St Chad's Church, Poulton-le-Fylde
Encyclopedia
St Chad's Church is an Anglican
church in Poulton-le-Fylde
, a town on the Fylde
coastal plain in Lancashire
, England. It is an active parish church
in the Diocese of Blackburn
and the archdeaconry of Lancaster. It has been designated a Grade II* listed building by English Heritage. A church on the site was built no later than the 11th century and may have existed prior to the Norman conquest of England
. The tower dates from the 17th century, and much of the remainder of the building from a major renovation in the 18th century, although some of the fabric of the original structure remains. Further renovation and additions took place in the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries.
Soon after the Norman conquest, Poulton was granted to Lancaster Priory
. In the 15th century, the church was given by Henry V
to Syon Monastery in Middlesex. It returned to the Crown following the Dissolution of the Monasteries
and from the 16th to the 20th century, the advowson
(the right to appoint a parish priest) belonged to the Hesketh/Fleetwood family.
The red sandstone building is faced with grey ashlar
and consists of a nave
, chancel
, square tower and a Norman-style apse
. Its furnishings include a Georgian
staircase, a Jacobean
pulpit, box pews and hatchment
s. There are eight bells in the tower. Outside the church are the remains of a stone preaching cross
.
in 1066, and there is written evidence of one from 1094. The Domesday Book
of 1086 mentioned three churches in the hundred of Amounderness
, although they were not named. Later documentary evidence suggests that they were probably the churches at Poulton, Kirkham
and St Michael's on Wyre
. The dedication of Poulton's church to 7th century Anglo-Saxon saint Chad of Mercia
lends weight to its pre-conquest foundation, although it is possible that it was built between 1086 and 1094.
The first documentary evidence of Poulton's church dates from 1094. After the conquest Amounderness, which included Poulton, was among the lands given by William the Conqueror to an Anglo-Norman
knight named Roger the Poitevin
. In 1094, Roger founded the Benedictine
priory of St. Mary
at Lancaster
, as an offshoot of the Abbey of St. Martin in Sées
, Normandy
. He endowed the priory with the church and land at Poulton, approximately 20 miles (32.2 km) away. Roger was eventually banished from the country and his possessions reverted to the Crown. In 1194 the hundred of Amounderness was given by King Richard I
to Theobald Walter, 1st Baron Butler who became the High Sheriff of Lancashire
. Though the advowson
of Poulton (the right to select a parish priest) had been granted by Roger to the monks of Lancaster, Theobald initially thought that it should be included in his entitlements. In 1196 he relinquished his right to Poulton (along with that of Bispham
), although he kept the advowsons of Preston
and Kirkham.
In 1275 the Lancaster monks installed a vicar at the church. In 1291, taxation assessments made on behalf of Pope Nicholas IV
valued St Chad's at £68 13s 4d—the third richest church in Lancashire. In 1345, repairs to the chancel
were ordered in a letter from Simon de Bekyngham of Richmond
to Sir William, the dean of Amounderness.
In 1415, King Henry V
dissolved the alien priories (those under control of religious houses abroad) and the church at Poulton reverted to the Crown. It was given by Henry to Syon Monastery in Middlesex. At the time of the English Reformation
in the 16th century, St Chad's became the Anglican
parish church. Originally, the parish included Poulton, Carleton
, Thornton
, Hardhorn-with-Newton and Marton
. The Syon Monastery was suppressed in 1539 during Henry VIII
's Dissolution of the Monasteries
and St Chad's again returned to the Crown's possession. In the reign of Elizabeth I
(after a brief restoration of Syon by Mary I
), the advowson was granted to John Fleetwood of Penwortham
. The Fleetwood family remained the patrons of St Chad's until the early 20th century.
Some time in the 17th century, the present tower was built, possibly during Charles I
's reign.
St Chad's Church is an Anglican
church in Poulton-le-Fylde
, a town on the Fylde
coastal plain in Lancashire
, England. It is an active parish church
in the Diocese of Blackburn
and the archdeaconry of Lancaster. It has been designated a Grade II* listed building by English Heritage. A church on the site was built no later than the 11th century and may have existed prior to the Norman conquest of England
. The tower dates from the 17th century, and much of the remainder of the building from a major renovation in the 18th century, although some of the fabric of the original structure remains. Further renovation and additions took place in the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries.
Soon after the Norman conquest, Poulton was granted to Lancaster Priory
. In the 15th century, the church was given by Henry V
to Syon Monastery in Middlesex. It returned to the Crown following the Dissolution of the Monasteries
and from the 16th to the 20th century, the advowson
(the right to appoint a parish priest) belonged to the Hesketh/Fleetwood family.
The red sandstone building is faced with grey ashlar
and consists of a nave
, chancel
, square tower and a Norman-style apse
. Its furnishings include a Georgian
staircase, a Jacobean
pulpit, box pews and hatchment
s. There are eight bells in the tower. Outside the church are the remains of a stone preaching cross
.
in 1066, and there is written evidence of one from 1094. The Domesday Book
of 1086 mentioned three churches in the hundred of Amounderness
, although they were not named. Later documentary evidence suggests that they were probably the churches at Poulton, Kirkham
and St Michael's on Wyre
. The dedication of Poulton's church to 7th century Anglo-Saxon saint Chad of Mercia
lends weight to its pre-conquest foundation, although it is possible that it was built between 1086 and 1094.
The first documentary evidence of Poulton's church dates from 1094. After the conquest Amounderness, which included Poulton, was among the lands given by William the Conqueror to an Anglo-Norman
knight named Roger the Poitevin
. In 1094, Roger founded the Benedictine
priory of St. Mary
at Lancaster
, as an offshoot of the Abbey of St. Martin in Sées
, Normandy
. He endowed the priory with the church and land at Poulton, approximately 20 miles (32.2 km) away. Roger was eventually banished from the country and his possessions reverted to the Crown. In 1194 the hundred of Amounderness was given by King Richard I
to Theobald Walter, 1st Baron Butler who became the High Sheriff of Lancashire
. Though the advowson
of Poulton (the right to select a parish priest) had been granted by Roger to the monks of Lancaster, Theobald initially thought that it should be included in his entitlements. In 1196 he relinquished his right to Poulton (along with that of Bispham
), although he kept the advowsons of Preston
and Kirkham.
In 1275 the Lancaster monks installed a vicar at the church. In 1291, taxation assessments made on behalf of Pope Nicholas IV
valued St Chad's at £68 13s 4d—the third richest church in Lancashire. In 1345, repairs to the chancel
were ordered in a letter from Simon de Bekyngham of Richmond
to Sir William, the dean of Amounderness.
In 1415, King Henry V
dissolved the alien priories (those under control of religious houses abroad) and the church at Poulton reverted to the Crown. It was given by Henry to Syon Monastery in Middlesex. At the time of the English Reformation
in the 16th century, St Chad's became the Anglican
parish church. Originally, the parish included Poulton, Carleton
, Thornton
, Hardhorn-with-Newton and Marton
. The Syon Monastery was suppressed in 1539 during Henry VIII
's Dissolution of the Monasteries
and St Chad's again returned to the Crown's possession. In the reign of Elizabeth I
(after a brief restoration of Syon by Mary I
), the advowson was granted to John Fleetwood of Penwortham
. The Fleetwood family remained the patrons of St Chad's until the early 20th century.
Some time in the 17th century, the present tower was built, possibly during Charles I
's reign.
St Chad's Church is an Anglican
church in Poulton-le-Fylde
, a town on the Fylde
coastal plain in Lancashire
, England. It is an active parish church
in the Diocese of Blackburn
and the archdeaconry of Lancaster. It has been designated a Grade II* listed building by English Heritage. A church on the site was built no later than the 11th century and may have existed prior to the Norman conquest of England
. The tower dates from the 17th century, and much of the remainder of the building from a major renovation in the 18th century, although some of the fabric of the original structure remains. Further renovation and additions took place in the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries.
Soon after the Norman conquest, Poulton was granted to Lancaster Priory
. In the 15th century, the church was given by Henry V
to Syon Monastery in Middlesex. It returned to the Crown following the Dissolution of the Monasteries
and from the 16th to the 20th century, the advowson
(the right to appoint a parish priest) belonged to the Hesketh/Fleetwood family.
