Weight: 855 lbs Diameter: 35.75" Bell 1 of 6
Founded by Mears & Stainbank 1898
Dove Bell ID: 760 Tower ID: 16473 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Blackpool: Holy Trinity, South Shore
Diocese of Blackburn
Church, 603183
http://www.htss.org.uk/This church is on the Heritage at Risk Register (verified 2025-11-06)
View more information about this church on the Heritage at Risk website
Overview
Grid reference: SD 307 338
Freeman has built this church on a significant scale with a particularly impressive internal space. The tower at the north west corner is of five stages with angle buttresses which fall short of the battlemented parapet. On the north side, an arched doorway leads into the base of the tower with moulded red stone dressings and a panel of blind quatrefoils above, under the initial stringcourse.
Visiting and facilities
Building is open for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
Nave and chancel, narrow aisles, transepts, west gallery, lady chapel, vestries and porches.
Dimensions:
Nave 38m x 13m (125ft x 43 ft) aisle 1m (3.3ft) wide Transepts 3 m (10ft) wide.
Footprint of Church buildings: 904 m²
Description of Archaeology and History
There are two alternative sets of dates for the building. Diocesan sources suggest that there was an original church of 1832 which was enlarged in 1846 followed by a complete rebuild in 1889. The list description confirms that there was an earlier church but dates it slightly later at 1836. It states that the east end and transepts were built as an extension to the east end of the original church in 1878 and then the remainder was built in 1894-5. A drawing within the church dated 1836 shows a thin pinnacled west tower with a four bay nave. There is no clear evidence of this earlier structure within the church today although some features are inconsistent with the later Victorian period. A virtually complete rebuild therefore seems probable. The Lady Chapel was added in 1913. The architect for the church was Richard Knill Freeman (1838 – 1904) who worked primarily in Manchester and Lancashire. Pevsner suggests this is his masterpiece.
Exterior Description
Freeman has built this church on a significant scale with a particularly impressive internal space. The tower at the north west corner is of five stages with angle buttresses which fall short of the battlemented parapet. On the north side, an arched doorway leads into the base of the tower with moulded red stone dressings and a panel of blind quatrefoils above, under the initial stringcourse. Immediately above the string course in the second stage there is a very small window with two paired lights and tracery detailing.
There is a canted stair turret with pyramidal roof on the west side of the tower which reaches to the third stage. The turret has small thin lights and adjacent to the turret on the lower stage of the tower wall is another small opening. The third stage has two small single openings on the north, east and west sides (the south is not visible) the latter two high in the stage and the former lower. The tower has visible clock faces on all sides except the south which again, is obscured by the nave roof. The fifth stage has triplets of two light belfry louvres with tracery detailing.
The west front of the building has angle buttresses with gablets and three small slit openings at low level which correspond to the baptistery inside. The elevation is dominated by a large six light curvilinear window and above this to the top of the gable there is blind arcading.
The pitch of the nave roof is long, steep and continuous to the chancel. The nave has tall lean-to aisles, each with three bays of transomed two light windows under pointed arches. The south aisle has an extra bay, opposite the tower on plan, which has a porch front with a very shallow gable; there is a pointed doorway with hoodmould and above this a small three light window under a rectangular head (the glass here is from the earlier window). There is an empty niche and a cross finial to the gable; pilaster buttresses flank the porch and continue through to the transept. This aisle falls short of the west end of the nave and in the junction between the two are two windows, both of two lights but the one positioned at the west end of the aisle slightly smaller than that adjacent in the nave wall.
Both the north and south elevations have tall transepts of two gables, each has a huge four light window, with curvilinear tracery, almost to full height. On the north side, there is a doorway between the two gables which is set in a round headed arch with a detailed crocketed finial above. The clergy and choir vestries are located on the north side of the building to the east of the transepts. The clergy vestry is adjacent to the transept and is of two storeys with a pyramidal roof. That vestry has a squat three light window under a wide pointed arch on the north side, the same is found on the west and east faces of the single storey, flat roofed choir vestry to the east. There is an external entrance to the choir vestry at the east end and this is through a round arched door which looks as though it may correspond with the earlier church building.
Beyond the transept on the south aisle is the Lady Chapel which has two south facing windows each of two lights; the chapel has a small projecting sanctuary area with small high windows to the north and south and a three light window to the east, set in a low shouldered gable. The main east window of the chancel is of five lights with curvilinear tracery including a large central rosette.
Building Fabric and Features
Nave
19th century
Chancel
19th century
Aisle
19th century narrow
Transept
19th century north and south
Gallery (ecclesiastical)
19th century west
Lady Chapel
19th century
Vestry
19th century
Porch
19th century
Building Materials
Stone
19th century yellow walls & red dressings
Slate
19th century roofs
Interior
Interior Description
The internal space within the building is vast and the quality and quantity of the stained glass, particularly in the south transept is striking. The nave has a high thin pointed arcade without capitals which passes across the transepts; the arcade is joined to the outer walls by two-storey small strainer arches which create narrow ambulatories and short transverse tunnel vaults.
The west end has a gallery with wooden panelling with access via the base of the tower. Below the gallery is a screened area for the baptistery. The roof of the nave is a pointed wooden tunnel with ornate hammer beams in the form of angels. The quality of the roof contrasts with the walls of the nave which have been plastered and painted to resemble stone.
The chancel arch is lower than the nave and the stained glass in the east window is of good quality; the chancel roof is rib vaulted in wood. The chancel is flanked by two low narrow arches creating mini aisles on either side of it, each with a small single light in the east wall. The north side gives access to the organ and to the vestries while the south side leads to the lady chapel. There are two taller wider three-centred arches which connect the transepts to the organ chamber and the lady chapel. Arcading within the chancel is open to the south and contains the organ to the north.
