St Cuthbert's Church, Lytham

{{Use British English|date=September 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2024}} {{Infobox church | name = St Cuthbert's | full_name = | image = The Parish Church of Lytham, St Cuthbert - geograph.org.uk - 1884761.jpg | image_size = | imagelink = | alt =

| coordinates = {{Coord|53.7374|-2.9762|region:GB_type:landmark|display=title}} | osgraw = SD 357 272 | location = Lytham, Lancashire | country = | denomination = [[Anglicanism|Anglican]] | website = [http://stcuthbertslytham.org/ St Cuthbert, Lytham] | founded = | founder = | dedication = | dedicated = | consecrated = | events = | status = [[Church of England parish church|Parish church]] | functional_status = Active | heritage_designation = Grade II* | designated = | architect = W. H. Hobden<br>[[Paley and Austin]]<br>[[Austin and Paley]] | architectural_type = | style = | groundbreaking = | completed = 1834–1835 | construction_cost =

| capacity = | length = | width = | height = | materials = | parish = | deanery = Kirkham | archdeaconry = Lancaster | archdiocese = | diocese = [[Diocese of Blackburn|Blackburn]] | province = [[Province of York|York]] | district = | division = }} '''St Cuthbert's''' is an [[Anglicanism|Anglican]] church in [[Lytham]], Lancashire, England. It was built 1834–1835, replacing a previous church on the same site. It is an active [[Church of England parish church|parish church]] in the [[Diocese of Blackburn]]. Since 1971 it has been designated a Grade II* [[listed building]].

==History== The current church is the third to be built on the site. A church was built in 1770, replacing an older structure of [[cobblestone|cobbles]].<ref name=Farrer /> The 1770 building was in turn replaced by the current structure, built in 1834–1835 to a design by W. H. Hobden.<ref name=Farrer /><ref name=Hartwell /> It was enlarged in 1872 with the addition of a [[chancel]] by the [[Lancaster, Lancashire|Lancaster]] architects [[Paley and Austin]].<ref>{{Harvnb|Brandwood|Austin|Hughes|Price|2012|p=226.}}</ref> In 1882 the same partnership added the north aisle, a [[vestry]] and the organ chamber,<ref>{{Harvnb|Brandwood|Austin|Hughes|Price|2012|p=233.}}</ref> followed by new seating and a new front to the gallery in 1887.<ref>{{Harvnb|Brandwood|Austin|Hughes|Price|2012|p=236.}}</ref> The church was further enlarged in 1909.<ref name=EH /> A memorial chapel was added in 1931 by the successors in the practice, [[Austin and Paley]].<ref>{{Harvnb|Brandwood|Austin|Hughes|Price|2012|p=253.}}</ref> On 13 January 1971 the church was designated a Grade II* [[listed building]].<ref name=EH /> The Grade II* designation is the second highest of the three grades.<ref name=ListedBuildings />

St Cuthbert's is an active parish church in the [[Diocese of Blackburn]], the Archdeaconry of Lancaster, and the Deanery of Kirkham.<ref>{{Citation | url = http://www.achurchnearyou.com/lytham-st-cuthbert/| title = St Cuthbert, Lytham| access-date = 21 June 2012| publisher = [[Church of England]] }}</ref>

==Architecture==

===Exterior=== St Cuthbert's is constructed of dark red brick with [[sandstone]] [[ashlar|dressings]] in the [[Perpendicular style]].<ref name=EH /> The roofs are [[slate]]. The plan consists of a west tower, a [[nave]] with [[aisle]]s to the north and south, to the east, a chancel and a vestry north of the chancel.<ref name=Farrer /><ref name=EH /> There is a small porch at the west end of the south aisle.

The tower has diagonal [[buttress]]es and three stages.<ref name=EH /> Its [[parapet]] is [[Battlement|crenellated]].<ref name=Hartwell /> It has two-light [[bell tower|belfry]] [[louver|louvres]] and a two-light west window. The aisles have three-light windows in the Perpendicular style and the nave [[clerestory]] has smaller two-light windows. There are two-light windows in the chancel and the east window is a large three-light window in the [[Arts and Crafts Movement|Arts and Crafts]] style.<ref name=EH /> Like the tower, the aisle, nave, porch and chancel walls are crenellated.<ref name=Hartwell />

===Interior and fittings=== The tower houses a [[ring of bells|ring of eight bells]], hung in a wooden frame.<ref name=Cheetham /> The church includes monuments to the local Clifton family.<ref name=Farrer />

St Cuthbert's stained glass includes a window designed in 1860 by [[Hardman & Co.]], an 1874 window depicting the [[Mount of Olives]] by [[Morris & Co.]] as well as work by [[Charles Eamer Kempe]], [[Jean-Baptiste Capronnier]] and [[Clayton and Bell]].<ref name=Hartwell />

