Church Heritage Record 603048

Cruciform plan. Nave with west porch and west narthex (with meeting room, kitchen and WCs) beneath partitioned balcony. Apsidal north and gabled south transept with crypt beneath. Narrow chancel with shallow apsidal sanctuary beneath bell tower with short spire. Boiler beneath north-east corner.

[Approximate] Nave 15 m (30 ft) x 12 m (40 ft), chancel 5 m (16 ft) x 2.5 m (8 ft)

Much of the historic township of Witton was enclosed to form Witton Park in the 18th century, this lies west of St Mark though the Manor House is now a ruin. Heritage Gateway records some other listed buildings within one kilometre of the site as well as several cotton mills.

The application for an approved ICBS grant of £300 towards a new church with 669 sittings records the architect as Edmund Sharpe of Lancaster [1809-1877]. The site (then a rural location on a hill above the River Blackwater opposite the gates to Witton Park) and an additional £200 was given by Joseph Feilden of Witton Park, whose family are commemorated in the south transept. The foundation stone was laid in 1836 and the church consecrated in 1838. The parish of St Mark was formed in 1842.

A south transept, with mortuary chapel beneath, was added by the Feilden’s c.1870, and is known as the Feilden chapel. The north transept and vestries were added between 1881-87  by Paley and Austin [Brandwood]. The church was reseated in 1889, with Feilden again contributing to the costs. The extensions respect and follow the original style of the building. Many further interventions were made. Gas was introduced in 1893; restoration, introduction of electric light, roof retiled and organ relocated from gallery to north transept 1914-15 (a plan was discussed to block the chancel); chancel screen erected 1920; gallery reseated 1902.

In 1982 plans were drawn up for areas of the building to be used by the community following which the area above the west balcony was partitioned and kitchen (redone in 2002) and toilets installed. The nave meanwhile was repainted, aisle pews removed and altar installed within the nave.

The archaeological potential of the site is low. There are no known designations relating to the ecology of the plot.

St Mark’s is a Romanesque style church with Lombard friezes, pilasters and round-headed openings. Windows are protected by polycarbonate coverings. A broad gabled west end facing the road draws attention to the building, and the east tower (over the chancel) with spire acts as a prominent feature in the surrounding townscape.

The principle north, west and south elevations are characterised by two-tiers with Lombard friezes, and in the lower tier with tall round-headed lancets. The upper sections of the north and south walls have three round-headed niches to each section, the central one of each pierced by a window. The west wall has six round-headed lancets and at ground level a small gabled porch which displays the Feilden family crest.

The north transept continues in the same style but is an apsidal projection with gabled elevations. A small vestry with pitched roof is attached the north-east corner. To the south, a gabled transept has a gabled west porch. Steps to the south side, lead down to a vault beneath. The east end presents an interesting play of levels and shapes with the east wall being apsidal, the east end of the chancel rising above that, and the tower rising beyond. The tower has two tiers of round headed openings, with small gablets at the base of the short spire.

Between two sets of doors into the interior, are wooden stairs to the south side, rising to the former gallery. This has been partitioned off to form a separate carpeted room with inserted ceilings. Five patterned lights are visible along the west wall (a sixth visible in the stairway). The room is used for storage but has been used as a large space for practices and meetings such as the Brownies. A small kitchen on the south side is in need of refurbishment. From the nave, the wooden front of the balcony remains visible, with partitioning above it. At ground level, within the nave space, two cast-iron supporting columns remain visible, with glazed wood partitions behind them screening a narthex area beneath the gallery at the west end. The room is carpeted. A lantern (original?) is suspended from the ceiling. Kitchen and WCs to the south side.

The nave is plastered and painted and has a flat fret ceiling with a central ceiling rose covering a former flue, with light provided from four suspended brass chandeliers. The nave has fixed pine pews (numbered and with umbrella stands) on raised wood-boarded floors, with good frontals. There are many changes of level and potential trip hazards inside the building. The main aisle is of woodblocks with carpet laid over them. The side aisles are level. In the south-west corner a carved oak reredos has been positioned which was once against the east sanctuary wall.

The east wall in the north-east corner of the nave has a door which leads through to the vestry north of the chancel arch. In the same position on the south is a window. Both have a small round-headed light high above them in the wall.

The transepts are accessed from the nave through round arches of exposed stone with trumpet capitals. The apsidal north transept, known as the Normandy Chapel (a plaque records it as a war memorial chapel) has no seating, and is partially used for storage. It has a single light in each angle of the wall. The south transept, the Feilden chapel, has a crypt beneath, with external access. Fixed tiered seating rises on wood boards. Tiles are laid in the floor in front. The chapel contains many war memorials to the family.

At the east end of the nave an altar is positioned on an inserted raised platform in front of a carved chancel screen which spans the narrow, round-headed, chancel arch. The screen has a central crucifix above with carved wood statues of St Mark and St George either side. The chancel, which is the base of the tower, has a tiled floor. Upholstered metal framed chairs (installed 1992) are positioned against the north and south walls. The sanctuary is raised by two steps with a door to the south leading to a narrow spiral stone staircase. The altar at the east end is raised by a single step.