St Anne's Church, Singleton, Lancashire
History
The church was built to replace an earlier church that had been demolished in 1859. It was paid for by Thomas Miller, a Preston mill owner, who had purchased the Singleton estate. It was built between 1859 and 1860, and designed by the Lancaster architect E. G. Paley. In 1938–39 the successors on Paley's practice, now known as Austin and Paley, added a vestry at a cost of £775. The church was designated as a Grade II listed building on 11 June 1986. Grade II listing is for buildings that are "nationally important and of special interest".
Architecture
The church designed in the Early English style. It is constructed of sandstone rubble and has a slate roof. The plan consists of a nave, chancel, south transept and a steeple to the north-east. There are no aisles. The steeple has angled buttresses and is topped by a broach spire. The authors of the Buildings of England series express the opinion that the steeple is "well-proportioned". The windows have plate tracery; most are two-light and there are four-light dormers at the east end of the nave. The chancel has a wagon roof. Inside the church are monuments to the Miller family of Singleton Hall.
Organ
The organ was installed c 1875, and built by the Huddersfield-based Peter Conacher. It is positioned in South chancel, and has a pleasing pipe rack. The instrument consists of two manuals and a radiating pedal board.
Pedal Keys 30 1 Bourdon 16
Great Keys 56
2 Open Diapason 8
3 Stop Diapason 8
4 Salicional 8
5 Principal 4
6 Flute 4
Swell Keys 56 Enclosed
7 Flute d'Amour 8
8 Gamba 8
9 Voix Celeste 8
10 Gemshorn 4
11 Cornopean
Couplers Swell to Pedal Swell to Great Great to Pedal
Organists
Tony Brindle-Wills 2008 to present Christopher Robinson 1998 - 2008 Others to be added following research
Choir
The church currently has a small choir of 6. In years gone by, the church had a full SATB robed choir. A visiting choir called "The Occasional Singers", regularly visit the church to perform at weddings and funerals. The church has over 20 weddings a year.
Bell Tower
The church does not have a resident group of bell-ringers. However, a group of bell-ringers from Kirkham attend the church for weddings.
External features
The church lychgate listed at Grade II. It is constructed of timber with a red tile roof. An inscription reads "T.H. Miller 1879". The churchyard contains the war graves of two soldiers of World War I.
