 All the principals were Anglicans , and most of the church commissions came from the Church of England . Sharpe , in particular , had low church sympathies , and most of the commissions throughout the life of the practice were for the churches of low church or middle @-@ of the @-@ road patrons . This was consistent with the state of Anglicanism generally in Lancashire , possibly a reaction against the strong presence of Catholicism in the county . Henry Austin was a keen churchman , and was a churchwarden for many years . Nevertheless , the practice did design churches and other buildings for Catholics , Congregationalists and Presbyterians . 
