Lancashire

Churches

An essentially C19 church, extensively enlarged, with Brian Clarke glass

St Lawrence, Longridge, started life as a chapel of ease of St Wilfrid at nearby Ribchester. An early mention of the building, which was established to serve the people of Dilworth and Alston, dates from 1522. Documents of 1546 and 1554 refer to the reve and priest of "ye Chapell of Longryge." The living must have been a poor one, for there was often no minister in the C16 and C17. However, in 1735 land was bought near Preston and Goosnargh to provide the endowment to support the chapel and priest. Thereafter things looked up, and in 1868, as a consequence of the growth of Longridge, St Lawrence was granted parish church status.

Rebuilding work is known to have taken place in 1716. A tablet in the tower records that in "A.D. 1756. This Chapel of Longridge was augmented and A.D. 1760 lands purchased with £400 whereof given by Queen Anne's Bounty, £200 by Executors of Wm. Stratford LL.D. £100, by other benefactors £100." In 1784 the chapel was "inlarged". Significant building took place in 1822, doubling the seating capacity to around 600. The building we see today is a confusing but very interesting amalgamation of parts - a west tower, a nave, a chancel with transept-like vestry and chapel to north and south, a "south porch", and what looks like a north aisle but isn't!

Starting at the west end we have a tower that dates from 1841. It shows no influence of Pugin and the antiquarian revolution that was getting underway then, and has characteristics of ten to twenty years earlier - it is only lightly embraced by the nave, is embattled, square, slight, and with a west door and lancet bell openings. Lean-to structures at the base of the north and south tower walls are of a later date. Clock faces were inserted, rather awkwardly, in the bottom of the west and north openings in 1892. The clock itself, dating from the 1830s, came from Alston College, and before that had been in a church in Wales.

In size and substance the nave is probably a result of the 1822 rebuilding, but the exterior appearance owes much to the major renovation of 1900. An 1833 drawing of the north elevation shows, at the lower level, tall, probably C18, rectangular windows, each subdivided into 16 square panes. Above are twin light windows with rounded heads - a C17 and early C18 type found throughout Lancashire. These windows can also be seen in a photograph of 1893. However, in 1900 the present two-light openings below and above were inserted, and stepped buttresses were built every two bays. These are a fine addition to the building.

The south elevation also received windows and buttresses in 1900. A south porch was built in the traditional position. This is now blocked up and serves as a chapel.  In 1926 a north porch was built at the west end of the nave. In recent years this has been embraced by what looks like a deep lean-to north aisle, but is in fact a set of rooms. This extension is in keeping with the main structure, and re-uses the window and buttress styles of the renovation of 1900.

The early C19 chancel was low and short with a stepped triple east window. Flanking this, in the east wall of the nave were semi-circular windows. This was replaced by the present larger structure in 1900. The inverted hearts in the tracery of the west window of five lights give a slight Art Nouveau feel which is not present in the other windows.

Inside the church is a nave with plain bench pews. The former box pews were used for the panelling that can be seen around the lower walls. North and south galleries stretch from the tower wall to the chancel wall. They have three tiers of benches, and attractive gallery fronts that include panelling in the bottom half, a pierced rail at the top, and between, rather Moorish looking openings. Thin columns stretch the full height of the fronts. The columns supporting the galleries reach up into the elaborate roof timbers. At the east end the chamfered chancel arch has a hoodmould and foliate label stops, but no capitals or brackets. The west wall is completely plain except for a doorway through to the tower. A chapel occupies the south chancel transept.

The stained glass of St Lawrence is of great interest. Brian Clarke designed the ten pairs of windows lighting the galleries in 1976 (see also Thornton, Christ Church). Interestingly they do not have overtly religious subjects. Instead local features such as the meanders of the River Ribble, the profiles of Pendle Hill, Longridge Fell and Fairsnape Fell, and the local reservoirs and quarries, are treated in a semi-abstract manner. Greens and blues predominate with highlights of white, orange and yellow. Brian Clarke's designs are not to everyone's taste, but the parishioners of Longridge, like those at Thornton, are to be applauded for commissioning challenging non-figurative work.

The glass of the north and south sides of the church dates from 1938-40, and is by Powell. They are not the best work of this distinguished firm, and though both sides are the designs of James Hogan, the treatments are different. On the south side primary colours predominate, and the figures are elongated - see St Paul preaching in Athens. On the north side the colours are less rich.

The west window is a memorial, by Shrigley & Hunt of Lancaster, to the fallen of the First World War. It records the Allies, and shows Christ flanked by St George and St Michael, with armour-clad soldiers below. It is of their usual high quality.

The principal font is a sturdy circular piece with vertical reeding around the top and rope moulding below. When was it made? The pulpit dates from 1899 and was the gift of Charles Pierce Wright. It has front supports that rest on the nave floor whilst the rear is at the height of the chancel. Was the inspiration for its design the gallery rails? There is a small number of memorial tablets. Perhaps the most interesting is to the Rev. George Parkin (d.1831) - a neo-classical design of pediment and acroteria, wreath and ribbon, in white marble on a black background.

The tower of St Lawrence holds a 1979 electrically-operated chime of bells alongside one that is probably C14. The lettering on the side of the bell reads "Jesu Nazarenus Crwcifexw".

South elevation

Two tiers of windows on a nave wall usually signify galleries, as here at Longridge.

Nave looking east

The north and south galleries each have three rows of benches overlooking the nave.

Brian Clarke glass (1976)

Blue and green dominates the windows lighting the galleries. They portray local features.

Pulpit (1899)

The front legs of the pulpit reach down to the level of the nave floor.

"Creeing Trough" (1597?)

Initialled and dated, this was probably originally a mortar to be used with a pestle.

Memorial to Rev. George Parkin (d.1831)

The memorial, to a former incumbent, is on the west wall, and is in the neo-classical style.

East Window

A First World War memorial window by Shrigley & Hunt. The shields of the Allies are at the top.

Photographs and text © Tony Boughen