Church of St Luke

Church of St Luke

Church, built 1873-5 by Giles and Gane for Henry Boyd, vicar of the neighbouring St Mark's Church from which the new parish was detached. The building is constructed of yellow stock brick with red rubbed window arches and bands, stone dressings, and a slate roof. The church is oriented northwards, the direction of the liturgical eastern apse.

The plan comprises two-bay transepts either side of the chancel, and a five-bay nave set two steps lower, with arcades and narrow lean-to aisles. At the west end is a double door set within a stone porch beneath a 2-light window with decorated plate tracery. The nave has paired lancets linked by bands; the transepts feature 2-light plate tracery. The apse contains an arcade of lancets under stone hoods with banding and floreated roundels, alternately pierced. Between the transepts, on the line of the chancel, stands a single stone buttress above which rises an octagonal timber fleche.

The interior contains two five-bay arcades with roll mouldings, hoods, and stylised floral capitals. An elaborate timber roof features turned tie-beams, king posts, collars and bracing. The chancel is denoted by a paired truss on stone columns on pointed stops, reminiscent of William Butterfield's style. An open ironwork screen survives to the south transept; the north aisle is divided from the first to include vestries and an organ chamber. Wrought iron communion rails date from the 1890s. The chancel apse is entirely panelled with stone arcading in three tiers, filled around 1893 with mosaics. The tall middle range depicts the twelve apostles with a reredos showing the Ascension at the centre. The three east lancets depict St Luke, Christ and St Cedd, dating from around 1950. Many original fittings have been removed.