Church Of St Patrick

Church of St Patrick

This is a parish church of 13th to 15th century date, with 18th century additions. It was restored in 1838, re-roofed in 1858 and 1884, and underwent major restoration with the addition of a vestry and organ chamber by James Fowler in 1884.

The church is built of coursed and squared rubble and ashlar with slate gabled roofs and copper and lead lean-to roofs. It features chamfered and moulded plinths, coped gables with kneelers and crosses, and a crenellated octagonal side wall stack.

The plan comprises a west tower, nave, north aisle, two vestries and organ chamber, chancel, and south porch.

The west tower dates to the 13th and 18th centuries and is in two stages. It has a string course and crenellated parapet. The first stage contains to the west a 13th century doorway with hood mould and mask stops, above which is a restored double lancet with flowing tracery and hood mould. The second stage has to north and south two chamfered openings, to west three similar stepped openings, and to east one similar divided opening.

The north aisle comprises three bays with a diagonal buttress to the west. The west end features a 15th century triple lancet with panel tracery. The north side has two similar double lancets flanking a vestry. The vestry of 1974 has casement and door to the west and two casements to the east. The organ chamber has a sill band and two diagonal buttresses, with a Decorated double lancet to its north gable featuring hood mould and mask stops. The earlier vestry of 1884 is a lean-to with a diagonal buttress, doorway to the north, and a 15th century style double lancet to the east with hood mould.

The chancel dates to the late 14th century and comprises two bays with a sill band at the east end featuring gargoyle finials. The east end has a triple lancet with panel tracery. The south side has an off-centre buttress flanked by single restored late 14th century double lancets with Decorated tracery and square reveals.

The nave is late 14th century with four bays and four buttresses. The south side has three double lancets with Decorated tracery and square reveals.

The south porch was rebuilt in the 19th century and features to the south a pair of flanking buttresses and a depressed moulded arched doorway with hood mould. Above is a 19th century lamp with ornate bracket.

The interior contains two stone benches and a common rafter roof. The 14th century inner doorway has cove moulding with fleurons, shafts, and hood mould with crowned mask stops. The tower arch is 13th century with double chamfered and rebated moulding and half-round responds. The north arcade dates to around 1400 and comprises three bays with octagonal piers and double chamfered and rebated arches with beast mask stops. The east side of the south interior has a 14th century piscina. There are two 20th century stained glass windows and a purlin roof with arch braces. The north aisle west end has 19th century stained glass, the east end has a 14th century tomb recess and a 19th century archway with 20th century traceried screen. The north side has a blocked central lancet and a 19th century lean-to roof.

The chancel arch is 14th century with double chamfered and rebated moulding and a blocked squint to its left. An early 15th century traceried wooden screen with cresting occupies this area. The north side has a recess containing an organ in a Gothic case of 1871. The east end has a traceried panelled War Memorial reredos of 1949 and a late 15th century stained glass window re-sited in 1853. The south side has to the east a 14th century double piscina and to the west a window containing four late 15th century stained glass shields. The chancel has a purlin roof with arch braces.

Memorials include a moulded recess containing an ashlar table and alabaster effigy to Sir Robert Cokefield dating to around 1392. There are also incised slabs of 13th century and 1558 date, slate wall tablets of 1699 and 1710, a larger slate tablet with apron of 1736, a shield-shaped marble and slate tablet of 1786, five marble and slate tablets of 19th century date, four late 19th century brasses, and a marble and alabaster War Memorial tablet of around 1918.

Fittings include a 19th century traceried octagonal pulpit and lectern, an octagonal font of 1886, benches with shaped ends of 1884, stalls and desks of 1939, and prayer desks of 1949.