St Leonard's Church is in the village of Balderstone, Lancashire, England. It is an active Anglican parish church in the deanery of Whalley, the archdeaconry of Blackburn, and the diocese of Blackburn.[1] The church is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II listed building.[2]
| St Leonard's Church, Balderstone | |
|---|---|
 St Leonard's Church, Balderstone, from the south | |
  St Leonard's Church, Balderstone Location in the Borough of Ribble Valley | |
| 53°47′08″N 2°33′37″W / 53.7855°N 2.5604°W | |
| OS grid reference | SD 631,323 |
| Location | Balderstone, Lancashire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | St Leonard, Balderstone |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Founded | 1504 (?) |
| Dedication | Saint Leonard |
| Consecrated | (new church) 1854 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II |
| Designated | 13 March 1986 |
| Architect(s) | R. B. Rampling Austin and Paley |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Completed | 1906 |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Sandstone, slate roofs |
| Administration | |
| Province | York |
| Diocese | Blackburn |
| Archdeaconry | Blackburn |
| Deanery | Whalley |
| Parish | St Leonard, Balderstone |
| Clergy | |
| Vicar(s) | Revd Charles Jefferson |
| Laity | |
| Organist(s) | Andrew Evans |
| Churchwarden(s) | Eric Mather Peter Singleton |
| Parish administrator | Alice Taylor |
History
editSt Leonard's was founded as a chapel of ease to the parish church in Blackburn during the reign of Henry VII; the usual date given is 1504. The fabric of the building deteriorated until in 1852 it was decided to replace it with a new church. Construction of this started during that year, and the present church was consecrated in 1854. It was designed by the Preston architect R. B. Rampling.[3] The tower and spire were added in 1906–07 by the Lancaster architects Austin and Paley.[4][5]
Architecture
editThe church is constructed in sandstone rubble with slate roofs. Its plan consists of a four-bay nave, and a chancel at a lower level with a north organ chamber and a projection to the south.[2] There is a polygonal baptistry at the west end, and a slim tower and spire at the west end of the north side of the nave. The baptistry has three windows, and above this is a three-light west window with a pointed head. The nave is divided into bays by buttresses, each bay containing a two-light window containing Geometric tracery. Projecting from the roof, on each side, are two timber dormer windows. The tower has diagonal buttresses, and contains a doorway with a pointed arch. The bell openings have two lights, and are louvred. The tower is surmounted by a parapet and a recessed spire. The east window has five lights under a pointed head, and contains Geometric tracery. Inside the church is an open timber roof.[2] The two-manual pipe organ was made in 1872 by Henry Willis, and restored in 1974 by N. P. Mander.[6]
External features
editIn the churchyard, to the south of the church is a sandstone sundial dating possibly from the early 19th century, and re-erected at the beginning of the 20th century. It has an octagonal sandstone base with five limestone columns and a circular sandstone top containing a brass gnomon. The sundial is listed at Grade II.[7] The churchyard also contains the war graves of six World War I soldiers.[8]
See also
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References
edit- ^ St Leonard, Balderstone, Church of England, retrieved 3 April 2012
- ^ a b c Historic England, "Church of St Leonard, Balderstone (1072061)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 3 April 2012
- ^ The Parish of St Leonard's, Balderstone, Lancashire OnLine Parish Clerks, retrieved 3 April 2012
- ^ Hartwell, Clare; Pevsner, Nikolaus (2009) [1969], Lancashire: North, The Buildings of England, New Haven and London: Yale University Press, p. 95, ISBN 978-0-300-12667-9
- ^ Brandwood, Geoff; Austin, Tim; Hughes, John; Price, James (2012), The Architecture of Sharpe, Paley and Austin, Swindon: English Heritage, p. 246, ISBN 978-1-84802-049-8
- ^ "NPOR [N10624]", National Pipe Organ Register, British Institute of Organ Studies, retrieved 29 June 2020
- ^ Historic England, "Sundial south of Church of St Leonard, Balderstone (1072061)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 3 April 2012
- ^ BALDERSTONE (ST. LEONARD) CHURCHYARD, Commonwealth War Graves Commission, retrieved 12 February 2013
External links
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Media related to St Leonard's church, Balderstone at Wikimedia Commons