The red sandstone building is faced with grey ashlar
and consists of a nave
, chancel
, square tower and a Norman-style apse
. Its furnishings include a Georgian
staircase, a Jacobean
pulpit, box pews and hatchment
s. There are eight bells in the tower. Outside the church are the remains of a stone preaching cross
.
in 1066, and there is written evidence of one from 1094. The Domesday Book
of 1086 mentioned three churches in the hundred of Amounderness
, although they were not named. Later documentary evidence suggests that they were probably the churches at Poulton, Kirkham
and St Michael's on Wyre
. The dedication of Poulton's church to 7th century Anglo-Saxon saint Chad of Mercia
lends weight to its pre-conquest foundation, although it is possible that it was built between 1086 and 1094.
The first documentary evidence of Poulton's church dates from 1094. After the conquest Amounderness, which included Poulton, was among the lands given by William the Conqueror to an Anglo-Norman
knight named Roger the Poitevin
. In 1094, Roger founded the Benedictine
priory of St. Mary
at Lancaster
, as an offshoot of the Abbey of St. Martin in Sées
, Normandy
. He endowed the priory with the church and land at Poulton, approximately 20 miles (32.2 km) away. Roger was eventually banished from the country and his possessions reverted to the Crown. In 1194 the hundred of Amounderness was given by King Richard I
to Theobald Walter, 1st Baron Butler who became the High Sheriff of Lancashire
. Though the advowson
of Poulton (the right to select a parish priest) had been granted by Roger to the monks of Lancaster, Theobald initially thought that it should be included in his entitlements. In 1196 he relinquished his right to Poulton (along with that of Bispham
), although he kept the advowsons of Preston
and Kirkham.
In 1275 the Lancaster monks installed a vicar at the church. In 1291, taxation assessments made on behalf of Pope Nicholas IV
valued St Chad's at £68 13s 4d—the third richest church in Lancashire. In 1345, repairs to the chancel
were ordered in a letter from Simon de Bekyngham of Richmond
to Sir William, the dean of Amounderness.
In 1415, King Henry V
dissolved the alien priories (those under control of religious houses abroad) and the church at Poulton reverted to the Crown. It was given by Henry to Syon Monastery in Middlesex. At the time of the English Reformation
in the 16th century, St Chad's became the Anglican
parish church. Originally, the parish included Poulton, Carleton
, Thornton
, Hardhorn-with-Newton and Marton
. The Syon Monastery was suppressed in 1539 during Henry VIII
's Dissolution of the Monasteries
and St Chad's again returned to the Crown's possession. In the reign of Elizabeth I
(after a brief restoration of Syon by Mary I
), the advowson was granted to John Fleetwood of Penwortham
. The Fleetwood family remained the patrons of St Chad's until the early 20th century.
Some time in the 17th century, the present tower was built, possibly during Charles I
's reign. In 1751 the church was extensively renovated. It was previously thought that the old church (except the tower) was completely demolished but recent evidence indicates that the "new" building still contains the outer walls of the previous structure. These original walls, of red sandstone
, were faced with grey ashlar
. The nave was rebuilt in 1753 with money from Richard Hesketh of Meols
and his wife Margaret (the daughter of Richard Fleetwood).
By the 19th century, the graveyard was full and had become a public health concern. It was overrun with rats, and dogs chasing the rats, both of which were damaging the churchyard. Finding sufficient ground for new burials was increasingly difficult and bones were often removed to a nearby charnel house
. In 1849, an extra charge was put on burials of people from outside the parish. In 1884, the churchyard was closed to all burials and a cemetery
was opened in the town.
A round Norman
-style apse
was added to the church in 1868, the architects being the Lancaster
partnership of Paley and Austin. The incumbent, the Rev. Thomas Clarke, paid for this addition, but died before its construction was complete. Architect J. S. Crowther oversaw further alterations in 1881–83; a baptistery
was built, the organ was moved and choir stalls were built in the chancel. Some work was done to the interior of the tower in 1908. Renovations in 1955 included the addition of a central aisle
and the removal of some of the church furnishings. The Victorian pulpit was replaced. A small extension was added north of the tower in 2005.
The advowson to Poulton, which had been in the possession of the Fleetwood/Hesketh family for approximately 400 years, was sold in 1934 by Major Charles Fleetwood-Hesketh to the Diocese of Blackburn
.
dressings; the roofs are slate
. The church plan consists of a nave
, with a square tower to the west and a chancel
and apsidal
sanctuary
to the east. There is a clergy vestry
at the south-east corner of the building.
The tower at the west end of the church dates from the early 17th century. It sits next to the south-west corner of the nave, aligned with the south wall, because the former church plan included a north aisle; the north wall of the tower meets the nave at its roof ridge. It is castellated
and constructed of coursed
roughly-dressed stone. It has two diagonal buttress
es, two angled buttresses and four corner pinnacle
s. There are slate belfry
louvres
on each side of the tower and clock faces on the north and south sides.
A small stone porch towards the east end of the south wall leads to the Fleetwood family burial vault
. The doorway is inscribed with "Insignia Rici Fleetwood an hujus eccliae patronis, Anno Dni 1699". There are two more doorways on the south side of the nave, both have been restored and have Tuscan columns, triglyph
s and pediment
s. Above the doorways are oval windows, added in the 19th century which, according to Clare Hartwell, "add a touch of sophistication". There are large round-headed pairs of arched windows with Y-tracery
, (possibly added later) and plain architrave
s. There are three such windows on the north side and four on the south side with more round-headed windows in the apse.
staircase in the north-west that has turned baluster
s. The north and south galleries are supported by plain Tuscan columns and both contain box pew
s that date from 1752. Stained glass
dates from the late 19th century to the mid-20th century and includes work by Lancaster designers Shrigley and Hunt
. The pulpit
was constructed in 1955 in the Jacobean
style from the four sides of a 17th century pulpit. It has arabesque
s and a portion of an inscription from the Book of Isaiah
.
In the south-west corner of the nave is a choir vestry
, which was originally built as a baptistery
. Its screen is made of carved oak, formed in 1883 from one part of the Fleetwood family box pew that was originally situated in the chancel where the choir stalls now sit. In 1883, this pew had been described as "looking like a cross between a railway carriage and the centre piece of a gondola". The wood is carved with emblems of the family including a double-headed eagle, wheat sheaves and a griffin
. The screen door comes from the box pew of another prominent local family—the Rigbys of Layton
. It has a carving of a goat's head and is inscribed with "AR 1636".
Six hatchment
s hang in St Chad's in memory of 18th century members of the Hesketh-Fleetwood family. These hatchments are diamond-shaped representations of individual coats of arms
, painted for their funeral processions and then hung in the parish church.
There is a ring of eight bells
hung in an iron frame in the tower; they are rung from the ground floor of the tower. Five of the bells were cast in 1741 by Abel Rudhall of Gloucester. They were rehung in 1908. The sixth bell was recast in 1865 by Mears and Co.
of London. In 1919, the church bells were still customarily rung to signal the town curfew
between September and March. Two more bells were added in 1937, cast by Mears and Stainbank.
. The cross was originally situated on Poulton's boundary and marked a resting place for mourners travelling long distances to bury corpses at St Chad's. Only the two circular steps into which the original structure was set remain; the cross shaft has been replaced by an octagonal pillar. The pillar was used as a sundial until the early 20th century when the gnomon
was stolen. The steps function as a memorial for present-day mourners at St Chad's, in a small garden of remembrance. The churchyard is noted locally for its display of crocus
es and other flowering bulbs in early springtime.
Although the churchyard has been closed to burials since 1884, the ashes of cremated bodies have been interred in a small area to the west of the church since the 1950s. The paths in the churchyard incorporate gravestones that were set horizontally in 1973. There are few gravestones still standing, but there are several table tombs. To the south-east of the church there is a gravestone marking the grave of Edward Sherdley (d. 1741); the stone features carvings of a skull and crossbones
and an hourglass, and is known locally as the "pirate's grave".
on 23 September 1950. The Grade II* designation—the second highest of the three grades—is for "particularly important buildings of more than special interest". An active church in the Church of England
, St Chad's is part of the diocese of Blackburn
, which is in the Province of York
. It is in the archdeaconry of Lancaster and the Deanery
of Poulton; the benefice includes Poulton, Carleton and Singleton. The Rev. Martin Keighley was appointed vicar of St Chad's in 2000. The ecclesiastical parish of Poulton-le-Fylde St Chad includes the Church of St Hilda of Whitby in Carleton
.
