The chancel was restored in 1873 at a cost of £2,000 by the Lancaster architects Paley and Austin.[3] In 1886 the same architects largely rebuilt the nave and aisles, re-roofed and reseated the church, and rebuilt the south porch at a cost of £7,000.[4] The church was designated a Grade I listed building on 23 September 1950.[2] The Grade I designation—the highest of the three grades—is for buildings "of exceptional interest, sometimes considered to be internationally important".[5]
Notably, Arthur Vaughn Williams, father of composer Ralph Vaughn Williams served at St Cuthberts before he was ordained as a vicar in 1868.[7]
Architecture
Exterior
St Cuthbert's is constructed of squared sandstone and has stone slate roofs.[2] Its plan consists of a nave with a tower to the west, north and south aisles, a south porch, a chancel to the east and a vestry north of the chancel.[1] In the south-west corner, between the tower and south aisle, there is a room that was originally built as a grammar school.[1]
The tower is 126 feet (38 m) tall and has three stages.[1] The lower stage is square with corner buttresses.[1] There is a flat-headed, two-light west window with tracery.[2] The second stage is octagonal, with flat-headed, two-light belfrylouvres.[8] It is topped with a stone spire that has lucarnes (windows).[2] Between the belfry stage and the spire, there is an octagonal parapet with four gargoyles.[1]
The roof of the nave has a flat parapet.[1] The former grammar school that projects south of the building, has a crenellated parapet and its roof is gabled.[2] Above the doorway are the Halsall family arms and an inscription that reads "E. H. 1593".[1] The grammar school has two-light, pointed windows.[8]
The windows of the aisles have flat heads and Perpendicular style tracery.[8] The east window in the chancel has five lights with tracery.[2]
Interior and fittings
The nave is separated from the tower by a pointed arch.[2] Between the nave and aisles there are arcades of four bays that have octagonal piers and pointed arches with wave moulding.[1] There is a piscina (basin) in the south wall of the south aisle, and another in the north aisle.[1]
The chancel measures 47 feet (14 m) by 20 feet 6 inches (6.25 m).[1] There are triple-sedilia (priest's seats) and a piscina, all in the Decorated style .[8] The three seats and piscina date from the 14th century and all have arches with cinquefoils.[1] There is a reredos from 1886, painted by Shrigley and Hunt.[8]Stained glass in the church includes work by Harry Harvey and Hardman & Co.[8]
External features
Sundial and baptismal font in the churchyard.
In the churchyard, there are some grave slabs from the Middle Ages that were originally inside the church.[1] There is a sandstone sundial in the churchyard, dating from 1725.[8] Its base has two square steps and there is a baluster stem; the gnomon is probably modern. The sundial has been given a Grade II designation by English Heritage.[9] There is also an octagonal sandstone baptismal font in the churchyard from the 19th century. The font has also received a Grade II listing.[10]
Brandwood, Geoff; Austin, Tim; Hughes, John; Price, James (2012), The Architecture of Sharpe, Paley and Austin, Swindon: English Heritage, ISBN978-1-84802-049-8
