The Forgotten Church of St John, Whittingham, Preston

[Paul]

The now, sadly derelict, Church of St John, comprising of a chancel, nave, aisles and a tower, was built in the grounds of the County Lunatic Asylum, Whittingham.

As with all Victorian Institutions of the day, religion played a great part and, it was to this end that a Church was built within the grounds and was named St John's. The contract for the erection of a Church and a Chaplain's house was awarded in September 1871, estimated costings being £4,632.00 and £1,579. 8s 2d respectively.

An organ was purchased and installed in the Church at a cost of £250. St John's Church was Church of England, and provision for Roman Catholics was made in a room set aside in one of the wards. In June 1875 the Church was licensed by the Bishop of Manchester. The first hospital chaplain was the Rev W T Palmour. The Asylum cemetery was consecrated in 1895, again by the Bishop of Manchester and the chaplain was subsequently awarded 2/6d for each burial service performed.

J. Pachelbel - Canon in D Major (Arranged by Lee Galloway) performed by Kassia.

 

 

Paul.

[Ryewolf]

Great video Paul, but also sad that so many old buildings are now just neglected, a church literally 2 minutes walk from me was recently turned into apartments

[Paul]

18 hours ago, Ryewolf said:

Great video Paul, but also sad that so many old buildings are now just neglected, a church literally 2 minutes walk from me was recently turned into apartments

Unusual to convert a church that way - they are (I always thought) graded/listed buildings and hard to change...

Paul.

[Ryewolf]

They only changed the interior and kept many of the internal features

[Clicker]

Do tell us a bit more about this church Paul .... It looksa fine building and  apart from  some broken windows appears in  fairly decent repair ... it doesn't seem derelict so what is the story ....?

 Love the great control you seem to have with the drone  now too ...

[Paul]

On 13/04/2024 at 22:49, Clicker said:

Do tell us a bit more about this church Paul .... It looks a fine building and  apart from  some broken windows appears in  fairly decent repair ... it doesn't seem derelict so what is the story ....?

 Love the great control you seem to have with the drone  now too ...

 

In 2021, it was reported that Preston Council gave the go-ahead for work to begin immediately on securing the future of the 148-year-old Grade II Listed building before it suffers irreparable damage. Plans were approved to carry out major works on the leaking roof and masonry, together with replacing timber floor joists and panelling inside, treating dry and wet rot and removing the remains of the organ and pews.

A report to the city council said the repairs were necessary because of the damage caused by rainfall getting into the building over a long period. It said the problems "need to be resolved urgently to avoid further deterioration to the historic fabric of the building." It also stated that although some of the original fabric of the church would be lost, there was no alternative if the building was to be saved.

"This proposal provides a set of reinstatement and repair works that would halt the decay and preserve the building for the future," said the report. "On this basis, whilst the urgency of the repairs will result in the loss of ‘damaged’ fabric, it is considered that this approach is justified. The repairs works are required for the long term goal of securing the asset which is considered to be a significant public benefit."

When the hospital closed down in 1995 the church became obsolete. Yet it still remains while many of the other hospital buildings have since been flattened.

Hundreds of new homes have been built on the site, with phase one delivering 150 houses. This work still continues with more being built today.

 

Paul.

[Clicker]

So there was a hospital  there in the vicinity  before .....  and this church was  an integral part  of the site ?

[Paul]

1 hour ago, Clicker said:

So there was a hospital  there in the vicinity  before .....  and this church was  an integral part  of the site ?

The church was in the grounds of Whittingham Hospital, which hospital opened in 1873 as the Fourth Lancashire County Asylum and grew to be the largest mental hospital in Britain. It has been closed since 1995. In the past two decades, the scandal-hit complex - which includes a graveyard and the abandoned Grade II-listed St John's Church in the vast grounds - fell into ruin.

For years, especially when the derelict building were still there, it was a popular location for urban explorer and local teens looking for adventure. However, it is private land and security would often patrol the area to deter trespassers.

The hospital was famous for its pioneering use of electroencephalograms (EEGs) to diagnoses patients. The system measures electrical impulses on the scalp.

The hospital's dark and scandalous side is what it is remembered for, with reports of patients being left unattended for long periods of time, physically abused and starved. In summer 1967, student nurses working there submitted complaints reporting cruelty and fraud. As a result, the hospital opened an inquiry in to the poor conditions and accusations of corruption.

Due to the advancement of available treatment for in-patients with mental health conditions and large institutions like Whittingham falling out of favour, patients gradually returned home or transferred to newer facilities. It was also used as a military hospital to treat soldiers injured during World War I and II.

 

Paul.