Church Of St Bartholomew

The Church of St. Bartholomew is a largely late Perpendicular church, with Decorated origins. It was restored in 1862-3 by Brakspear, with a vestry and porch added in 1878 by Crowther. Later, Bodley and Garner designed the chancel clerestory and screen. Constructed of ashlar buff sandstone with a Kerridge stone-slate roof, the church features a west tower. The plan consists of a 5-bay nave and aisles, which continue as a single range through a 2-bay chancel and side chapels. A south porch and a Hawthorne pew project from the south aisle, while a vestry is attached to the north side. South aisle windows are 3-light with label moulds on carved head stops. The south porch has angle buttresses topped with crocketted pinnacles, a 4-centred arched opening, and an original early 16th-century studded door. The Hawthorne pew has tall mullioned windows. The clerestory windows are rectangular, with 4 round-headed lights, changing to 2-light trefoil-cusped heads in the chancel. The east window is 5-light, in Perpendicular style. The west tower has 4 stages with diagonal buttresses and moulded bands. It includes a Victorian west door and a 3-light west window. The third stage features a quatrefoil in an embrasure, surmounted by 2-light louvred bell openings. The embattled, pinnacled parapet is a Victorian copy.

The interior features 5-bay arcades with octagonal piers and double chamfered arches to the aisles. The Hawthorne chapel within the south aisle contains a chapel or pew dating from about 1700, with a segmental opening, bolection moulded panelling, and box pews. The nave has a fine roof dating from about 1520, incorporating cambered tiebeams on stone corbels and a panelled ceiling with gilded bosses. A tall semi-circular arch leads to the west tower. The chancel, of 2 bays, has a less-refined copy of the nave arcade. Other screens, including the chancel screen by Bodley (now reduced) and parclose/chapel screens, are in the late Perpendicular style. The Jesus or Trafford Chapel, on the north side, houses effigies of Humphrey Newton and his wife (died 1536), and the tomb of Henry Trafford (died 1537). The Prescot or Booth Chapel, on the south side, includes an early brass memorial to Robert Booth and his wife (died 1460). A crypt chapel, dating from about 1300 and accessible via a spiral stone staircase, lies beneath the chancel. It houses a triple sedilia with 2-centred arched heads, one featuring a carved cross.