Church Of St Mary

The Church of St Mary is a large church constructed in 1871 in the Early English style, designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott. The church is built of ashlar and features a steeply pitched stone slate roof. It comprises a five-bay nave with a clerestory, lean-to north and south aisles, a gabled south porch, and a two-bay chancel with a chapel to the south and a vestry to the north. A large, square, four-stage west tower is a prominent feature, with diagonal buttresses on the lower two tiers transitioning to octagonal buttresses on the upper two tiers, culminating in large pinnacles with spires. The bell-chamber has exceptionally large, two-light openings with plate tracery and cinquefoil heads, framed by multiple orders of colonnettes. The second tier has a tall, triple group of slender lancets, with the outer lights being blind. The elaborate double west doorway features a central colonnette, diaper work in the tympana, and a roundel with carved figures at the head. Inscriptions commemorating Joshua Ingham of Blake Hall and Joseph Lee of Shillbank are located at the base of the tower. Aisle windows are two-light designs with plate tracery and quatrefoil heads. The clerestory is a blind gothic arcade featuring a small lancet window in every third arch. Paired lancets are present in the chancel and south chapel, and the east window consists of three tall lancets with a quatrefoil roundel at the apex.

Internally, the church is ashlar. A five-bay arcade runs along the north and south sides, supported by alternate octagonal piers with diverse foliated capitals and round piers with plain capitals, and featuring moulded arches. A similar large chancel arch is present. The chancel is arcaded with black marble colonnettes around central columns. The chancel also contains choir stalls and a reredos constructed as an elaborate gothic arcade; the side sections are in sandstone with mosaic, while the central five bays are in marble with sculpted figures, and a crucifixion scene is at the centre. Elaborate oak panelling is situated on the left side of the chancel, while sedilia and a piscina are on the right. Three memorial east windows, dedicated to members of the Ingham family (deceased 1877-8), were created by Burlison and Grylls in 1882. An organ is located on the left, and the chapel to the right is separated by an oak screen. A good carved oak pulpit incorporates inlay and carved figures of St John the Baptist, St Paul, and St Augustine of Canterbury. The tower ceiling is vaulted with ribs radiating from the central circle. A red and black marble font is accompanied by an elaborate carved oak cover dating to circa 1931. The chancel features an arched braced collar roof, while the nave has large arched braced crown-post trusses.