St Matthew's Church, Burnley

St Matthew's Church is in St Matthew's Street, Burnley, Lancashire, England. It is an active Anglican parish church in the diocese of Blackburn. The original church was built between 1876 and 1879, and was designed by William Waddington and Sons. This burnt down in 1927 and was replaced by the present church. In the 1970s St Matthew's joined with the neighbouring Holy Trinity Church.HistorySt Matthew's was designed by William Waddington and Sons, and built between 1876 and 1879. The Lancaster firm of architects Paley and Austin had taken part in the competition for the design, but had been unsuccessful. Miss Halsted of Hood House laid the foundation stone on 7 October 1876. The church was consecrated on 1 November 1879 by the Bishop of Manchester. It contained stained glass windows designed by Kempe and Burne-Jones.Vestments, lighted candles and birettas, in the Anglo-Catholic tradition, were used until the 1880s, but caused disquiet in the diocese. The Bishop of Manchester refused to allow the parish to have an assistant curate until the incumbent had made assurances about the church's position. The use of two altar candles and an adherence to Anglican liturgy is still reflected in the worship at the church.