Holy Trinity Church, Bolton-le-Sands

Holy Trinity Church stands in the quiet village of Bolton-le-Sands in Lancashire. It began as St Michael’s before becoming the Holy Trinity parish church. The building has grown over centuries, with parts dating back to the late 15th century. The tower and north arcade remain from that time, while the nave was added in 1813. Later restorations in the 19th century widened the north aisle and lowered the floor inside. The church is now a Grade II* listed building, recognised for its historic importance. The church’s architecture reflects different ages and styles. The tower rises in three stages with diagonal buttresses and a battlemented parapet. Inside, the nave has a hammerbeam roof, and the chancel roof is scissor-braced. The arcade between nave and aisle is supported by octagonal piers, except one rectangular one. A sandstone memorial from 1642 records a man said to have lived over a hundred years. Anglo-Saxon carved stones from the 10th century also survive in the church. Outside, the churchyard holds a square sandstone cross base with steps, topped by a modern cross. War graves of three soldiers from the First World War lie among the gravestones. The south wall of the nave is pebbledashed, and the chancel follows Early English style. Stained glass windows were designed by Carl Almquist and William Wailes in the 19th century. The church remains an active place of worship in the diocese of Blackburn.