St Joseph's Church, Birkdale

The church is constructed in red brick with blue brick bands, sandstone dressings, and a slate roof. The original building was in Early English style, and the south aisle is Perpendicular. The plan of the church consists of a six-bay nave, a south aisle, a chancel, and a west narthex. On the west gable is a bellcote surmounted by a finial. Along the sides of the church the bays are separated by buttresses. On the north side each bay contains a narrow lancet window, and along the south aisle the windows are Perpendicular. At the west end, the narthex has a lean-to roof, and contains a gabled doorway approached by three steps and flanked by two rectangular windows. Above the narthex is a large rose window. The chancel also has a large east rose window, and there are three lancet windows on each side. Around the chancel is a chequered frieze.[1][2]

Inside the church the arcade between the nave and the aisle is carried on octagonal sandstone piers. The chancel arch has detached demi-shafts with foliated caps and it springs from corbels carved with angels. Above the east window is a semicircular arch, also springing from shafts with foliated caps.[1] At the west end is a pitch pine gallery, and the organ pipes frame the west window. At the east end is a plain reredos with a cornice and a traceried canopy. Hanging from the chancel arch is a painted rood. At the east end of the aisle is an elaborately carved altar, and a reredos incorporating shafts of coloured stone, a central carved stone canopy, and an icon of the Virgin and Child.[3] The only stained glass is in the east window, it dates from the mid to late 19th century, and is probably by Hardman.[1] The two-manual pipe organ was built in 1875 by Ainscough of Preston.[4]

Attached to the church is a presbytery dating probably from the same time as the church. It is built in red brick with blue brick bands and a hipped slate roof. The presbytery is in two storeys with a six-bay front and a porch at the right end. The windows are sashes.[5]