St Saviour
Aughton, Lancashire
St Saviour's is a beautiful little church nestled in rolling hills above the small village of Aughton, with breathtaking views from the churchyard managed as a wildflower meadow.
There is the base of an ancient cross in the churchyard, but by far the largest feature is the mound to the north east of the church which is an 11th century motte. The bailey is thought to be roughly where the church is situated. This earthwork was probably raised as a defence against invaders, and is one of a series of earthworks in the Lune Valley.
The church has a most unusual bell cote on the west gable housing a single bell. This bell is one of the oldest bells in England to be inscribed along its lower edge. The inscription, in 14th century Lombardic capitals reads IHS : NAZARENUS : REX : JUDEORUM : FILI DEI
The church probably dates from around 1450. Originally a simple barn like structure, the rectangular building is known to have been refurbished at least twice, the first time in 1788 when the bellcote was added together with a small vestry and a door in the west wall. The second restoration was in 1897 by Austin and Paley of Lancaster, when the door in the west wall was replaced by the present window. New pews were installed, the original three tier pulpit replaced, the vestry enlarged and the porch reconstructed. All the windows except the Woodhouse Window (the only stained glass window in the church) were replaced and a new east window was installed retaining the original hood mould.
Arkholme, which is a Doubly Thankful village, saw 59 men serve and all of them return from the Great War. It unveiled its first memorial dedicated ‘for all who have lived and died in the service of others in war and peace’ in 2014.
