St Lukes Church Farnworth

A beautiful Grade II* listed building. It walls reflect the turbulent history of this country & the families who have ruled it. It has provided comfort and sanctuary for many within its strong walls for 800 hundred years.

It is considered one of the three most important buildings in the area, the others being Norton Priory and Halton Castle. From the 12th Century St Luke’s has been a focal point for worship and celebration and today still exudes a feeling of strength, beauty and tranquillity. The cultural aspects of the church lie in its attractions, which include many magnificent carvings, monuments (including a sculpture by the Italian sculptor Tenerani), hatchments and stained glass windows (including a window designed by William Morris).

The architectural structure and development of the church throughout the centuries is well documented and is of interest to scholars of medieval history. It has a real place in Widnes’ development as a town, in particular with the endowment of a grammar school, in 1507, by Bishop William Smythe. From this school appeared some notable scholars, including Richard Bancroft, who during the reign of James I went on to be appointed Archbishop of Canterbury; and devoted much of his time to supervising the authorised version of the King James Bible.

A Halmote Court was also founded within the church, during the reign of King Edward III and this court served the district for upwards of 500 years until the middle of the 19th Century. And situated adjacent to the church is the original Bridewell, which has been restored and is now open to the public. And so, through the centuries, St Luke’s in Farnworth has been at the hub of this town’s development, not only in a spiritual sense but also in its development of an educational and a civil system, which still survives today.

Annually, the church participates in Heritage Weekend events, in association with English Heritage, with the church being open and its many and varied artefacts on display. Over the past few years hundreds of people have come from the surrounding area and much further afield, to take part in guided historical tours of the church and Farnworth village, gaining a real understanding of the local history.