St Luke’s Church was built between 1811 and 1832 as both a church and concert hall, however it suffered catastrophic damage during the May Blitz of 1941. The large fire that ensued swept through the building, causing its stained glass to burst from within, its roof to collapse, and several of its bells to cascade down the tower to the ground. All that remained standing after the blaze was the church’s exterior stonework, giving this open-air venue its local name, the “Bombed Out Church”.
Just an 8-minute walk from Liverpool’s city centre, getting to St Luke’s Church definitely shouldn’t prove difficult. This living war memorial and creative community hub in the heart of Liverpool is worth a visit.
Facts, Curiosities and Interesting Things about St Luke’s Bombed Out Church
1. A garden bar and café with a bigger purpose
The Garden Bar & Café at St Luke’s Church doesn’t only serve customers, but it also financially supports The Bombed Out Church’s cultural community programme and the further development of the memorial site as an inner city green space. So, the next time your savouring a slice of pizza or downing a refreshing drink at the Bombed Out Church, remember that its going towards something positive.
2. An honoured memorial site
It comes as no surprise that Liverpool heroes such as Paul McCartney have praised the efforts of St Luke’s Church and all that it stands for. Since 1952, the Bombed Out Church has been categorised as an official grade II listed building by the National Heritage List for England. Standing tall, and towering over adversity, St Luke’s Church memorialises its fascinating and brave history.
3. Liverpool’s first ever Liver Bird
A remarkable discovery was made in 2011 when custodians of the Church examined pieces of stained glass dotted around the historic site. They found an image of a cormorant on one the pieces of glass believing it to have predated the images made by Carl Bernard Bartels for the Royal Liver Building. This would make their finding ‘the first Liver Bird’.
What can you do at St Luke’s Bombed Out Church?
St Luke’s Church is available for hire and the multi-purpose space has hosted an array of events, including weddings. Aside from transforming the space into a romantic paradise, visitors can expect to find anything from live music to performances of Shakespeare taking place at the Bombed Out Church. In the meantime, keep an eye on St Luke’s website for open days and other exciting events.
This breathtaking venue also used to host a series of open-air concerts showcasing music performances at the utterly magical setting completely bathed in the glow of flickering candles. Fortunately, not all is lost as these intimate Candlelight concerts are taking place at other striking venues across Liverpool.