Sons
John Warner & Sons
John Warner and Sons was a Bellfoundry in various locations in London, UK.-Notable Bells:Warners cast some notable bells including the clock chime at the Houses of Parliament, although Big Ben was later re-cast by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry. In 1913, Warners cast the peal of 12 bells at...
.
External features
On the north side of the church is a lychgateLychgate
A lychgate, also spelled lichgate, lycugate, or as two separate words lych gate, is a gateway covered with a roof found at the entrance to a traditional English or English-style churchyard.-Name:...
dating from the same time as as the church, and probably designed by the same architects as the church. It is constructed in oak on a sandstone base, and has a red tiled roof. It is listed at Grade II. The lych gate was renovated in 1988.