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...
church in Poulton-le-Fylde
Poulton-le-Fylde
Poulton-le-Fylde is a market town in Lancashire, England, situated on the coastal plain called the Fylde. As of the 2001 United Kingdom census, it had a population of 18,264. There is evidence of human habitation in the area from 12,000 years ago and several archaeological finds from Roman...
, a town on the Fylde
The Fylde
The Fylde ; Scandinavian: "field") is a coastal plain in western Lancashire, England. It is roughly a 13-mile square-shaped peninsula, bounded by Morecambe Bay to the north, the Ribble estuary to the south, the Irish Sea to the west, and the Bowland hills to the east...
coastal plain in 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 parish church
Church of England parish church
A parish church in the Church of England is the church which acts as the religious centre for the people within the smallest and most basic Church of England administrative region, known as a parish.-Parishes in England:...
in 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...
and the archdeaconry of Lancaster. It has been designated a Grade II* listed building by English Heritage. A church on the site was built no later than the 11th century and may have existed prior to the Norman conquest of England
Norman conquest of England
The Norman conquest of England began on 28 September 1066 with the invasion of England by William, Duke of Normandy. William became known as William the Conqueror after his victory at the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066, defeating King Harold II of England...
. The tower dates from the 17th century, and much of the remainder of the building from a major renovation in the 18th century, although some of the fabric of the original structure remains. Further renovation and additions took place in the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries.
Soon after the Norman conquest, Poulton was granted to Lancaster Priory
Lancaster Priory
Lancaster Priory, formerly St Mary's Church, Lancaster, is the parish church of the city of Lancaster, Lancashire, England. It is located near Lancaster Castle and has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade I listed building. It is an active Anglican church in the deanery of...
. In the 15th century, the church was given by Henry V
Henry V of England
Henry V was King of England from 1413 until his death at the age of 35 in 1422. He was the second monarch belonging to the House of Lancaster....
to Syon Monastery in Middlesex. It returned to the Crown following the Dissolution of the Monasteries
Dissolution of the Monasteries
The Dissolution of the Monasteries, sometimes referred to as the Suppression of the Monasteries, was the set of administrative and legal processes between 1536 and 1541 by which Henry VIII disbanded monasteries, priories, convents and friaries in England, Wales and Ireland; appropriated their...
and from the 16th to the 20th century, the advowson
Advowson
Advowson is the right in English law of a patron to present or appoint a nominee to a vacant ecclesiastical benefice or church living, a process known as presentation. In effect this means the right to nominate a person to hold a church office in a parish...
(the right to appoint a parish priest) belonged to the Hesketh/Fleetwood family.
The red sandstone building is faced with grey ashlar
Ashlar
Ashlar is prepared stone work of any type of stone. Masonry using such stones laid in parallel courses is known as ashlar masonry, whereas masonry using irregularly shaped stones is known as rubble masonry. Ashlar blocks are rectangular cuboid blocks that are masonry sculpted to have square edges...
and 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...
, 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...
, square tower and a Norman-style apse
Apse
In architecture, the apse is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome...
. Its furnishings include a Georgian
Georgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
staircase, a Jacobean
Jacobean architecture
The Jacobean style is the second phase of Renaissance architecture in England, following the Elizabethan style. It is named after King James I of England, with whose reign it is associated.-Characteristics:...
pulpit, box pews and hatchment
Hatchment
A hatchment is a funeral demonstration of the lifetime "achievement" of the arms and any other honours displayed on a black lozenge-shaped frame which used to be suspended against the wall of a deceased person's house...
s. There are eight bells in the tower. Outside the church are the remains of a stone preaching cross
Preaching cross
A preaching cross is a cross, sometimes surmounting a pulpit, erected out of doors to designate a preaching place.In Britain and Ireland, many free-standing upright crosses – or high crosses – were erected. Some of these crosses bear figurative or decorative carvings, or inscriptions in runes...
.
History
There has probably been a church on the site of the present St Chad's since before the Norman conquest of EnglandNorman conquest of England
The Norman conquest of England began on 28 September 1066 with the invasion of England by William, Duke of Normandy. William became known as William the Conqueror after his victory at the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066, defeating King Harold II of England...
in 1066, and there is written evidence of one from 1094. The Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
of 1086 mentioned three churches in the hundred of Amounderness
Amounderness
Amounderness was a hundred of Lancashire in North West England. Formerly, the name had been used for territories now in Lancashire and north of the River Ribble that had been included in Domesday Yorkshire.-Etymology and history:...
, although they were not named. Later documentary evidence suggests that they were probably the churches at Poulton, Kirkham
Kirkham, Lancashire
Kirkham, or as it once was known, Kirkam-in-Amounderness is a town and civil parish in the Borough of Fylde in Lancashire, England, midway between Blackpool and Preston and adjacent to the smaller town of Wesham. It owes its existence to Carr Hill upon which it was built and which was the location...
and St Michael's on Wyre
St Michael's On Wyre
St Michael's on Wyre is a village on the Fylde, in the Borough of Wyre, in Lancashire, England; it lies on the River Wyre. The village is centred on the church of St Michael's which was founded before AD 640...
. The dedication of Poulton's church to 7th century Anglo-Saxon saint Chad of Mercia
Chad of Mercia
Chad was a prominent 7th century Anglo-Saxon churchman, who became abbot of several monasteries, Bishop of the Northumbrians and subsequently Bishop of the Mercians and Lindsey People. He was later canonized as a saint. He was the brother of Cedd, also a saint...
lends weight to its pre-conquest foundation, although it is possible that it was built between 1086 and 1094.
The first documentary evidence of Poulton's church dates from 1094. After the conquest Amounderness, which included Poulton, was among the lands given by William the Conqueror to an Anglo-Norman
Anglo-Norman
The Anglo-Normans were mainly the descendants of the Normans who ruled England following the Norman conquest by William the Conqueror in 1066. A small number of Normans were already settled in England prior to the conquest...
knight named Roger the Poitevin
Roger the Poitevin
Roger the Poitevin was born in Normandy in the mid-1060s and died before 1140 . He was an Anglo-Norman aristocrat, who possessed large holdings in both England and through his marriage in France....
. In 1094, Roger founded the Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
priory of St. Mary
Lancaster Priory
Lancaster Priory, formerly St Mary's Church, Lancaster, is the parish church of the city of Lancaster, Lancashire, England. It is located near Lancaster Castle and has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade I listed building. It is an active Anglican church in the deanery of...
at 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...
, as an offshoot of the Abbey of St. Martin in Sées
Sées
Sées is a commune in the Orne department in north-western France.It lies on the Orne River from its source and north-by-northeast of Alençon.-Name:...
, Normandy
Duchy of Normandy
The Duchy of Normandy stems from various Danish, Norwegian, Hiberno-Norse, Orkney Viking and Anglo-Danish invasions of France in the 9th century...
. He endowed the priory with the church and land at Poulton, approximately 20 miles (32.2 km) away. Roger was eventually banished from the country and his possessions reverted to the Crown. In 1194 the hundred of Amounderness was given by King Richard I
Richard I of England
Richard I was King of England from 6 July 1189 until his death. He also ruled as Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Lord of Cyprus, Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Count of Nantes, and Overlord of Brittany at various times during the same period...
to Theobald Walter, 1st Baron Butler who became the High Sheriff of Lancashire
High Sheriff of Lancashire
The High Sheriff of Lancashire is an ancient officer, now largely ceremonial, granted to Lancashire, a county in North West England. High Shrievalties are the oldest secular titles under the Crown, in England and Wales...
. Though the advowson
Advowson
Advowson is the right in English law of a patron to present or appoint a nominee to a vacant ecclesiastical benefice or church living, a process known as presentation. In effect this means the right to nominate a person to hold a church office in a parish...
of Poulton (the right to select a parish priest) had been granted by Roger to the monks of Lancaster, Theobald initially thought that it should be included in his entitlements. In 1196 he relinquished his right to Poulton (along with that of Bispham
Bispham, Blackpool
Bispham is a village roughly one-and-a-half miles north of Blackpool town centre on the Fylde coast in the county of Lancashire, England.-Geography and administration:...