The sanctuary of the Lady Chapel is divided by a pointed arch which is decorated with square foliate blocks, the roof is panelled with cusp detailing and painted blue and white. The east window here is a three light tudor arch set within a wider rounded blind arch. There are small windows set back high in the north and south sides of the sanctuary.
Fixtures and fittings
Altar
19th century In light pine with large pillar legs
Reredos
19th century • Stone rendering of the last supper, ornate crocketed overhang and arches. Given by George Stewart April 1898 • Lady Chapel, part of the structure of the chapel, thin buttress details with gablets.
Pulpit
19th century Octagonal stone with cusped arches in each panel with trefoils, small marble pillars with stone foliate capitals, and arches over panels with moulding terminating in foliate stops. Supported by a central column and 6 supporting marble pillars with carved capitals.
Lectern
19th century Octagonal with panels and cluster columns in marble.
Font (component)
19th century Small stone octagonal design with quatrefoil panelling on the bowl and blind cusped arches on the stem.
Stained Glass (window)
19th / 20th century • West end gallery. Nativity, Gabriel & Jeremiah. 1907 by T F Curtis Ward & Hughes. • West end south side Peter & Andrew 1866. R Rawcliffe • West end baptistery. 1876 depicting two Saints. Mary Sykes • Nave south. Ss Luke & John • Nave south. Ss Matthew & Mark • Transept south 1909 Shrigley & Hunt. Building of the Temple inc Edward the Confessor, Will England at Canterbury, Will Wykham Winchester & New College Oxford, Christopher Wren St Pauls. In memory of M Higgin by her sister. • Transept south 1909 Shrigley & Hunt. Temple & Church Music. In memory of M Higgin by her daughter. • Lady Chapel south 1900. Crucifixion Jemima Clayton • Lady Chapel south. Revelation Alpha-Omega. In memory of Robert & Fanny Benson. • Lady Chapel south (sanct) Eunice mother of Timothy, Monica mother of Augustine. Given by Erwin Brookshaw on completion of Chapel. • Lady Chapel east. Three representations of Mary. 1913. Given by Erwin Brookshaw on completion of Chapel. • Lady Chapel north (sanct). St Elizabeth & St John the Baptist, Salome with St James & St John. John Palmour Priest. • East. Te deum in the main lights. Benedicte in tracery. Ward & Hughes. Sarah Ann Scholes.
Inscribed Object
19th century Memorial plaques/tablets: • North transept. Mary Parrott December 1878 aged 74; James Parrott February 1887 aged 94; Henry Parrott November 1879 aged 41. • South transept. Pendant shaped stone memorial. James Metcalfe July 1875 aged 42. Curate at South Shore. • William Wilkinson September 1853 aged 66. • William Burns January 1877 aged 68. Rachel Elizabeth Burns March 1883 aged 58. (given by Rachel Burns) • Lady Chapel. Alec Rigby Burgess. June 1911. Sacrarium dedicated 1913. • Gallery. Jessie Mabel Smith, born 1852, married Edmond Albert Joseph Edouard Marie Tyrel de Poix March 1875 and died March 1876. (given by Rachel Burns) • Gallery. Hannah Arundale, wife of James Atkinson Sharp, Esq. Born 1823 and died 1866. (given by Rachel Burns)
Organ (component)
20th century 1903 Hill and Son. 3 Manual organ. Rebuilt 1957 by Jardine and Co, Manchester rebuilt with EP action; tonal changes; Tuba unit added. New detached console placed in chancel. Monuments: • Organ casing. Robert Webster, organist February 1886 aged 62. • Organ casing. James Lord, November 1894.
Rail
19th century Wooden rails with solid uprights and paired panels of squat wide arches with vertical tracery above.
Bells
Weight: 397 lbs Diameter: 25.5" Bell 2 of 6
Founded by Mears & Stainbank 1898
Dove Bell ID: 11657 Tower ID: 16473 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Weight: 473 lbs Diameter: 26.5" Bell 3 of 6
Founded by John Taylor & Co 1880
Dove Bell ID: 11658 Tower ID: 16473 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Weight: 517 lbs Diameter: 28.5" Bell 4 of 6
Founded by Mears & Stainbank 1898
Dove Bell ID: 11659 Tower ID: 16473 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Weight: 620 lbs Diameter: 29.5" Bell 5 of 6
Founded by John Taylor & Co 1880
Dove Bell ID: 11660 Tower ID: 16473 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Weight: 767 lbs Diameter: 32" Bell 6 of 6
Founded by John Taylor & Co 1880
Dove Bell ID: 11661 Tower ID: 16473 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Churchyard
Grid reference: SD 307 338
Burial and War Grave Information
It is unknown whether the building is consecrated.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has been used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard is used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has war graves.
National Heritage record for England designations
There are no records of National Heritage assets within the curtilage of this site.
Environment
Ancient, Veteran & Notable Trees
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
There are no records of Ancient, Veteran or Notable Trees within the curtilage of this site.
Renewables
| Renewable | Installed |
|---|---|
| Solar PV Panels | No |
| Solar Thermal Panels | No |
| Biomass | No |
| Wind Turbine | No |
| Air Source Heat Pump | No |
| Ground Source Heat Pump | No |
| Ev Charging | No |
Species summary
There are no records of species within the curtilage of this site.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
'Seek advice' Species
More information on species and action to be taken upon discovery.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
Further information
Sources
Showing 6 entries of 6 View All
Submit a change
If you notice something incorrect or missing, please explain it in the form below and submit it to our team for review.