St Anne's History

St Anne’s Church Lower Penn. Founded 26^th July,1888

Lower Penn has a great asset in the church of St Anne, which is the daughter church of
St Bartholomew’s Penn.
St Anne’s was named after Anne, the grandmother of Jesus.

Join the congregation for one of the main festivals- Easter, Harvest (with breakfast to follow) or Carol Service, you will be sure of a warm welcome, you too will be warmed by the peace and blessings of 120 years of worship. The church was built by the efforts of past generations of Penn people, and was part of a building programme of many vicars of St Barts , and by the Revd F H Paley in particular (1856-1875).

During the 40 year period before 1888, something like £12,000 had been raised, and enabled the parish to enlarge St Barts in approx 1845, (the building of the south aisle) the founding of St Phillips at Penn Fields in 1859, and the building of St Anne’s in 1888. The style of the church may look a little odd, with its ornamented bell turret.

It was built in this style as the church had to serve two purposes- that of a church and also a schoolroom, and it was still used for the latter well into the 20th century. The foundation stone was laid on 26th July, 1888 (St Anne’s Day) by Revd F H Paley, then the vicar of Cartmel in Cumbria. Also present at this ceremony were Revd C H Cole Webb, vicar, Revd W A Dickens, curate, Revd Heale, vicar of Wombourne and also rural dean, and Revd E P Nicholls, the vicar of Worfield. The local gentry were also well represented with the Underhills from Penn Hall, the Thorneycrofts from Springhill House, Mrs Rogers from Goldthorn Villa, the Warners from The Beeches (now the training centre at Penn hospital), the Twentymans from Castlecroft House, Miss Savage from Penn Croft, and Miss E J Sparrow from Swan Bank.

The foundation stone, which can still clearly be seen today, was laid with a silver trowel, and in a cavity was placed a bottle containing a newspaper of the day, the order of service and two coins of the realm.

The building work progressed through the very wet summer months. The architect was Mr Thomas Fleming, and the builder was Mr H Lovatt, they both came from Wolverhampton. The cost was £550, which of course was worth much more in 1888 than today. The building was completed in early December and on Thursday 6th December the Bishop of Lichfield consecrated the church. He took his text from St John Chapter 15 the parable of the vine- “I am the vine you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit”

All of the dignitaries from July were again present, and also more clergy and even more local people. The church was built to take 100; people must have been smaller then! But on that day there was a congregation of 200. Mr G Thomas, organist of St Barts, played the harmonium, and this is still in the church today.

St Anne’s certainly carried out the promise of “bearing much fruit” through it’s first 50 years, and when at the start of World War 2 ration books needed to be distributed the vicar gave permission for the church to be used for that and also for social events.

Many folk in Penn will remember Whist Drives and film shows in the church. This of course sowed the seeds that what was needed in the village was a community hall and hence the Victory Hall’s opening in 1954. There has now been 120 years of faithful worship and stewardship at St Anne’s and the challenge that the bishop gave on that December day in 1888 has certainly been lived up to.

As we approach the future St Anne’s still plays a vital part in the community. It is up to us all to make sure that similar stories can be written over the next 120 years.