A modernist parish church designed by Henry Paley in the Free Perpendicular style, built in 1933 with notable stained glass by Shrigley and Hunt and Abbott and Company.
At a glance
St Christopher’s Church stands on Marine Road East in the Bare district of Morecambe, Lancashire, serving as an active Anglican parish church within the diocese of Blackburn. The building combines conservative design with understated modernism, featuring a nave, north aisle, chancel, and northeast tower arranged according to traditional ecclesiastical planning.
History
Constructed in 1933 to designs by Henry Paley of the renowned Lancaster architectural practice Austin and Paley, the church was built at a cost of £5,957. A planned south aisle was never realized. The pipe organ underwent substantial rebuilding in 1984, incorporating an earlier instrument by George Sixsmith.
What you see
The church exemplifies Free Perpendicular style—a restrained approach to Gothic revival favored in the early 20th century. Most windows adopt 16th-century proportions; those in the aisle feature transomed divisions characteristic of that tradition. The east window and the chapel’s eastern window showcase stained glass by Shrigley and Hunt from the 1930s, while Abbott and Company of Lancaster contributed additional 20th-century glass throughout the interior. The two-manual pipe organ represents mid-century liturgical craftsmanship.
Cultural significance
Architectural historian Nikolaus Pevsner observed that the church is “pleasant to look at, but very conservative for its age”—a candid assessment reflecting the tension between modernist architectural movements and ecclesiastical tradition in 1930s Britain. The building represents mainstream Anglican provision in a growing suburban community.
Key facts
- Country: United Kingdom
- City: Morecambe, Lancashire
- Designed by: Henry Paley, Austin and Paley practice
- Completed: 1933
- Architectural style: Free Perpendicular
- Coordinates: 54.0774, -2.8453
Practical information & getting there
The church is located on Marine Road East in Bare, Morecambe, and serves as an active parish church open to visitors. Contact the church directly or the deanery of Lancaster and Morecambe for visiting arrangements and service times.
Sources & resources
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