), although he kept the advowsons of Preston
City of Preston, Lancashire
The City of Preston is a city and non-metropolitan district in Lancashire, England. It is located on the north bank of the River Ribble, and was granted city status in 2002, becoming England's 50th city in the 50th year of Queen Elizabeth II's reign...
and Kirkham.
In 1275 the Lancaster monks installed a vicar at the church. In 1291, taxation assessments made on behalf of Pope Nicholas IV
Pope Nicholas IV
Pope Nicholas IV , born Girolamo Masci, was Pope from February 22, 1288 to April 4, 1292. A Franciscan friar, he had been legate to the Greeks under Pope Gregory X in 1272, succeeded Bonaventure as Minister General of his religious order in 1274, was made Cardinal Priest of Santa Prassede and...
valued St Chad's at £68 13s 4d—the third richest church in Lancashire. In 1345, repairs to the 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...
were ordered in a letter from Simon de Bekyngham of Richmond
Richmond, North Yorkshire
Richmond is a market town and civil parish on the River Swale in North Yorkshire, England and is the administrative centre of the district of Richmondshire. It is situated on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, and serves as the Park's main tourist centre...
to Sir William, the dean of Amounderness.
In 1415, King Henry V
Henry V of England
Henry V was King of England from 1413 until his death at the age of 35 in 1422. He was the second monarch belonging to the House of Lancaster....
dissolved the alien priories (those under control of religious houses abroad) and the church at Poulton reverted to the Crown. It was given by Henry to Syon Monastery in Middlesex. At the time of the English Reformation
English Reformation
The English Reformation was the series of events in 16th-century England by which the Church of England broke away from the authority of the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church....
in the 16th century, St Chad's became the 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. Originally, the parish included Poulton, Carleton
Carleton, Lancashire
Carleton is a village on the coastal plain of the Fylde in Lancashire, England. It consists of Great Carleton, Little Carleton and Norcross and is situated close to the market town of Poulton-le-Fylde. Nearby settlements include Thornton, Bispham and Blackpool...
, Thornton
Thornton, Lancashire
Thornton is a village on the Fylde, in Lancashire, England, about four miles north of Blackpool and two miles south of Fleetwood. It is in the Borough of Wyre...
, Hardhorn-with-Newton and Marton
Marton, Blackpool
Marton is a settlement on the coastal plain of the Fylde in Lancashire, England, most of which is now part of the seaside town of Blackpool. Marton, which consisted of Great Marton, Little Marton, Marton Fold and The Peel, was originally part of the parish of Poulton-le-Fylde, before the...
. The Syon Monastery was suppressed in 1539 during Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
's Dissolution of the Monasteries
Dissolution of the Monasteries
The Dissolution of the Monasteries, sometimes referred to as the Suppression of the Monasteries, was the set of administrative and legal processes between 1536 and 1541 by which Henry VIII disbanded monasteries, priories, convents and friaries in England, Wales and Ireland; appropriated their...
and St Chad's again returned to the Crown's possession. In the reign of Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
(after a brief restoration of Syon by Mary I
Mary I of England
Mary I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from July 1553 until her death.She was the only surviving child born of the ill-fated marriage of Henry VIII and his first wife Catherine of Aragon. Her younger half-brother, Edward VI, succeeded Henry in 1547...
), the advowson was granted to John Fleetwood of Penwortham
Penwortham
-Landmarks:Penwortham Priory was built for the Rawsthorne family and redesigned by the Cumbrian architect George Webster. The priory was demolished due to the rapid expansion of the area and the need for new housing...
. The Fleetwood family remained the patrons of St Chad's until the early 20th century.
Some time in the 17th century, the present tower was built, possibly during Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
's reign.
St Chad's Church is an 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...
church in Poulton-le-Fylde
Poulton-le-Fylde
Poulton-le-Fylde is a market town in Lancashire, England, situated on the coastal plain called the Fylde. As of the 2001 United Kingdom census, it had a population of 18,264. There is evidence of human habitation in the area from 12,000 years ago and several archaeological finds from Roman...
, a town on the Fylde
The Fylde
The Fylde ; Scandinavian: "field") is a coastal plain in western Lancashire, England. It is roughly a 13-mile square-shaped peninsula, bounded by Morecambe Bay to the north, the Ribble estuary to the south, the Irish Sea to the west, and the Bowland hills to the east...
coastal plain in 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 parish church
Church of England parish church
A parish church in the Church of England is the church which acts as the religious centre for the people within the smallest and most basic Church of England administrative region, known as a parish.-Parishes in England:...
in 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...
and the archdeaconry of Lancaster. It has been designated a Grade II* listed building by English Heritage. A church on the site was built no later than the 11th century and may have existed prior to the Norman conquest of England
Norman conquest of England
The Norman conquest of England began on 28 September 1066 with the invasion of England by William, Duke of Normandy. William became known as William the Conqueror after his victory at the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066, defeating King Harold II of England...
. The tower dates from the 17th century, and much of the remainder of the building from a major renovation in the 18th century, although some of the fabric of the original structure remains. Further renovation and additions took place in the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries.
Soon after the Norman conquest, Poulton was granted to Lancaster Priory
Lancaster Priory
Lancaster Priory, formerly St Mary's Church, Lancaster, is the parish church of the city of Lancaster, Lancashire, England. It is located near Lancaster Castle and has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade I listed building. It is an active Anglican church in the deanery of...
. In the 15th century, the church was given by Henry V
Henry V of England
Henry V was King of England from 1413 until his death at the age of 35 in 1422. He was the second monarch belonging to the House of Lancaster....
to Syon Monastery in Middlesex. It returned to the Crown following the Dissolution of the Monasteries
Dissolution of the Monasteries
The Dissolution of the Monasteries, sometimes referred to as the Suppression of the Monasteries, was the set of administrative and legal processes between 1536 and 1541 by which Henry VIII disbanded monasteries, priories, convents and friaries in England, Wales and Ireland; appropriated their...
and from the 16th to the 20th century, the advowson
Advowson
Advowson is the right in English law of a patron to present or appoint a nominee to a vacant ecclesiastical benefice or church living, a process known as presentation. In effect this means the right to nominate a person to hold a church office in a parish...
(the right to appoint a parish priest) belonged to the Hesketh/Fleetwood family.
The red sandstone building is faced with grey ashlar
Ashlar
Ashlar is prepared stone work of any type of stone. Masonry using such stones laid in parallel courses is known as ashlar masonry, whereas masonry using irregularly shaped stones is known as rubble masonry. Ashlar blocks are rectangular cuboid blocks that are masonry sculpted to have square edges...
and 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...
, 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...
, square tower and a Norman-style apse
Apse
In architecture, the apse is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome...
. Its furnishings include a Georgian
Georgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
staircase, a Jacobean
Jacobean architecture
The Jacobean style is the second phase of Renaissance architecture in England, following the Elizabethan style. It is named after King James I of England, with whose reign it is associated.-Characteristics:...
pulpit, box pews and hatchment
Hatchment
A hatchment is a funeral demonstration of the lifetime "achievement" of the arms and any other honours displayed on a black lozenge-shaped frame which used to be suspended against the wall of a deceased person's house...
s. There are eight bells in the tower. Outside the church are the remains of a stone preaching cross
Preaching cross
A preaching cross is a cross, sometimes surmounting a pulpit, erected out of doors to designate a preaching place.In Britain and Ireland, many free-standing upright crosses – or high crosses – were erected. Some of these crosses bear figurative or decorative carvings, or inscriptions in runes...
.
History
There has probably been a church on the site of the present St Chad's since before the Norman conquest of EnglandNorman conquest of England
The Norman conquest of England began on 28 September 1066 with the invasion of England by William, Duke of Normandy. William became known as William the Conqueror after his victory at the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066, defeating King Harold II of England...
in 1066, and there is written evidence of one from 1094. The Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
of 1086 mentioned three churches in the hundred of Amounderness
Amounderness
Amounderness was a hundred of Lancashire in North West England. Formerly, the name had been used for territories now in Lancashire and north of the River Ribble that had been included in Domesday Yorkshire.-Etymology and history:...
, although they were not named. Later documentary evidence suggests that they were probably the churches at Poulton, Kirkham
Kirkham, Lancashire
Kirkham, or as it once was known, Kirkam-in-Amounderness is a town and civil parish in the Borough of Fylde in Lancashire, England, midway between Blackpool and Preston and adjacent to the smaller town of Wesham. It owes its existence to Carr Hill upon which it was built and which was the location...
and St Michael's on Wyre
St Michael's On Wyre
St Michael's on Wyre is a village on the Fylde, in the Borough of Wyre, in Lancashire, England; it lies on the River Wyre. The village is centred on the church of St Michael's which was founded before AD 640...
