THE PARISH CHURCH OF SAINT
PETER, FIELD BROUGHTON
Photos by W. Bernard Bland
The Early Chapel
The present church stands on the site of an older chapel, also dedicated to St.
Peter, which was originally a Chapel of Ease to Cartmel Priory. The chapel was
consecrated by Samuel Peploe, Bishop of Chester on 30th June 1745. The land and
probably the Old Vicarage in the village were left in his will by Myles Burn of
Field Broughton, who may be called the Founder of the Chapelry. He imposed a
condition that the minister should keep a school as well as reading the divine
offices in the chapel. The Burns Charity comprised “£50 for the building of the
chapel, £400 to be laid out on land – the rest to be applied to the maintenance
of the clergyman, and £20 for cloth for the poor. The site of the chapel lies on
the east of the church pathway just inside the lych gate. The position of its
altar is marked by the red sandstone cross and grave of the first incumbent of
the present church, the Rev’d Henry Ransome. In 1817, the churchyard was
consecrated for burials. In the same year, Scholes Birch of Stony Dale presented
the silver chalice which is still in use; his memorial tablet hangs on the north
wall of the present nave. In 1875, the separate parish of Field Broughton was
created, and in 1877 the Rev’d Henry Ransome came as Curate-on-charge to assist
the Rev’d Kirkby, and was inducted to the living a few months later. Photographs
of the old Chapel hang in the nave.
The Present Church
By 1880, the chapel and vicarage were in disrepair and considered inadequate.
During the Rev’s Ransome’s 30 years at St. Peter’s, the chapel was replaced by
one of the most striking churches in the diocese, a new vicarage was built, and
the building next to the old vicarage converted to a Parish Room and Sunday
School. The old vicarage is now a private residence. The foundation stone of the
present church was laid on 10th May 1892 by Harriet Margaret Hibbert of
Broughton grove, as a memorial to her late husband. The designers were Paley,
Austin and Paley of Lancaster, who designed many of the churches in the
district. St. Peter’s is an outstanding example of the decorated style of
architecture, with its warm red sandstone and distinctive shingled spire. The
church was consecrated on St. Peter’s Day 1894 by the Bishop of Carlisle, the
Rt.Rev’d JW Bardsley. On the small altar in the south transept is a simple
gilded oak cross, made from timbers of the old chapel, and was used in the
Parish Room, which was temporarily consecrated for worship during the rebuilding
process.
The Three Fonts
St. Peter’s is unusual in having no fewer than three fonts. The smallest of
these (only 18” high) is a portable one and was first used in the 1745 chapel,
where it was kept in a niche in the wall. The second font, in the south
transept, was presented to the chapel by the Barker family of Broughton Lodge.
It is made of creamy Portland Stone, 8-sided, and delicately carved on 4 of its
faces with the bull of St. Matthew, the lion of St. Mark, the angel of St. Luke,
and the eagle of St. John. The larger font near the church door was installed as
part of the building design and is made of Dent fossil marble.
Click to Enlarge
Click to Enlarge
Other features.
The beautiful east window of restrained colouring was designed by CE Kempe, and
depicts our Lord’s passion, with the Virgin Mary and the beloved disciple on
either side. Saints Peter and Paul are shown in the two side-lights beneath. In
the smaller lights at the bottom are representations of Jesus’ charge to St.
Peter on the shores of Galilee, the agony in the garden of Gethsemane, and the
rebuke to St. Peter in the Judgement Hall. The four memorial tablets were
transferred from the wall of the old chapel. The organ, by Foster and Andrews of
Hull, is considered to be a remarkably fine instrument for so small a church.
Recent times
In 1971, the Parish of Field Broughton was united with that of
Lindale-in-Cartmel. The first vicar of the combined benefice was the Rev’d. B H
Lord, followed by the Rev’d. J Wraight. Then in 1997, the parish became part of
the Cartmel Peninsula Team Ministry, together with the parishes of Allithwaite,
Cartmel, Flookburgh, Grange, and Lindale. The incumbent is now Team Rector, and
team stipendiary and non-stipendiary clergy serves the parish.
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