Lancashire

Churches

A roughcast covered church associated with the Washington family

The church of St Oswald, Warton is known to have existed in 1100. The building we see today sits in a sloping graveyard below the limestone outcrop of Warton Crag, a site of special scientific interest, and a location favoured by early man. The church dates from the mid C14 and the late C15, and owes much to the efforts of the Victorian restorers. It is quite a dour looking building owing to the roughcast rendering that has proved necessary to protect the stonework from the North Lancashire weather, and the winds blowing off Morecambe Bay.

The oldest part of the church are the three Lady Chapel sedilia: Pevsner suggests a pre-1300 date. The nave arcades have conventional octagonal piers. Those to the south side are shorter than those to the north, and may represent a C19 recreation or restoration of earlier C14 work. The walls of the church date from different periods: the south aisle walls are C14, the Lady Chapel and chancel C15, and the north aisle walls are C16. The windows, though heavily restored in the C19 display original features (see photographs). Traces of the underlying stone can be seen around the windows. It is from a former quarry near Cote Stones, a mile and half from the church. This material was preferred for the church and many older buildings, rather than the closer limestone of Warton Crag.

The west tower is a conventional design of c.1480. It has a peal of only three bells. They are dated 1577, 1731 and 1782. The tower has a west door, square headed west window, bell floor window, three-light bell louvres and diagonal buttresses. The parapet and pinnacles are of a later date. It is likely that the local Washington family paid for the tower. They were ancestors of the family of George Washington, the first president of the United States. A memorial to Elizabeth and Thomas Washington, dated 1715, can be seen at the east end of the church. The Washington coat of arms was formerly on the outside of the tower, but in 1955 it was placed inside. This has three mullets and two bars, and is not unlike a "stars and stripes". A family tree of the Washingtons of Warton can be seen in the church. Interestingly, the descent of Sir Winston Churchill from Robert Kitson of Warton Hall is also displayed.

The woodwork of the church is mainly C19, but the second pew from the front has nine carved shields that probably come from C18 pews. The coats of arms are associated with Sir George Middleton of Leighton, who died in 1673. He is also commemorated on the font along with Sir Robert Bindloss of Borwick Hall and Nathaniel West. They restored it in 1661, adding a new plinth and an intricately patterned lead lining.

The stained glass of the church is of great interest. The east window, probably by Hughes dates from 1856. It is remarkable for the sheer number of clear circular quarries that make up much of the background. In the south aisle is a memorial window to Bessie and William Barton, children of the manager of Carnforth Iron Works. They died in 1871 (aged 7) and in 1883 (aged 18). The subjects are the Virgin being taught by her mother, Anna, and Timothy being taught by his mother Lois. This is probably by the Lancaster firm of Shrigley and Hunt.  Near the font is a window in deep colours by an even more local stained glass maker - F. Burrow of Milnthorpe. It is dated 1862, and depicts Jesus and the woman of Samaria the well. Burrow learned his craft in London, and worked at Salisbury Cathedral before returning to Milnthorpe to work locally. According to his obituary Burrow was an atheist.

View from the north west

The church has a clerestoried nave, a chancel, aisles, a south porch, and a west tower.

Interior looking east

The nave arcades differ, those on the south being rebuilt to the old design in 1848.

East window of the south aisle

The Victorian restorers kept as much of the Perpendicular windows as they could.

The Virgin being taught by her mother

This window, by Shrigley & Hunt of Lancaster, is in the south aisle. It dates from the 1880s.

East Window (1856)

Probably the work of Hughes. The background glass consists of clear, circular quarries like bottle bottoms.

West tower from north

The tower probably dates from the rebuilding of c.1480. The pinnacles etc. are later.

Photographs and text © Tony Boughen