Churchyard, Eccles Parish Church

Churchyard, Eccles Parish Church

A rectangular-plan classical church of 1774, designed by architect I Noble, with a three-stage square-plan tower and surmounting belfry centred in the east end. A single-storey, single-bay gabled addition (former vestry) stands to the right. The building underwent interior alterations in 1930, and a vestry addition was made in 1862.

The church is built of harl-pointed tooled sandstone rubble with sandstone ashlar dressings, some droved. It features a raised base course, architraved string courses to the tower, and a corbelled cornice to the belfry. Raised quoin strips frame the angles, with droved rubble long and short surrounds to openings, raised margins, and flush cills. Windows are round-arched and square-headed.

The north-east (entrance) elevation presents an engaged tower advanced at the centre with steps leading to a recessed two-leaf boarded timber door at ground level. A round-arched window sits at first-floor level; the remaining two stages are blind. The surmounting belfry contains a round-arched window and houses a bell dated 1659 (recast 1897), topped by a sandstone finial above a concave roof. A square-headed window at ground level stands recessed to the outer left, with a round-arched window aligned above. The gabled addition to the outer right contains a single square-headed window at ground, with a round-arched window set behind at first-floor level.

The south-east (side) elevation is five bays wide, with three large regularly-spaced round-arched nave windows at the centre. Square-headed windows at ground level in the outer left and right bays (possibly infilled doors) have circular windows aligned above.

The south-west (rear) elevation displays a recessed two-leaf boarded timber door centred at ground level with a round-arched window aligned above. A small oculus is centred in the gablehead, topped by a cross finial. Square-headed windows at ground level flank the door, with round-arched windows above.

The north-west (side) elevation shows three large regularly-spaced round-arched nave windows at the centre. A square-headed window stands at ground level in the outer right bay, with a boarded timber door in the outer left bay.

The church features predominantly small-pane glazing in timber sash and case and fixed windows. The opaque-glazed round-arched nave lights have stained borders and Y-traceried uppers; a stained glass nave window adorns the south-east elevation, with flanking circular lights displaying stained floral motifs. The roof is grey slate with stone coped skews and scrolled skewputts; rainwater goods have been replaced.

Interior

The porch contains a sandstone tablet in the south wall inscribed "AD 1774". A former vestry lies to the north. The nave features timber panelled dado, boarded timber floor, and combed ceiling. Timber pews, a carved pulpit, and a timber communion table with chairs occupy a central columnar recess. An organ sits in the north-west corner. Columnar supports rise beneath a timber panelled gallery at the east end, which contains tiered pews and a bell rope positioned in front of the central window. Timber panelled doors flanking the pulpit access the church hall and vestry area behind, which comprises a vestry and kitchen offices at ground level and a church hall at first floor. A mort bell, dated 1712, is also present.

Graveyard

An irregular-plan graveyard adjoins the remains of St Mary's Convent. It contains various gravestones dating from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, including table top monuments, memento mori, and wall monuments. Many gravestones display classical detailing and individual family burial enclosures.

Setting

A five-step mounting stone stands outside the boundary wall to the north of the church. Rubble boundary walls enclose the site, partly shared with Eccles House and the remains of St Mary's Convent. Coursed cream sandstone gatepiers with square caps flank the entrance to the east, connected by an iron over-arch; modern timber gates complete the entrance.