. The dedication of Poulton's church to 7th century Anglo-Saxon saint Chad of Mercia
Chad of Mercia
Chad was a prominent 7th century Anglo-Saxon churchman, who became abbot of several monasteries, Bishop of the Northumbrians and subsequently Bishop of the Mercians and Lindsey People. He was later canonized as a saint. He was the brother of Cedd, also a saint...
lends weight to its pre-conquest foundation, although it is possible that it was built between 1086 and 1094.
The first documentary evidence of Poulton's church dates from 1094. After the conquest Amounderness, which included Poulton, was among the lands given by William the Conqueror to an Anglo-Norman
Anglo-Norman
The Anglo-Normans were mainly the descendants of the Normans who ruled England following the Norman conquest by William the Conqueror in 1066. A small number of Normans were already settled in England prior to the conquest...
knight named Roger the Poitevin
Roger the Poitevin
Roger the Poitevin was born in Normandy in the mid-1060s and died before 1140 . He was an Anglo-Norman aristocrat, who possessed large holdings in both England and through his marriage in France....
. In 1094, Roger founded the Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
priory of St. Mary
Lancaster Priory
Lancaster Priory, formerly St Mary's Church, Lancaster, is the parish church of the city of Lancaster, Lancashire, England. It is located near Lancaster Castle and has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade I listed building. It is an active Anglican church in the deanery of...
at 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...
, as an offshoot of the Abbey of St. Martin in Sées
Sées
Sées is a commune in the Orne department in north-western France.It lies on the Orne River from its source and north-by-northeast of Alençon.-Name:...
, Normandy
Duchy of Normandy
The Duchy of Normandy stems from various Danish, Norwegian, Hiberno-Norse, Orkney Viking and Anglo-Danish invasions of France in the 9th century...
. He endowed the priory with the church and land at Poulton, approximately 20 miles (32.2 km) away. Roger was eventually banished from the country and his possessions reverted to the Crown. In 1194 the hundred of Amounderness was given by King Richard I
Richard I of England
Richard I was King of England from 6 July 1189 until his death. He also ruled as Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Lord of Cyprus, Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Count of Nantes, and Overlord of Brittany at various times during the same period...
to Theobald Walter, 1st Baron Butler who became the High Sheriff of Lancashire
High Sheriff of Lancashire
The High Sheriff of Lancashire is an ancient officer, now largely ceremonial, granted to Lancashire, a county in North West England. High Shrievalties are the oldest secular titles under the Crown, in England and Wales...
. Though the advowson
Advowson
Advowson is the right in English law of a patron to present or appoint a nominee to a vacant ecclesiastical benefice or church living, a process known as presentation. In effect this means the right to nominate a person to hold a church office in a parish...
of Poulton (the right to select a parish priest) had been granted by Roger to the monks of Lancaster, Theobald initially thought that it should be included in his entitlements. In 1196 he relinquished his right to Poulton (along with that of Bispham
Bispham, Blackpool
Bispham is a village roughly one-and-a-half miles north of Blackpool town centre on the Fylde coast in the county of Lancashire, England.-Geography and administration:...
), although he kept the advowsons of Preston
City of Preston, Lancashire
The City of Preston is a city and non-metropolitan district in Lancashire, England. It is located on the north bank of the River Ribble, and was granted city status in 2002, becoming England's 50th city in the 50th year of Queen Elizabeth II's reign...
and Kirkham.
In 1275 the Lancaster monks installed a vicar at the church. In 1291, taxation assessments made on behalf of Pope Nicholas IV
Pope Nicholas IV
Pope Nicholas IV , born Girolamo Masci, was Pope from February 22, 1288 to April 4, 1292. A Franciscan friar, he had been legate to the Greeks under Pope Gregory X in 1272, succeeded Bonaventure as Minister General of his religious order in 1274, was made Cardinal Priest of Santa Prassede and...
valued St Chad's at £68 13s 4d—the third richest church in Lancashire. In 1345, repairs to the 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...
were ordered in a letter from Simon de Bekyngham of Richmond
Richmond, North Yorkshire
Richmond is a market town and civil parish on the River Swale in North Yorkshire, England and is the administrative centre of the district of Richmondshire. It is situated on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, and serves as the Park's main tourist centre...
to Sir William, the dean of Amounderness.
In 1415, King Henry V
Henry V of England
Henry V was King of England from 1413 until his death at the age of 35 in 1422. He was the second monarch belonging to the House of Lancaster....
dissolved the alien priories (those under control of religious houses abroad) and the church at Poulton reverted to the Crown. It was given by Henry to Syon Monastery in Middlesex. At the time of the English Reformation
English Reformation
The English Reformation was the series of events in 16th-century England by which the Church of England broke away from the authority of the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church....
in the 16th century, St Chad's became the 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. Originally, the parish included Poulton, Carleton
Carleton, Lancashire
Carleton is a village on the coastal plain of the Fylde in Lancashire, England. It consists of Great Carleton, Little Carleton and Norcross and is situated close to the market town of Poulton-le-Fylde. Nearby settlements include Thornton, Bispham and Blackpool...
, Thornton
Thornton, Lancashire
Thornton is a village on the Fylde, in Lancashire, England, about four miles north of Blackpool and two miles south of Fleetwood. It is in the Borough of Wyre...
, Hardhorn-with-Newton and Marton
Marton, Blackpool
Marton is a settlement on the coastal plain of the Fylde in Lancashire, England, most of which is now part of the seaside town of Blackpool. Marton, which consisted of Great Marton, Little Marton, Marton Fold and The Peel, was originally part of the parish of Poulton-le-Fylde, before the...
. The Syon Monastery was suppressed in 1539 during Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
's Dissolution of the Monasteries
Dissolution of the Monasteries
The Dissolution of the Monasteries, sometimes referred to as the Suppression of the Monasteries, was the set of administrative and legal processes between 1536 and 1541 by which Henry VIII disbanded monasteries, priories, convents and friaries in England, Wales and Ireland; appropriated their...
and St Chad's again returned to the Crown's possession. In the reign of Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
(after a brief restoration of Syon by Mary I
Mary I of England
Mary I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from July 1553 until her death.She was the only surviving child born of the ill-fated marriage of Henry VIII and his first wife Catherine of Aragon. Her younger half-brother, Edward VI, succeeded Henry in 1547...
), the advowson was granted to John Fleetwood of Penwortham
Penwortham
-Landmarks:Penwortham Priory was built for the Rawsthorne family and redesigned by the Cumbrian architect George Webster. The priory was demolished due to the rapid expansion of the area and the need for new housing...
. The Fleetwood family remained the patrons of St Chad's until the early 20th century.
Some time in the 17th century, the present tower was built, possibly during Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
's reign.
St Chad's Church is an 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...
church in Poulton-le-Fylde
Poulton-le-Fylde
Poulton-le-Fylde is a market town in Lancashire, England, situated on the coastal plain called the Fylde. As of the 2001 United Kingdom census, it had a population of 18,264. There is evidence of human habitation in the area from 12,000 years ago and several archaeological finds from Roman...
, a town on the Fylde
The Fylde
The Fylde ; Scandinavian: "field") is a coastal plain in western Lancashire, England. It is roughly a 13-mile square-shaped peninsula, bounded by Morecambe Bay to the north, the Ribble estuary to the south, the Irish Sea to the west, and the Bowland hills to the east...
coastal plain in 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 parish church
Church of England parish church
A parish church in the Church of England is the church which acts as the religious centre for the people within the smallest and most basic Church of England administrative region, known as a parish.-Parishes in England:...
in 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...
and the archdeaconry of Lancaster. It has been designated a Grade II* listed building by English Heritage. A church on the site was built no later than the 11th century and may have existed prior to the Norman conquest of England
Norman conquest of England
The Norman conquest of England began on 28 September 1066 with the invasion of England by William, Duke of Normandy. William became known as William the Conqueror after his victory at the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066, defeating King Harold II of England...
. The tower dates from the 17th century, and much of the remainder of the building from a major renovation in the 18th century, although some of the fabric of the original structure remains. Further renovation and additions took place in the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries.
