Description

ORMSKIRK

SD4108SW CHURCH STREET 663-1/7/145 (North West side) 11/05/53 Church of St Peter and St Paul

GV II*

Parish church. Very complicated history of rebuilding and enlargement, beginning in the C12 (part of north wall of chancel), principally: the late C13 (south arcade of chancel); the late C14 (steeple at west end of south aisle); the C16 (west tower c.1540-50, and probably the Derby and Scarisbick chapels); c.1729 (rebuilding of nave and aisles in classical style, of which only the south aisle wall remains); and concluding with thorough restoration in 1877-91 by Paley and Austin (north aisle and nave arcades). The plan now consists of a nave with west tower, north aisle, south aisle with west steeple and now incorporating Scarisbrick chapel at its east end, chancel with vestry to north and Derby chapel to south; plus, in the angle between the tower and the steeple, a late C19 cast-iron urinal. Coursed squared sandstone, stone slate roofs. The west tower has a massive square plan, and is of 3 unequal stages (the 1st forming the lower half); with diagonal buttresses, a weathered plinth, weathered coping to the 1st stage, set-back upper stages with weathered sillband, and an embattled parapet with crocketed pinnacles in the centre and at the corners. It has a 4-centred arched west doorway with 3 orders of roll-moulding, a restored Perpendicular 3-light window above the doorway, a square-headed looplight to the 2nd stage, and coupled 2-centred arched 3-light belfry windows with intersecting tracery and stone louvres; and in each of the other sides a 3-light window offset eastwards. The 6-bay north aisle (by Paley and Austin) is buttressed, alternate buttresses carried up as pinnacles dividing windows into pairs, and large 3-light windows with varied Perpendicular tracery; and the continued 2-bay vestry is in similar style. The C18 three-bay south aisle has its original parapet including a large rectangular sundial forming an upstand with scrolled supporters, but late C19 three-light windows in Perpendicular style. Attached at the west of this aisle is the late C14 steeple, which has a square 1st stage with angle buttresses, a doorway at its base (enclosed by a late C19 shallow angled porch) and a 2-light window above; a broached octagonal 2nd stage with an oversailing parapet; and an octagonal spire (rebuilt 1832). Continued to the east of the south aisle, and stepped out from it, is the Scarisbrick chapel which has 2 large 3-light windows with transoms; and beyond that the Derby chapel, which has 2 large 4-light windows, and a very wide 7-light east window with a transom at the springing of the arch and 14 small round-headed lights above. The chancel has a 5-light east window with a transom, and incorporated in the masonry below this are 2 carved stones, one depicting a raven and the other with 2 recumbent figures. INTERIOR: late C19 five-bay aisle arcades of capital-less moulded piers and 2-centred arches similarly moulded in 2 orders; broadly-chamfered 2-centred arch from steeple to south aisle; wooden ceiling to nave with carved hammerbeam trusses; on north side of chancel, part of C12 wall with deeply-splayed Norman window which has shafts with scallop capitals; and on south side a C13 two-bay arcade of double-chamfered 2-centred arches on octagonal pier and responds with moulded caps; C17 parclose screens to 2 sides of Derby chapel, with turned balusters; in this chapel, 2 pairs of C15 alabaster effigies (mutilated) and 2 tomb chests with panels containing quatrefoils; in Scarisbrick chapel, a hatchment and a wall monument dated 1737; at west end of south aisle, bookshelves with names and date 1682 in raised lettering; and font dated 1661, given by the Countess of Derby. Font, stone, dated 1661, with panelled octagonal basin containing date, the letters C.R., a cross, hourglass, pelican on a columnar base. Glass in tower by Holliday.

Listing NGR: SD4130608436

External Links

• Church of St Peter and St Paul, Ormskirk at Wikipedia
• Church of St Peter and St Paul, Ormskirk official website
• Wikidata Q5117711

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Lancashire: Liverpool and the South-West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair
• 
  A Buying and Owning a Listed Building: A Brief Guide
• 
  Northumberland (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Gwent/Monmouthshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Wales)
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990: Updated version