| Becconsall Old Church | |
|---|---|
 Becconsall Old Church from the southwest | |
  Becconsall Old Church Location in West Lancashire | |
| 53°42′09″N2°49′52″W / 53.7025°N 2.8312°W /53.7025; -2.8312 | |
| OS grid reference | NZ 274 513 |
| Location | Hesketh Bank,Lancashire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | Churches Conservation Trust |
| History | |
| Dedication | All Saints |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Redundant |
| Heritage designation | Grade II |
| Designated | 11 October 1968 |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Georgian |
| Construction cost | £90 (£16,100 in 2023) |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 36 feet 6 inches (11 m) |
| Width | 24 feet (7 m) |
| Other dimensions | Sanctuary 8 feet (2 m) by 15 feet (5 m) |
| Materials | Brick, stone slate roof |
Becconsall Old Church is aredundant church in the village ofHesketh Bank,Lancashire, England. It is recorded in theNational Heritage List for England as a designated Grade IIlisted building,[1] and is in the care of theChurches Conservation Trust.[2] It is situated on a lane leading to a boatyard on theRiver Douglas.[2]
The church was built in 1764 on the site of a formerchantry chapel,[1] which had been built in the 16th century as the private chapel of the Becconsall family.[3] The present church cost £90 (equivalent to £16,100),[4], £60 of which was subscribed by local farmers, and £30 by a levy on the parish. It is constructed in handmade bricks that were supplied by Sir Thomas Hesketh, thelord of the manor.[5] A porch was added to the west end during the 20th century.[1] The church is dedicated to All Saints, but became redundant when a new church with the samededication was built on a different site in 1926. After this, the old church was only used for funerals and for services on "Old Church Sunday". During the Second World War a bomb fell in the churchyard, damaging gravestones and causing minor damage to the exterior of the church, with shrapnel damage to the gravestones. By 1985 the church was in such a bad state of repair that it had to be closed. It was taken into the care of thecharity the Churches Conservation Trust in the 1990s. The charity carried out repairs and the church was reopened in 1995 for the Old Church Sunday services to be resumed.[5]
The church is constructed in red brick inEnglish garden wall bond with a stone slate roof. Its plan consists of a simple two-bay rectangularnave with a smallsanctuary, a porch at the west end, and a smallvestry at the northeast corner.[1] The nave measures 36 feet 6 inches (11 m) by 24 feet (7 m), with the sanctuary being 8 feet (2 m) by 15 feet (5 m).[6] The porch has a round-headed doorway and above it are two round-headed windows. On the apex of the westgable is a smallbellcote. On each side of the church are two large round-headed windows, and at the east end is a largeVenetian window. Inside the church is a west gallery supported by fourfluted wooden pillars. Thefont, dating from the 18th century, is the form of a vase, and is made fromCoade stone.[1] Also in the church are apulpit, alectern, two pews, an altar, and somepanelling. The bellcote contains a single bell that had been removed but was returned to the church by the Trust.[2]
In the churchyard is a stonesundial dated 1776. It consists of a squarebaluster-shapedpedestal with a brass plate. Thegnomon is missing. The sundial is listed at Grade II.[7]
