The White Church

The White Church is the attractive landmark at the corner of Clifton Drive and Ansdell Road South. It’s proper name is Fairhaven United Reform Church.

The white glazed brick characterises the Byzantine styled Grade II listed building. It’s open to the public each year in September, during Heritage Open Days.

Inside the White Church

Here at Visit Fylde Coast we haven’t managed to get inside this beautiful building yet. But it’s very much on our very long list of places to visit.

Our Fylde contributor Sue Massey went to take a look inside during one of the Heritage Open Weekends. These are her photos. We’re sure you’ll agree that it’s a beautiful interior – well worth a look.

Sue says “On entering the church, the inside is stunning, in particular the stained glass windows. I spoke to Jan Hirst, Heritage Coordinator, a friendly and knowledgeable church member who was eager to answer questions. As were other volunteers on hand for the Heritage Open Days.”

At the heart of the community

The White Church is involved in numerous community activities.  One of its many charities supports local homeless people.  September is harvest festival season and all the White Church’s harvest produce is donated to the local food bank in St Annes.

Another important charity is the building of a school in Gambia. Their pupil numbers have risen from 6 to 100.

The Story of the White Church and The Story of the Stained Glass Windows are attractively produced booklets available at the church. Both are full of interesting facts to help the visitor appreciate the history of the White Church and the messages contained in the beautiful windows.

The Church Hall holds many community events, regular concerts, and coffee mornings. You don’t need to wait for an Heritage Open Day to be made welcome at The White Church. Go along and have a look!

Church Furnishings

Along with many other places of worship, the White Church has many old and new furnishings, fittings and contents. Familiar to today, they are the antiques of the future and its important to preserve and record all of these things.

The Church Recording volunteers of The Arts Society Fylde spent nearly six years studying the White Church and its history. The result of their painstaking work is a beautifully bound and gold blocked 119 page book. It details items such as memorials, metalwork, stonework, woodwork, textiles, paintings and windows. Inside are 93 photographs and line drawings.

On 6 May 2018, Fairhaven United Reformed Church was presented with the “Record of Church Furnishings” at Sunday worship.

History of the White Church

Way back in 1899, a new church was first suggested at a Lytham Congregational Church meeting. Those present thought it should be in Fairhaven on the estuary of the Ribble, on land leased by the Clifton family of Lytham Hall.

Only a month after their suggestion, The Congregational Union of England and Wales began a fund to raise half a million guineas for church extension. “In view of the rapid increase in population”.

This was a great encouragement for those early pioneers. They set about raising the money, with great enthusiasm and barely a setback.

They also all agreed that it should be a distinctive landmark in the local area. And it still is!

The favourite was chosen from designs submitted by four firms. The successful architects were Briggs, Wolstenholme and Thornley of Blackburn. They won with a design that imitated some of the features of Byzantine architecture (on the outside that is).

The White Church opened on 17 October 1912, eight years after the opening of the new church hall, on 4 May 1904.

Building the New Church

Nick Moore’s History of Blackpool gives us some more detail –

The Church had taken 9 years to build. The main entrance is at the south-east corner. Entry “was through an open octagonal vestibule, topped by a campanile, ninety feet high. There were two other octagonal vestibules, one for the church parlour and one for the church hall. These two vestibules were also topped by towers, fifty feet high this time. There are the usual vestries for choir, minister and deacons”.

There is over 10,000 cubic feet of the iconic white Ceramo tiles. Made in Leeds they came from the fireclay works of the Middleton Brick and Tile Company. Original estimates for building work at the White Church were £7000 – but the final spend was almost £12,000.

Did you know? Famous St Annes comedian Les Dawson married his second wife, barmaid Tracy Roper there.

The White Church remained Congregational in churchmanship, that is self-governing, until 1972. It then became one of the congregations of the United Reformed Church, a union of Congregational and Presbyterian churches.

Join Fairhaven United Reformed Church

Find Fairhaven United Reformed Church at 22a Clifton Drive, Lytham St Annes, FY8 1AX

Sunday Service is at 10.45am (Communion 1st Sunday in month). Includes Junior Church. Creche available.

The congregation includes about 120 people, with some young families and several elderly members. They come together to worship and to make a difference. Why don’t you join them?

Thankyou to the Fairhaven United Reformed Church website for information used on this page.

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