SK3435 : Church of St Luke, California, Derby
taken 5 years ago, near to Derby, England
For a church which is Listed Grade II*, the Listing description is remarkably uninformative, being simply:
“Late C19. Early English Gothic style. Stone. Nave, chancel with polygonal apse and aisles. South-west lever. Undergoing restoration 1974/5. “
(”lever” is a mis-transcription for “tower”!)
The church was erected between 1868 and 1871 to designs by local architects Henry Isaac Stevens and Frederick Josias Robinson. Although essentially Gothic in concept, it does not seek to mimic medieval styles. It was built as part of the High Church movement and retains this style of worship to the present day.
The church comprises a wide nave with narrow aisles and apsidal chancel, the latter slightly raised over a crypt. A tall tower over a south porch is capped with a saddleback roof with ornately decorated gable faces.
Around the tower at the corners at the base of the bell chamber are four groups of 3 statues, possibly representing the 12 apostles. A pair of larger statues representing bishops stand in niches on the south face of the tower. These could represent the then current Bishop of Lichfield, George Selwyn, who consecrated the church, and his predecessor John Lonsdale (d.1867) who would have been responsible for commissioning the church and is memorialised on the arch of the north door.
The west doorway comprises two lancet doorways within a large arch of three orders, the inner of which frames the two doors creating a large tympanum in which there is a fine circular sculpted panel of the Ascension.
According to the diocesan web page for the church, the tower contains the heaviest ring of 8 bells in Derbyshire, and is the 13th heaviest ring of 8 bells in the world. The Tenor bell weighs 30cwt 3qtr 2lbs.
Listed buildings and structures are officially designated as being of special architectural, historical or cultural significance. There are over half a million listed structures in the United Kingdom, covered by around 375,000 listings.
Listed status is more commonly associated with buildings or groups of buildings, however it can cover many other structures, including bridges, headstones, steps, ponds, monuments, walls, phone boxes, wrecks, parks, and heritage sites, and in more recent times a road crossing (Abbey Road) and graffiti art (Banksy 'Spy-booth') have been included.
In England and Wales there are three main listing designations;
Grade I (2.5%) - exceptional interest, sometimes considered to be internationally important.
Grade II* (5.5%) - particularly important buildings of more than special interest.
Grade II (92%) - nationally important and of special interest.
There are also locally listed structures (at the discretion of local authorities) using A, B and C designations.
In Scotland three classifications are also used but the criteria are different. There are around 47,500 Listed buildings.
Category A (8%)- generally equivalent to Grade I and II* in England and Wales
Category B (51%)- this appears generally to cover the ground of Grade II, recognising national importance.
Category C (41%)- buildings of local importance, probably with some overlap with English Grade II.
In Northern Ireland the criteria are similar to Scotland, but the classifications are:
Grade A (2.3%)
Grade B+ (4.7%)
Grade B (93%)
Read more at Wikipedia Link