Pleasington Priory

Pleasington Priory, or the Church of St Mary and St John Baptist, is a

The church was built between 1816 and 1819 as a thank offering by John Francis Butler at a cost of £23,000 (£1.86 million as of 2021),[3] the architect being John Palmer and the sculptor Thomas Owen.^[1]

In 2018, with the retirement of the Parish Priest Canon Kevin Kenny, Pleasington Priory ceased to be an independent parish and was joined with the neighbouring parishes of St Peter in Chains, Mill Hill, and St John Vianney, Livesey to form the new joint parish of St Oscar Romero. The Parish Priest, Fr Shaun Braiden residing at St Peter's.^[4]

Architecture

Exterior

The church is built in ashlar with slate roofs. It is a large, tall church with mixed Gothic styles. Its plan consists of a five-bay nave with a clerestory, north and south aisles, and a polygonal apse. Entry to the church is at the west through a three-order portal above which are three statues on corbels.^[1] On the underside of the middle corbel is a bust of John Butler in military uniform.^[2] Above the statue is a carved arch, then a small parapet and a large rose window, and a gable with an openwork parapet surmounted by a crocketed cross. At each side of the portal is an octagonal turret with a three-stage pinnacle. Outside the turrets are offices, each with a niche containing on one side the name of the architect and on the other the sculptor. The aisles have five five-light windows and are battlemented; the clerestory has triple lancet windows and an openwork parapet. The apse has tall, five-light, Perpendicular windows. On the south side is a priest's door.^[1]

Interior

The ceiling is

• Grade I listed churches in Lancashire
• Listed buildings in Pleasington

References

Further reading

• Hartwell, Clare;
  ISBN 978-0-300-12667-9

• Lancashire churches