==Churchyard and surroundings== [[File:The Parish Church of Lytham, St Cuthbert, Sundial - geograph.org.uk - 1884757.jpg|thumb|upright|The Grade II listed sundial in the churchyard]] Approximately {{Convert|3|m|ft}} south-east of the church porch is a sandstone pedestal [[sundial]], undated, but probably from the 18th century.<ref name=EHsundial /> It has a [[gadrooning|gadrooned]] base with a fluted collar.<ref name=EHsundial /> The plate and [[gnomon]] are copper and the plate is inscribed with "Dum spectes fugio".<ref name=Farrer /> The sundial has been given a Grade II designation from English Heritage.<ref name=EHsundial /> The churchyard also contains the [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission|war graves]] of nine service personnel of [[World War I]], and five of [[World War II]].<ref>{{Citation | url = http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/40551/LYTHAM%20%28ST.%20CUTHBERT%29%20CHURCHYARD| title = LYTHAM (ST. CUTHBERT) CHURCHYARD| access-date =15 February 2013| publisher = [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission]]}}</ref>

About {{Convert|30|m|ft}} north of the church there is a monument to the crew of the [[St Annes-on-Sea]] lifeboat ''Laura Janet'', who drowned in 1886 in an [[Southport and St Anne's lifeboats disaster|attempted rescue mission]] of the ''[[Mexico (barque, wrecked 1886)|Mexico]]''.<ref name=EHLauraJ /> The monument is constructed of red sandstone and, {{Convert|4|m|ft}} high, sits on a square plinth of two steps. It is carved with an image of the lifeboat and inscribed with the names of the lost crew members. The monument has also been given a Grade II designation.<ref name=EHLauraJ />

The [[vicarage]] to the west of St Cuthbert's may date from 1836, and may have been designed by W. H. Hobden.<ref name=Hartwell /> It is constructed of red brick in [[Flemish bond]] with [[ashlar]] dressings in the [[Elizabethan style]].<ref name=Hartwell /> Some features are [[Jacobean architecture|Jacobean]].<ref name=EHVicarage /> The vicarage has been designated a Grade II listed building by English Heritage.<ref name=EHVicarage />

==See also== {{portal|Lancashire}} *[[Listed buildings in Lytham]] *[[List of ecclesiastical works by Paley and Austin]]

==References== '''Citations''' {{Reflist|30em|refs= <ref name=Farrer>[[#Farrer|Farrer & Brownbill (1929)]], pp. 213–19</ref> <ref name=Hartwell>[[#Hartwell|Hartwell & Pevsner (2009)]], p. 434</ref> <ref name=EH>{{NHLE |num= 1196361|desc= Church of St Cuthbert|access-date= 6 April 2015|mode=cs2 }}</ref> <ref name=ListedBuildings>{{Citation |url=http://www.historicengland.org.uk/listing/what-is-designation/listed-buildings/ | title=Listed Buildings |access-date=6 April 2015 |publisher=Historic England }}</ref> <ref name=Cheetham>[[#Cheetham|Cheetham (1919)]], pp. 61–63</ref> <ref name=EHsundial>{{NHLE |num= 1196362|desc= Sundial Approximately 3 Metres South East of Porch of Church of St Cuthbert|access-date= 6 April 2015|mode=cs2|fewer-links=x }}</ref> <ref name=EHLauraJ>{{NHLE |num= 1297684|desc= Laura Janet Monument Approximately 30 Metres North of Church of St Cuthbert|access-date= 6 April 2015|mode=cs2|fewer-links=x }}</ref> <ref name=EHVicarage>{{NHLE |num= 1196363|desc= Vicarage |access-date= 6 April 2015|mode=cs2|fewer-links=x }}</ref>

}} '''Sources''' {{Refbegin}} *{{Citation | last = Brandwood| first = Geoff| last2 = Austin| first2 = Tim| last3 = Hughes| first3 = John| last4 = Price| first4 = James| year = 2012| title = The Architecture of Sharpe, Paley and Austin| publication-place = Swindon| publisher = [[English Heritage]]| isbn = 978-1-84802-049-8}} *{{Citation | last = Cheetham | first = F. H. | title = The Church Bells of Lancashire [Part 4: The Hundred of Amounderness] | publisher = Sherratt & Hughes | year = 1919 | oclc = 27475286 | ref = Cheetham}} *{{Citation | editor1-last = Farrer | editor1-first = William | editor2-last = Brownbill | editor2-first = J. | title = Lytham | work = A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 7 | year = 1912 | url = http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=53221 | oclc =59626695 | ref = Farrer }} *{{Citation | last = Hartwell | first = Clare | last2 = Pevsner | first2 = Nikolaus | author2-link = Nikolaus Pevsner | title = [[Pevsner Architectural Guides|Lancashire: North]] | publisher = [[Yale University Press]] | location = New Haven and London | year = 2009 | orig-year = 1969 | isbn = 0-300-12667-0 | ref = Hartwell}}

==External links== *{{Commons category-inline}}

{{Lancashire churches|II*}} {{Borough of Fylde buildings}} {{Deanery of Kirkham churches}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Lytham, St Cuthbert's Church}} [[Category:Churches in the Borough of Fylde|Cuthbert's, Lytham]] [[Category:Church of England church buildings in Lancashire]] [[Category:Diocese of Blackburn]] [[Category:Grade II* listed churches in Lancashire]] [[Category:Lytham St Annes]] [[Category:Paley and Austin buildings]]