Church of St Stephen on-the-Cliffs, Blackpool

St Stephen's originated as a mission church to All Hallows Church, Bispham, and was opened in 1912. It became known as "The Church on the Cliffs". The architect was Henry Paley of the Lancaster firm of architects Austin and Paley. In 1927 the church was consecrated by the Rt Revd Percy Herbert, the first Bishop of Blackburn, although only the east end and the first two bays had been completed. The church built up a strong relationship with actors and entertainers appearing in the local theatres, and in 1929 the Actors' Chapel was created in the church. In 1949 a columbarium (a chapel for the storage of cinerary urns) was added to the church, to a design by Edwin Carpenter. Further additions…

The church is constructed in bright red brick with stone dressings. The windows contain tracery in Decorated style. The plan of the church includes north and south chapels, the columbarium to the north, the baptistry to the northeast, and the narthex to the west. The interior of the church is lined with red sandstone. The furnishings in the choir, dating from 1927, are decorated with finely carved figures of angel musicians and saints. The integral pulpit is in red sandstone and is carved with saints under canopies and foliage. The Actors' Chapel forms part of the north aisle. Its reredos is painted with figures representing singers, dancers, entertainers and Saint Genesius, the patron…