St John's Church, Rawtenstall

St John’s Church stands in Cloughfold, Rawtenstall, a small town in Rossendale, Lancashire. Built in 1889–1890, it was designed by the Lancaster architects Paley, Austin and Paley for £5,000. The church seated five hundred people and won its commission through a competition judged by architect Ewan Christian. Declared redundant in 1976, it now serves as a warehouse while parts of its interior have been moved to other churches. The building is listed Grade II on the National Heritage List for England. The church is made of sandstone with a slate roof and shows Arts and Crafts Perpendicular style. It follows a north–south axis and has a nave with low aisles, a chancel, a porch, and double transepts. At the southwest corner stands the stub of a planned tower, rising only three metres. The tower base includes diagonal buttresses, a blank arcaded doorway, and a small pyramidal roof. Inside, the church’s former rood screen was removed to St Nicholas Church in Newchurch. The sandstone walls and slate roof remain intact, giving the space a quiet, solid presence. The low aisles and chancel create a simple, uncluttered interior. The truncated tower base outside adds an unusual feature to the skyline.