Soon after the Norman conquest, Poulton was granted to Lancaster Priory
Lancaster Priory
Lancaster Priory, formerly St Mary's Church, Lancaster, is the parish church of the city of Lancaster, Lancashire, England. It is located near Lancaster Castle and has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade I listed building. It is an active Anglican church in the deanery of...
. In the 15th century, the church was given by Henry V
Henry V of England
Henry V was King of England from 1413 until his death at the age of 35 in 1422. He was the second monarch belonging to the House of Lancaster....
to Syon Monastery in Middlesex. It returned to the Crown following the Dissolution of the Monasteries
Dissolution of the Monasteries
The Dissolution of the Monasteries, sometimes referred to as the Suppression of the Monasteries, was the set of administrative and legal processes between 1536 and 1541 by which Henry VIII disbanded monasteries, priories, convents and friaries in England, Wales and Ireland; appropriated their...
and from the 16th to the 20th century, the advowson
Advowson
Advowson is the right in English law of a patron to present or appoint a nominee to a vacant ecclesiastical benefice or church living, a process known as presentation. In effect this means the right to nominate a person to hold a church office in a parish...
(the right to appoint a parish priest) belonged to the Hesketh/Fleetwood family.
The red sandstone building is faced with grey ashlar
Ashlar
Ashlar is prepared stone work of any type of stone. Masonry using such stones laid in parallel courses is known as ashlar masonry, whereas masonry using irregularly shaped stones is known as rubble masonry. Ashlar blocks are rectangular cuboid blocks that are masonry sculpted to have square edges...
and 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...
, 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...
, square tower and a Norman-style apse
Apse
In architecture, the apse is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome...
. Its furnishings include a Georgian
Georgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
staircase, a Jacobean
Jacobean architecture
The Jacobean style is the second phase of Renaissance architecture in England, following the Elizabethan style. It is named after King James I of England, with whose reign it is associated.-Characteristics:...
pulpit, box pews and hatchment
Hatchment
A hatchment is a funeral demonstration of the lifetime "achievement" of the arms and any other honours displayed on a black lozenge-shaped frame which used to be suspended against the wall of a deceased person's house...
s. There are eight bells in the tower. Outside the church are the remains of a stone preaching cross
Preaching cross
A preaching cross is a cross, sometimes surmounting a pulpit, erected out of doors to designate a preaching place.In Britain and Ireland, many free-standing upright crosses – or high crosses – were erected. Some of these crosses bear figurative or decorative carvings, or inscriptions in runes...
.
History
There has probably been a church on the site of the present St Chad's since before the Norman conquest of EnglandNorman conquest of England
The Norman conquest of England began on 28 September 1066 with the invasion of England by William, Duke of Normandy. William became known as William the Conqueror after his victory at the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066, defeating King Harold II of England...
in 1066, and there is written evidence of one from 1094. The Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
of 1086 mentioned three churches in the hundred of Amounderness
Amounderness
Amounderness was a hundred of Lancashire in North West England. Formerly, the name had been used for territories now in Lancashire and north of the River Ribble that had been included in Domesday Yorkshire.-Etymology and history:...
, although they were not named. Later documentary evidence suggests that they were probably the churches at Poulton, Kirkham
Kirkham, Lancashire
Kirkham, or as it once was known, Kirkam-in-Amounderness is a town and civil parish in the Borough of Fylde in Lancashire, England, midway between Blackpool and Preston and adjacent to the smaller town of Wesham. It owes its existence to Carr Hill upon which it was built and which was the location...
and St Michael's on Wyre
St Michael's On Wyre
St Michael's on Wyre is a village on the Fylde, in the Borough of Wyre, in Lancashire, England; it lies on the River Wyre. The village is centred on the church of St Michael's which was founded before AD 640...
. The dedication of Poulton's church to 7th century Anglo-Saxon saint Chad of Mercia
Chad of Mercia
Chad was a prominent 7th century Anglo-Saxon churchman, who became abbot of several monasteries, Bishop of the Northumbrians and subsequently Bishop of the Mercians and Lindsey People. He was later canonized as a saint. He was the brother of Cedd, also a saint...
lends weight to its pre-conquest foundation, although it is possible that it was built between 1086 and 1094.
The first documentary evidence of Poulton's church dates from 1094. After the conquest Amounderness, which included Poulton, was among the lands given by William the Conqueror to an Anglo-Norman
Anglo-Norman
The Anglo-Normans were mainly the descendants of the Normans who ruled England following the Norman conquest by William the Conqueror in 1066. A small number of Normans were already settled in England prior to the conquest...
knight named Roger the Poitevin
Roger the Poitevin
Roger the Poitevin was born in Normandy in the mid-1060s and died before 1140 . He was an Anglo-Norman aristocrat, who possessed large holdings in both England and through his marriage in France....
. In 1094, Roger founded the Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
priory of St. Mary
Lancaster Priory
Lancaster Priory, formerly St Mary's Church, Lancaster, is the parish church of the city of Lancaster, Lancashire, England. It is located near Lancaster Castle and has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade I listed building. It is an active Anglican church in the deanery of...
at 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...
, as an offshoot of the Abbey of St. Martin in Sées
Sées
Sées is a commune in the Orne department in north-western France.It lies on the Orne River from its source and north-by-northeast of Alençon.-Name:...
, Normandy
Duchy of Normandy
The Duchy of Normandy stems from various Danish, Norwegian, Hiberno-Norse, Orkney Viking and Anglo-Danish invasions of France in the 9th century...
. He endowed the priory with the church and land at Poulton, approximately 20 miles (32.2 km) away. Roger was eventually banished from the country and his possessions reverted to the Crown. In 1194 the hundred of Amounderness was given by King Richard I
Richard I of England
Richard I was King of England from 6 July 1189 until his death. He also ruled as Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Lord of Cyprus, Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Count of Nantes, and Overlord of Brittany at various times during the same period...
to Theobald Walter, 1st Baron Butler who became the High Sheriff of Lancashire
High Sheriff of Lancashire
The High Sheriff of Lancashire is an ancient officer, now largely ceremonial, granted to Lancashire, a county in North West England. High Shrievalties are the oldest secular titles under the Crown, in England and Wales...
. Though the advowson
Advowson
Advowson is the right in English law of a patron to present or appoint a nominee to a vacant ecclesiastical benefice or church living, a process known as presentation. In effect this means the right to nominate a person to hold a church office in a parish...
of Poulton (the right to select a parish priest) had been granted by Roger to the monks of Lancaster, Theobald initially thought that it should be included in his entitlements. In 1196 he relinquished his right to Poulton (along with that of Bispham
Bispham, Blackpool
Bispham is a village roughly one-and-a-half miles north of Blackpool town centre on the Fylde coast in the county of Lancashire, England.-Geography and administration:...
), although he kept the advowsons of Preston
City of Preston, Lancashire
The City of Preston is a city and non-metropolitan district in Lancashire, England. It is located on the north bank of the River Ribble, and was granted city status in 2002, becoming England's 50th city in the 50th year of Queen Elizabeth II's reign...
and Kirkham.
In 1275 the Lancaster monks installed a vicar at the church. In 1291, taxation assessments made on behalf of Pope Nicholas IV
Pope Nicholas IV
Pope Nicholas IV , born Girolamo Masci, was Pope from February 22, 1288 to April 4, 1292. A Franciscan friar, he had been legate to the Greeks under Pope Gregory X in 1272, succeeded Bonaventure as Minister General of his religious order in 1274, was made Cardinal Priest of Santa Prassede and...
valued St Chad's at £68 13s 4d—the third richest church in Lancashire. In 1345, repairs to the 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...
were ordered in a letter from Simon de Bekyngham of Richmond
Richmond, North Yorkshire
Richmond is a market town and civil parish on the River Swale in North Yorkshire, England and is the administrative centre of the district of Richmondshire. It is situated on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, and serves as the Park's main tourist centre...
to Sir William, the dean of Amounderness.
