St Anne's Church, Woodplumpton

St Anne's Church, Woodplumpton
St Anne's, Woodplumpton

St Anne's Church, Woodplumpton is located in Lancashire
Location in Lancashire
Coordinates: 53°48′14″N 2°45′42″W / 53.8039°N 2.7617°W / 53.8039; -2.7617
OS grid reference SD 4993434445
Location Woodplumpton, Lancashire
Country England
Denomination Anglican
Architecture
Status Parish church
Functional status Active
Heritage designation Grade II*
Designated 11 November 1966 (1966-11-11)
Architect(s) Austin and Paley (additions and restoration 1899–1900)
Administration
Diocese Blackburn
Province York

St Anne's is a parish church in the village of Woodplumpton in Lancashire, England. It is an active Anglican church in the Diocese of Blackburn and the archdeaconry of Lancaster. It has been designated a Grade II* listed building by English Heritage. The churchyard at St Anne's is the supposed burial place of a 17th century alleged witch named Meg Shelton.

Contents

History

Historically, Woodplumpton was in the ancient parish of St Michael's on Wyre, served by the parish church of St Michael. There is architectural evidence of a chapel at Woodplumpton prior to 1200; documentary evidence of such a structure dates from 1552.[1] The church was largely rebuilt in 1630.[2] The south aisle was added in 1748.[3] In 1899–1900 the Lancaster firm of architects Austin and Paley made additions and carried out a restoration of the church.[4] In 1966 English Heritage designated the church a Grade II* listed building.[5] The Grade II* listing is for "particularly important buildings of more than special interest".[6]

Architecture

Exterior

St Anne's sits on high ground in the south of the village.[1] It is constructed of red and yellow sandstone, and of gritstone with sandstone dressings.[1] The roofs are slate and stone slate.[5] Its plan consists of a nave with north and south aisles, chancel, a west tower and a vestry to the north-east.[5] The nave and aisles are all under separate gabled roofs.[5]

The tower has a window with a round head, a square clock face on the south wall, a moulded cornice and a simple Gibbs surround. It is topped by an octagonal cupola with rounded arches.[3] At the top of the cupola is a small stone dome and a weathervane.[5]

Interior and fittings

There is no structural division between the nave and the chancel; the chancel, which occupies one and a half bays, is enclosed by oak screens.[1] The north arcade has five two-centred, chamfered arches on octagonal piers with moulded caps and bases.[5] The north and south arcades are in the Perpendicular style.[3] The south aisle, 13 feet (4.0 m) wide,[1] is in the Classical style with pilasters, entablature and a moulded cornice. It has a crenellated parapet.[5] The church has two bells, dating from 1596[7] and 1837.[1]

Churchyard

Boulder signifying the grave of "Singleton witch" Meg Shelton

The churchyard lies mostly to the south and west of the church.[1] There are stocks close to the lychgate. These date from the 18th century or earlier, and have been restored. They have two stone shafts with round heads, the right-hand of which is inscribed with the initials "AB". They have received a Grade II designation from English Heritage.[8] There is a sundial south of the church. The dial, which sits on an octagonal stone shaft, is dated 1657.[1] The plate and gnomon are brass. The sundial has also been given a Grade II listing.[9]

Woodplumpton churchyard is said to be the burial place of an alleged witch, a local 17th century woman named Meg Shelton who was known as the "Singleton witch" or the "Fylde Hag".[10][11] According to legend, she was buried upside down to prevent her from escaping. The spot is marked by a boulder.[12]

References

Footnotes

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Farrer & Brownbill (1912), pp. 284-91
  2. ^ Porter (1876), p. 471
  3. ^ a b c Hartwell & Pevsner (2009), p. 708
  4. ^ Price (1998), p. 97
  5. ^ a b c d e f g "Church of St Anne", Heritage Gateway (English Heritage), http://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/Gateway/Results_Single.aspx?uid=185979&resourceID=5, retrieved 22 September 2010 
  6. ^ "Listed Buildings", English Heritage, 2010, http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/caring/listing/listed-buildings/, retrieved 19 August 2011 
  7. ^ "Woodplumpton", Database of historically significant bells and bellframes, 29 October 2007, http://www.churchcare.co.uk/bells.php, "To see the record, enter "Woodplumpton" in the "Parish or Location" text box and hit "Search the database"" 
  8. ^ "Stocks Circa 5 Metres South Of Lychgate To Church Of St Anne", Heritage Gateway (English Heritage), http://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/Gateway/Results_Single.aspx?uid=185981&resourceID=5, retrieved 22 September 2010 
  9. ^ "Sundial Circa 20 Metres South Of West End Of Church Of St Anne", Heritage Gateway (English Heritage), http://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/Gateway/Results_Single.aspx?uid=185980&resourceID=5, retrieved 22 September 2010 
  10. ^ Fishwick (1891), p. 200
  11. ^ "The Woodplumpton Witch", BBC Lancashire (BBC), 15 December 2005, http://www.bbc.co.uk/lancashire/content/articles/2005/10/06/spooky_woodplumpton_witch_feature.shtml, retrieved 22 September 2010 
  12. ^ Fields (1998), p. 158

Sources

External links


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