The Day St Peter's Opened Its Doors

Louth and North Lincolnshire Advertiser14th July 1866

 CONSECRATION OF THE NEW CHURCH AT CLEETHORPES

 On Thursday morning, the 6th instant, the new church at Cleethorpes, which is dedicated to St Peter, was consecrated by the Right Rev. the Lord Bishop of Lincoln. As was expected the church was crowded with people, many being obliged to stand during the whole of the service, which was of necessity rather long.

 As the Bishop entered the church, accompanied by Archdeacon Kaye, the Revs. J.P. Parkinson, D.C.L., R. Ainslie, M.A., R.P. Williams, W.P. Jones, J.H. Bacon, A.S. Wilde, and various other ministers in this district, the congregation rose to receive him. Having slowly proceeded to the communion table, the Registrar read the petition for consecration, after which the Bishop, accompanied as before, walked from the east to the west end of the church and back again, repeating alternately the 24th Psalm. Having taken his seat on the north side of the communion table, and Archdeacon Kaye on the south side, the deed of conveyance and endowment was placed before the Bishop, who then addressed the congregation in the prescribed form. At the close of this address the sentence of consecration was read by Archdeacon Kaye, which was signed by the Bishop and ordered to be registered in his registry.

 The service for the day was then read, and the Bishop proceeded to the pulpit to preach. His text was “So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God” (Luke xii. 21). His Lordship preached a sermon of an exceedingly practical nature, and one which was calculated to impress itself upon the minds of the hearers. At the close of the sermon he applied the text as relating to the present occasion, appealing for support in this undertaking. After service the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper was administered to a large number of recipients. The Bishop then, accompanied by the ministers and people, proceeded to consecrate the burial ground.

 At the conclusion of the above services, upwards of five hundred people assembled in a large marquee adjoining the church, and partook of an excellent luncheon provided by the committee, to which persons were admitted by ticket. The tables were well provided with salmon, lobster, tongue, beef, ham, and a great variety of other delicacies, to which ample justice was done by those present. The good people seemed determined that nothing should be left, as the poor of the village partook of their hospitality, labourers in the surrounding fields being also regaled in like manner. In the evening an excellent sermon was preached by the Rev. J.P. Parkinson, D.C.L., and on Friday evening a sermon was preached by the venerable Archdeacon Kaye.

 The church is designed in the flowing decorated style of about the time of Edward III, the chancel being of a somewhat prior period. It consists of a nave, about 66 feet long, with north and south aisles, each about 10 feet wide; the chancel, 39 feet by 19 feet; the tower in the angle formed by the north aisle and the north wall of the chancel (the lower stage of which will form a vestry and organ chamber); and south porch. The aisles are separated from the naves by arcades of four arches on each side, resting on plain circular shafts with elaborately carved capitols. Above the arcades the nave is lighted on both sides by a range of circular double trefoil windows. The chancel is raised above the nave by two steps, the altar being raised by three additional steps, and is fitted up with a double range of stalls and prayer desk on each side, the stalls being enriched by carved poppy heads, which is separated from the vestry by an elaborate triple arcade with coupled shafts. The dressings of the arches generally are of brick and stone voussoirs, forming a pleasing introduction of colour into the interior of the edifice. The nave floor is laid to an uniform level throughout, the passages being laid with flags of Yorkshire stone, and the flooring under the seats being of wood. The body of the chancel is laid with stone in a diamond pattern, with bands of chocolate tile with encaustic intersections. The first step to the altar, the sanctuary, and footpiece, are of encaustic and plain tile intermixed, the pattern increasing in richness as it approaches the altar. The church throughout is seated with low open benches, all moveable, and the pulpit is placed in the north-east corner of the nave. The fount stands at the west end of the south aisle, immediately at the left upon entering, and is the gift of Mr Joseph Maughan, Scartho. A handsome double lectern of carved oak, is also presented by the architect, James Fowler, Esq., of Louth. The church is covered in by an open framed timber roof, of sufficient substantial scantling, not too heavy, but contrasting very favourably with the roofs of many modern churches, which are frequently very full of timbers. In fact the interior of the church has a withal necessarily strong. The church is now capable of seating about five hundred people.

 The church was designed by James Fowler, Esq., F.R.B.J.A., of Louth, who also was the architect of the Spring Church, Grimsby. The shell was executed by Mr Ryall, and the fixtures and fittings by Mr Maxey, both of Louth. The exterior of the church will form a great central attraction in this rising watering place, and we believe it was originally intended to have completed this part of the building with a handsome spire but on carrying up the tower it was found that the subsoil was too soft to sustain so great a weight; consequently a tower approaching 100 feet in height will form the crowning feature of the exterior.

 The church at Clee has lately been found too small for the requirements of both villages, especially in the summer season; this new church will therefore be a boon to Cleethorpes and its numerous visitors.