In 1415, King Henry V
Henry V of England
Henry V was King of England from 1413 until his death at the age of 35 in 1422. He was the second monarch belonging to the House of Lancaster....
dissolved the alien priories (those under control of religious houses abroad) and the church at Poulton reverted to the Crown. It was given by Henry to Syon Monastery in Middlesex. At the time of the English Reformation
English Reformation
The English Reformation was the series of events in 16th-century England by which the Church of England broke away from the authority of the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church....
in the 16th century, St Chad's became the 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. Originally, the parish included Poulton, Carleton
Carleton, Lancashire
Carleton is a village on the coastal plain of the Fylde in Lancashire, England. It consists of Great Carleton, Little Carleton and Norcross and is situated close to the market town of Poulton-le-Fylde. Nearby settlements include Thornton, Bispham and Blackpool...
, Thornton
Thornton, Lancashire
Thornton is a village on the Fylde, in Lancashire, England, about four miles north of Blackpool and two miles south of Fleetwood. It is in the Borough of Wyre...
, Hardhorn-with-Newton and Marton
Marton, Blackpool
Marton is a settlement on the coastal plain of the Fylde in Lancashire, England, most of which is now part of the seaside town of Blackpool. Marton, which consisted of Great Marton, Little Marton, Marton Fold and The Peel, was originally part of the parish of Poulton-le-Fylde, before the...
. The Syon Monastery was suppressed in 1539 during Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
's Dissolution of the Monasteries
Dissolution of the Monasteries
The Dissolution of the Monasteries, sometimes referred to as the Suppression of the Monasteries, was the set of administrative and legal processes between 1536 and 1541 by which Henry VIII disbanded monasteries, priories, convents and friaries in England, Wales and Ireland; appropriated their...
and St Chad's again returned to the Crown's possession. In the reign of Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
(after a brief restoration of Syon by Mary I
Mary I of England
Mary I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from July 1553 until her death.She was the only surviving child born of the ill-fated marriage of Henry VIII and his first wife Catherine of Aragon. Her younger half-brother, Edward VI, succeeded Henry in 1547...
), the advowson was granted to John Fleetwood of Penwortham
Penwortham
-Landmarks:Penwortham Priory was built for the Rawsthorne family and redesigned by the Cumbrian architect George Webster. The priory was demolished due to the rapid expansion of the area and the need for new housing...
. The Fleetwood family remained the patrons of St Chad's until the early 20th century.
Some time in the 17th century, the present tower was built, possibly during Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
's reign. In 1751 the church was extensively renovated. It was previously thought that the old church (except the tower) was completely demolished but recent evidence indicates that the "new" building still contains the outer walls of the previous structure. These original walls, of red sandstone
Sandstone
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,...
, were faced with grey ashlar
Ashlar
Ashlar is prepared stone work of any type of stone. Masonry using such stones laid in parallel courses is known as ashlar masonry, whereas masonry using irregularly shaped stones is known as rubble masonry. Ashlar blocks are rectangular cuboid blocks that are masonry sculpted to have square edges...
. The nave was rebuilt in 1753 with money from Richard Hesketh of Meols
Meols
Meols is a village on the northern coast of the Wirral Peninsula, England. It is contiguous with the larger town of Hoylake, situated immediately to the west. Formerly, Meols was in the county of Cheshire, although since 1 April 1974 it has been a part of the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral in the...
and his wife Margaret (the daughter of Richard Fleetwood).
By the 19th century, the graveyard was full and had become a public health concern. It was overrun with rats, and dogs chasing the rats, both of which were damaging the churchyard. Finding sufficient ground for new burials was increasingly difficult and bones were often removed to a nearby charnel house
Charnel house
A charnel house is a vault or building where human skeletal remains are stored. They are often built near churches for depositing bones that are unearthed while digging graves...
. In 1849, an extra charge was put on burials of people from outside the parish. In 1884, the churchyard was closed to all burials and a cemetery
Cemetery
A cemetery is a place in which dead bodies and cremated remains are buried. The term "cemetery" implies that the land is specifically designated as a burying ground. Cemeteries in the Western world are where the final ceremonies of death are observed...
was opened in the town.
A round Norman
Norman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
-style apse
Apse
In architecture, the apse is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome...
was added to the church in 1868, the architects being the 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...
partnership of Paley and Austin. The incumbent, the Rev. Thomas Clarke, paid for this addition, but died before its construction was complete. Architect J. S. Crowther oversaw further alterations in 1881–83; a baptistery
Baptistery
In Christian architecture the baptistry or baptistery is the separate centrally-planned structure surrounding the baptismal font. The baptistry may be incorporated within the body of a church or cathedral and be provided with an altar as a chapel...
was built, the organ was moved and choir stalls were built in the chancel. Some work was done to the interior of the tower in 1908. Renovations in 1955 included the addition of a central 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...
and the removal of some of the church furnishings. The Victorian pulpit was replaced. A small extension was added north of the tower in 2005.
The advowson to Poulton, which had been in the possession of the Fleetwood/Hesketh family for approximately 400 years, was sold in 1934 by Major Charles Fleetwood-Hesketh to 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...
.
Exterior
The outer walls of the church are constructed of red sandstone with grey ashlarAshlar
Ashlar is prepared stone work of any type of stone. Masonry using such stones laid in parallel courses is known as ashlar masonry, whereas masonry using irregularly shaped stones is known as rubble masonry. Ashlar blocks are rectangular cuboid blocks that are masonry sculpted to have square edges...
dressings; the roofs are slate
Slate
Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. The result is a foliated rock in which the foliation may not correspond to the original sedimentary layering...
. The church 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...
, with a square tower to the west 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...
and apsidal
Apse
In architecture, the apse is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome...
sanctuary
Sanctuary
A sanctuary is any place of safety. They may be categorized into human and non-human .- Religious sanctuary :A religious sanctuary can be a sacred place , or a consecrated area of a church or temple around its tabernacle or altar.- Sanctuary as a sacred place :#Sanctuary as a sacred place:#:In...
to the east. There is a clergy vestry
Vestry
A vestry is a room in or attached to a church or synagogue in which the vestments, vessels, records, etc., are kept , and in which the clergy and choir robe or don their vestments for divine service....
at the south-east corner of the building.
The tower at the west end of the church dates from the early 17th century. It sits next to the south-west corner of the nave, aligned with the south wall, because the former church plan included a north aisle; the north wall of the tower meets the nave at its roof ridge. It is castellated
Battlement
A battlement in defensive architecture, such as that of city walls or castles, comprises a parapet , in which portions have been cut out at intervals to allow the discharge of arrows or other missiles. These cut-out portions form crenels...
and constructed of coursed
Course (architecture)
A course is a continuous horizontal layer of similarly-sized building material one unit high, usually in a wall. The term is almost always used in conjunction with unit masonry such as brick, cut stone, or concrete masonry units .-Styles:...
roughly-dressed stone. It has two 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, two angled buttresses and four corner pinnacle
Pinnacle
A pinnacle is an architectural ornament originally forming the cap or crown of a buttress or small turret, but afterwards used on parapets at the corners of towers and in many other situations. The pinnacle looks like a small spire...
s. There are slate belfry
Bell tower
A bell tower is a tower which contains one or more bells, or which is designed to hold bells, even if it has none. In the European tradition, such a tower most commonly serves as part of a church and contains church bells. When attached to a city hall or other civic building, especially in...
louvres
Louver
A louver or louvre , from the French l'ouvert; "the open one") is a window, blind or shutter with horizontal slats that are angled to admit light and air, but to keep out rain, direct sunshine, and noise...
on each side of the tower and clock faces on the north and south sides.
A small stone porch towards the east end of the south wall leads to the Fleetwood family burial vault
Burial vault (tomb)
A burial vault is a structural underground tomb.It is a stone or brick-lined underground space or 'burial' chamber for the interment of a dead body or bodies. They were originally and are still often vaulted and usually have stone slab entrances...
. The doorway is inscribed with "Insignia Rici Fleetwood an hujus eccliae patronis, Anno Dni 1699". There are two more doorways on the south side of the nave, both have been restored and have Tuscan columns, triglyph
Triglyph
Triglyph is an architectural term for the vertically channeled tablets of the Doric frieze, so called because of the angular channels in them, two perfect and one divided, the two chamfered angles or hemiglyphs being reckoned as one. The square recessed spaces between the triglyphs on a Doric...
s and pediment
Pediment
A pediment is a classical architectural element consisting of the triangular section found above the horizontal structure , typically supported by columns. The gable end of the pediment is surrounded by the cornice moulding...
s. Above the doorways are oval windows, added in the 19th century which, according to Clare Hartwell, "add a touch of sophistication". There are large round-headed pairs of arched windows with Y-tracery
Tracery
In architecture, Tracery is the stonework elements that support the glass in a Gothic window. The term probably derives from the 'tracing floors' on which the complex patterns of late Gothic windows were laid out.-Plate tracery:...
