Church Of St John The Evangelist

SD 83 SE WORSTHORNE WITH CHURCH SQUARE HURSTWOOD Worsthorne

3/38 Church of St. John the Evangelist 17.12.1968 GV II

Church, now church and assembly rooms. 1834-5, said to be by Lewis Vulliamy (Pevsner), with chancel 1894 by W.B. Colbram, west tower 1903 by Austin and Paley; altered internally. Squared sandstone (chancel rockfaced, tower snecked), slate roof. Early English style. Wide 5-bay nave (formerly a galleried auditorium) has shallow buttresses and a large lancet in each bay. Added chancel in matching style, with triple lancet east window. Stout west tower of square plan and 3 unequal stages, the upper half set back, has broad clasping pilaster-strips, moulded arched west doorway with shafts and hoodmould (up 5 steps protected on one side by modern wrought iron railings incorporating symbols of local history and economy, e.g. shuttle, mine winding gear, cattle); above the door coupled lancets with hoodmoulds, small chamfered windows to ringing chamber, single small arched belfry louvres, flanked by roundels, and set-back parapet with corner cops. Interior: laterally partitioned in 1973 making 2-storey assembly rooms in west end; galleries removed 1902, plaster removed 1929; moulded arches to chancel and organ house, and elaborate open-work roof trusses survive. History: closely connected with Hargreaves and Thursby families of Ormerod Hall, colliery proprietors and principal contributors to all stages of building.

Listing NGR: SD8763532401