CHURCH leaders have launched a bid to rescue medieval windows from a stately home which has been ravaged by fire.

The windows at The Holme, Cliviger, were taken from the ancient St Mary's Church which was replaced when building work began on Blackburn Cathedral in 1819.

One of the ten glass panels was destroyed when the former manor house was set alight in a suspected arson attack on April 11.

Until the investigation into the incident is complete the owners of The Holme will be unable to make a decision about its future.

But if Burnley Council building inspectors condemn the building it could be demolished, leaving the windows without a home.

St Mary's was built in 595 AD and the windows were believed to have been installed in the medieval period.

Blackburn diocese archivist Harold Thornber said: "I understand they were taken to Cliviger when St Mary's Church in Blackburn was taken down in 1819.

"They were taken by a man called Dr Thomas Whitaker, a former vicar in Whalley and Blackburn, who presumably thought they would be better off there."

The Holme, a Grade Two listed building, was originally a 40 roomed manor house built in 1603 and was seat of the Whitaker family from the 15th century up until it was sold in the 1950s.

It was the home of Dr Thomas Whitaker, a celebrated historian who surrounding the house with trees to increase his privacy.

Mr Thornber would like to see the windows moved to Whalley. He added: "It would be nice if they could be saved and put in a proper place like Whalley's parish church, if they have room for them, it would be safer."

Burnley councillor and local historian Roger Frost said he was contacted by a member of the Blackburn Diocese after the fire.

Coun Frost said: "Dr Whitaker was vicar of Whalley and Blackburn. When the medieval church in Blackburn was replaced by the cathedral, he brought the stained glass windows to The Holme.

"The Blackburn Diocese have been in touch with me and wanted to know if the windows had survived the fire."

Chris Ward, a member of the Lancashire Heraldry Group, said: "When I heard there had been a fire I just thought that would be the end of the windows.

"Obviously anything like this we want to see saved. It is not always possible to save them in situ, but it would be sad if old glass like this was lost.

Canon Derrick Walkden, a member of Blackburn Diocese, said: "We have people who do record artefacts for the church. I know that if they find out about these windows they will obviously be very concerned.

"The church would want to verify they are the original windows, but if The Holme is going to be knocked down we would have to find another home for them."

Police said today their investigation was now focused on suspicious behaviour in the vicinity of The Holme in the days before the fire.