Church of St Luke, Bank Top, Blackburn

LAYING OF TRE FOUNDATION STONE OF ST. LUKE'S CHURCH BY MR. DANIEL THWAITES, M.P. - One of the most important localities in Blackburn, in respect of its working-class population, on Saturday rejoiced in the culmination of one of the objects of a scheme which has occupied their attention for a very considerable time, namely, the laying of the foundation stone of St. Luke's Church. The event was celebrated with the elaborate ritual of masonic honours, and the stone was laid by Mr Daniel Thwaites MP. …… The site of the proposed new church in on Bank Top, adjacent to Griffin, and was parallel with the main thoroughfare. …..  The church when completed will be a very handsome Gothic building, capable of accommodating 720 persons. It is being built in a very good situation, on a piece of rising ground near the entrance to the residence of Mr Joseph Harrison J.P. The general type of church with nave and aisles has been in great measure given up, and the plan has been so arranged that the whole of the seats for the congregation are within the nave of the building. This arrangement is in accordance with the wishes of the promoters of the church. It is peculiarly adapted to the service of the English Church, and the whole congregation will be able to see the preacher. The nave is 34 feet wide, 100 feet in length and 42 feet to the apex of the wood vaulted high pitched roof. Open seats are arranged on each side of the central passage. On each side of the nave are arches opening into narrow aisles, which will be used as the passages to the seats. Transepts are placed on the north and south aisles of the nave, in order to provide space for the organ and vestry. The chancel is properly arranged for the choir. The principal entrance to the church will be under the tower, which is placed at the north west angle of the building; other entrances are provided on the south side. The external design of the building is bold and effective, and a lofty spire completes the work. The whole is be executed in solid stone. The estimated cost of the church with the spire is £6,000, upwards of £2,000 being still required to make up the amount; without the spire the cost will be £5,000.

The trowel having been presented to Mr. Thwaites, the ceremony of laying the stone according to Masonic routine was proceeded with. A bottle containing the customary articles was placed in the cavity, upon which a beautifully-illuminated inscription on a brass plate face downwards was fixed.  The cement was poured on this, and the stone then lowered and adjusted. The address read:

St Peter's Parish Church, Blackburn - To the eternal glory of God, the Holy Ghost. Trinity, and in the faith of Jesus Christ, the foundation stone of this church, dedicated to St Luke, was laid by Daniel Thwaites, Esq., M.P. on Saturday, the 10th day of October, in the year of grace 1875, and in the 39th year of the reign of Queen Victoria. James Fraser D.D. Lord Bishop of Manchester; H G Youard, vicar; William Bedford BA, curate; John Noble, curate in charge; William Thompson Esq. and Richard Dudley Coddington Esq., churchwardens. Building Committee - James Thompson Esq JP, John Kershaw Esq, Richard Thomas Livesey Esq, Lancelot Porter Esq, William Dickinson Esq Alderman R H Hutchinson JP DL, Rufus Beckett Esq, Richard Edmundson Esq; John Ainswoth Esq, treasurer; Thomas Edward Thompson Esq secretary. Architect F J Robinson Esq., Derby

CONSECRATION AND OPENING OF ST. LUKE'S CHURCH - On Thursday last the new Church, which has been in course of erection for the past two years, at Bank Top, a district of the parish of St Peter, Blackburn, was formally consecrated and set apart for divine worship according to the order of the Church of England. The church is built on an open site, on a plot of land obtained from Mr Harrison of Galligreaves. The building has been designed by Mr Frederick J. Robinson. architect of Derby, who has most successfully carried out a plan of a church with a nave of unusual width, in which the whole of the congregation may be seated, and where everyone is in sight of the pulpit and of the altar. The architect has been for a long time an advocate for this plan of church, and has carried out the same arrangement at other places with great credit both as to architectural and acoustic effect, the buildings being found peculiarly adapted to the ritual and services of the Church of England. In the present case the nave is one hundred feet in length, and thirty-five in breadth and forty feet high to the inside of the wood-vaulted roof. Om each side of the nave are arches supported on bold carved pillars, opening into narrow aisles, which are used as passages only. Towards the east end two of the arches on each side are made loftier, and are supported on clustered columns; these open into transepts forming organ chamber and vestry on the north and south sides respectively. A large arch at the east end opens into the sanctuary, which is vaulted with brick and stone and lighted by a large early English triple lancet window. The seats throughout are of pitch-pine, of solid and plain design, and are calculated to accommodate about 800 persons. There are three entrances to the church, the principle one being placed under the tower, which is placed at the north-east angle. The building is well lighted by small lancet windows in the aisle, a range of large windows on each side of the clerestory and by plate tracery wheel windows in the transepts and west end of nave. The roof which is of great strength and very effective, is constructed with carved wood roof trusses filled in between with framing and wood vaulting. The style of architecture chosen for the building is that of the Transitional period from Early English to Decorated Gothic. The exterior of the building is of plain but bold design, the long line of the main roof being broken by those of the transepts, and by large angle buttresses which are carried up and finished as pinnacles. The design includes a tower and spire, but at present the lower stage only of these is completed. It is hoped that funds may speedily be forthcoming for the completion of so desirable an addition to the church, both for the purpose of holding a peal of bells and as forming a most important feature in the design. Many churches in Blackburn are in this incomplete state. We trust than an effort will be made to rectify this defect, that they may compare favourably with recently built churches in other towns, as well as with the local churches of the dissenting bodies

The whole building has been carried out in a satisfactory and substantial manner by Mr E Lewis, contractor; the woodwork being executed by Mr Ibbotson; the plumbing by Mr J shaw, and the painting by Mr Cunliffe, all of Blackburn. The deed of consecration states that the number of sittings to be 702, a number much below the architect’s estimate, and of these 266 are proposed to be appropriated, while 436 will be free, and all unoccupied places will be free to all comers after the commencement of divine worship

CHURCH TOWER DEDICATION AT BLACKBURN - The dedication of the tower and spire of St. Luke's Church, the building of which was commenced during the life of the former vicar, the late Rev. John Noble, was performed last night in the presence of a crowded congregation by ArchdeaconFletcher.  [Northern Daily Telegraph 10 March]

Reference        Blackburn Standard 23 October 1875 page 6 – foundation stone
Reference        Blackburn Standard 22 December 1877 page 5 – consecration
Reference        Northern Daily Telegraph 10 March 1909 – dedication of tower