St Michael and All Angels Church, Altcar

St Michael and All Angels Church stands to the west of the village of Great Altcar, West Lancashire, England. The church is timber-framed and is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II* listed building.[1] It is an active Anglican parish church in the diocese of Liverpool, the archdeaconry of Liverpool and the deanery of Sefton. Its benefice is combined with that of Holy Trinity, Formby. In the Buildings of England series it is described as "an utterly charming church".[2]

St Michael and All Angels Church, Altcar
Church from the southwest
St Michael and All Angels Church, Altcar
Location in West Lancashire
OS grid referenceSD 320,065
LocationGreat Altcar, West Lancashire
CountryEngland
DenominationAnglican
ChurchmanshipCentral
History
StatusParish church
Founder(s)William Molyneux, 4th Earl of Sefton
DedicationSt Michael and All Angels
Architecture
Functional statusActive
Heritage designationGrade II*
Designated11 October 1968
Architect(s)John Douglas
Architectural typeChurch
Groundbreaking1878
Completed1879
Specifications
MaterialsTimber framed, red tile roof
Administration
ParishAltcar
DeanerySefton
ArchdeaconryLiverpool
DioceseLiverpool
ProvinceYork

History

The earliest record of a church or chapel on the site is in a lease dated 1429. In the 17th century the church is said to have been of timber and plaster. In the 1740s it was destroyed by fire and a new church was consecrated in 1747. This was said to have been a small brick building with a cupola containing one bell and a very plain interior.[3] That church was demolished and the present church was built in 1878–79 to a design by John Douglas at the expense of the 4th Earl of Sefton.[2] The church was restored in the 1990s, mainly to deal with rot which was affecting the timber.[4]

Architecture

Exterior

The church is half-timbered on a brick plinth with a red tile roof. The framing is mostly close studding with a middle rail.[1] It has been suggested that timber framing was used, not only for aesthetic reasons, but also because the foundations on underlying peat were not sufficiently stable for a stone building.[4] The plan of the church consists of a five-bay nave, a bell turret on the west gable end, a south porch, a narrow north aisle, a two-bay chancel at a lower level, a north organ chamber, and a vestry. The bell turret is close-studded and has a pyramidal roof with a finial and a weather vane.[1] The church is unique in Douglas' output as being entirely half-timbered.[5]

Interior

The communion rails, chancel rails, and pulpit were designed by Douglas and are of carved timber.[2] The reredos consists of painted tiles, executed by Craven, Dunhill & Co. to designs by Heaton, Butler and Bayne. It depicts Christ breaking bread before Cleophas and Mary in the centre, St Michael on the left, and Euphrasia on the right. The only stained glass in the church is in the west window. This is dated 1885 and depicts the baptism of Jesus.[4]

External features
Lychgate

At the entrance to the churchyard is a lych gate dated 1879 which was also probably designed by Douglas. It is made of oak with a stone slate roof and is listed Grade II.[6] The churchyard contains the war grave of a Royal Army Service Corps officer cadet of World War II,[7] and of a Royal Air Force flight lieutenant killed in Afghanistan in 2006.[8][9]

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See also

References
  1. Historic England, "Church of St Michael, Great Altcar (1230934)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 9 April 2015
  2. Pollard, Richard; Pevsner, Nikolaus (2006), Lancashire: Liverpool and the South-West, The Buildings of England, New Haven and London: Yale University Press, pp. 179–180, ISBN 0-300-10910-5
  3. Farrer, William; Brownbill, J., eds. (1907), "The parish and township of Altcar: Church", A History of the County of Lancaster, Victoria County History, University of London & History of Parliament Trust, 3, pp. 221–226, retrieved 21 March 2008
  4. Boughen, Tony (2004), "Altcar, St Michael", Lancashire Churches, archived from the original on 7 May 2008, retrieved 21 March 2008
  5. Hubbard, Edward (1991), The Work of John Douglas, London: The Victorian Society, pp. 128–127, ISBN 0-901657-16-6
  6. Historic England, "Lychgate approximately 20 metres south east of Church of St Michael, Great Altcar (1073147)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 9 April 2015
  7. "WOODFIN, KENNETH THOMAS", Commonwealth War Graves Commission, retrieved 24 January 2019
  8. "The roll of honour - Personal details", Armed Forces Memorial, retrieved 24 January 2019
  9. "A volley of rifle shots and a", Champion, 22 November 2006, retrieved 24 January 2019
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