, (possibly added later) and plain architrave
Architrave
An architrave is the lintel or beam that rests on the capitals of the columns. It is an architectural element in Classical architecture.-Classical architecture:...
s. There are three such windows on the north side and four on the south side with more round-headed windows in the apse.
Interior and fittings
Internally, the nave measures 93 in 6 in (28.5 m) by 36 feet (11 m), the chancel (including apse) measures 20 feet (6.1 m) by 17 in 6 in (5.33 m) and the tower measures 12 feet (3.7 m) by 12 feet (3.7 m). The ceiling of the church has shallow ribbed vaulting. There are galleries to the north, west and south, accessed by a GeorgianGeorgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
staircase in the north-west that has turned baluster
Baluster
A baluster is a moulded shaft, square or of lathe-turned form, one of various forms of spindle in woodwork, made of stone or wood and sometimes of metal, standing on a unifying footing, and supporting the coping of a parapet or the handrail of a staircase. Multiplied in this way, they form a...
s. The north and south galleries are supported by plain Tuscan columns and both contain box pew
Box pew
Box pew is a type of church pew that is encased in panelling and was prevalent in England and other Protestant countries from the 16th to early 19th century.-History in England:...
s that date from 1752. Stained glass
Stained glass
The term stained glass can refer to coloured glass as a material or to works produced from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant buildings...
dates from the late 19th century to the mid-20th century and includes work by Lancaster designers Shrigley and Hunt
Shrigley and Hunt
Shrigley and Hunt was the name of an English firm which produced stained glass windows and art tiles.The business began in the 1750s when Shrigley's was a painting, carving and gilding firm in Lancaster, Lancashire....
. The pulpit
Pulpit
Pulpit is a speakers' stand in a church. In many Christian churches, there are two speakers' stands at the front of the church. Typically, the one on the left is called the pulpit...
was constructed in 1955 in the Jacobean
Jacobean architecture
The Jacobean style is the second phase of Renaissance architecture in England, following the Elizabethan style. It is named after King James I of England, with whose reign it is associated.-Characteristics:...
style from the four sides of a 17th century pulpit. It has arabesque
Arabesque
The arabesque is a form of artistic decoration consisting of "surface decorations based on rhythmic linear patterns of scrolling and interlacing foliage, tendrils" or plain lines, often combined with other elements...
s and a portion of an inscription from the Book of Isaiah
Book of Isaiah
The Book of Isaiah is the first of the Latter Prophets in the Hebrew Bible, preceding the books of Ezekiel, Jeremiah and the Book of the Twelve...
.
In the south-west corner of the nave is a choir vestry
Vestry
A vestry is a room in or attached to a church or synagogue in which the vestments, vessels, records, etc., are kept , and in which the clergy and choir robe or don their vestments for divine service....
, which was originally built as a baptistery
Baptistery
In Christian architecture the baptistry or baptistery is the separate centrally-planned structure surrounding the baptismal font. The baptistry may be incorporated within the body of a church or cathedral and be provided with an altar as a chapel...
. Its screen is made of carved oak, formed in 1883 from one part of the Fleetwood family box pew that was originally situated in the chancel where the choir stalls now sit. In 1883, this pew had been described as "looking like a cross between a railway carriage and the centre piece of a gondola". The wood is carved with emblems of the family including a double-headed eagle, wheat sheaves and a griffin
Griffin
The griffin, griffon, or gryphon is a legendary creature with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle...
. The screen door comes from the box pew of another prominent local family—the Rigbys of Layton
Layton, Blackpool
Layton is a district of the town of Blackpool on the Fylde coast in the county of Lancashire, England.-Geography:Located roughly in Blackpool's geographical centre Layton accounts for a relatively large part of the town's total area...
. It has a carving of a goat's head and is inscribed with "AR 1636".
Six hatchment
Hatchment
A hatchment is a funeral demonstration of the lifetime "achievement" of the arms and any other honours displayed on a black lozenge-shaped frame which used to be suspended against the wall of a deceased person's house...
s hang in St Chad's in memory of 18th century members of the Hesketh-Fleetwood family. These hatchments are diamond-shaped representations of individual coats of arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
, painted for their funeral processions and then hung in the parish church.
There is a ring of eight bells
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...
hung in an iron frame in the tower; they are rung from the ground floor of the tower. Five of the bells were cast in 1741 by Abel Rudhall of Gloucester. They were rehung in 1908. The sixth bell was recast in 1865 by Mears and Co.
Whitechapel Bell Foundry
The Whitechapel Bell Foundry is a bell foundry in Whitechapel in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, in the East End of London. The foundry is listed by the Guinness Book of Records as the oldest manufacturing company in Great Britain...
of London. In 1919, the church bells were still customarily rung to signal the town curfew
Curfew
A curfew is an order specifying a time after which certain regulations apply. Examples:# An order by a government for certain persons to return home daily before a certain time...
between September and March. Two more bells were added in 1937, cast by Mears and Stainbank.
Churchyard
To the south of the church there are the remnants of a stone preaching crossPreaching cross
A preaching cross is a cross, sometimes surmounting a pulpit, erected out of doors to designate a preaching place.In Britain and Ireland, many free-standing upright crosses – or high crosses – were erected. Some of these crosses bear figurative or decorative carvings, or inscriptions in runes...
. The cross was originally situated on Poulton's boundary and marked a resting place for mourners travelling long distances to bury corpses at St Chad's. Only the two circular steps into which the original structure was set remain; the cross shaft has been replaced by an octagonal pillar. The pillar was used as a sundial until the early 20th century when the gnomon
Gnomon
The gnomon is the part of a sundial that casts the shadow. Gnomon is an ancient Greek word meaning "indicator", "one who discerns," or "that which reveals."It has come to be used for a variety of purposes in mathematics and other fields....
was stolen. The steps function as a memorial for present-day mourners at St Chad's, in a small garden of remembrance. The churchyard is noted locally for its display of crocus
Crocus
Crocus is a genus in the iris family comprising about 80 species of perennials growing from corms. Many are cultivated for their flowers appearing in autumn, winter, or spring...
es and other flowering bulbs in early springtime.
Although the churchyard has been closed to burials since 1884, the ashes of cremated bodies have been interred in a small area to the west of the church since the 1950s. The paths in the churchyard incorporate gravestones that were set horizontally in 1973. There are few gravestones still standing, but there are several table tombs. To the south-east of the church there is a gravestone marking the grave of Edward Sherdley (d. 1741); the stone features carvings of a skull and crossbones
Skull and crossbones
A skull and crossbones is a symbol consisting of a human skull and two long bones crossed together under the skull. It is generally used as a warning of danger, usually in regard to poisonous substances, such as deadly chemicals.-History of the symbol:...
and an hourglass, and is known locally as the "pirate's grave".
Present day and assessment
St Chad's was designated a Grade II* listed building by English HeritageEnglish Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
on 23 September 1950. The Grade II* designation—the second highest of the three grades—is for "particularly important buildings of more than special interest". An active church in the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
, St Chad's is part of 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...
, which is in the Province of York
Province of York
The Province of York is one of two ecclesiastical provinces making up the Church of England, and consists of 14 dioceses which cover the northern third of England and the Isle of Man. York was elevated to an Archbishopric in 735 AD: Ecgbert of York was the first archbishop...
. It is in the archdeaconry of Lancaster and the Deanery
Deanery
A Deanery is an ecclesiastical entity in both the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of England. A deanery is either the jurisdiction or residence of a Dean.- Catholic usage :...
of Poulton; the benefice includes Poulton, Carleton and Singleton. The Rev. Martin Keighley was appointed vicar of St Chad's in 2000. The ecclesiastical parish of Poulton-le-Fylde St Chad includes the Church of St Hilda of Whitby in Carleton
Carleton, Lancashire
Carleton is a village on the coastal plain of the Fylde in Lancashire, England. It consists of Great Carleton, Little Carleton and Norcross and is situated close to the market town of Poulton-le-Fylde. Nearby settlements include Thornton, Bispham and Blackpool...
.
See also
External links
- St Chad's Church at the Poulton-le-Fylde Historical and Civic Society