Besses United Reformed Church facts for kids
Besses United Reformed Church is a special old building in Whitefield, Greater Manchester, England. It's located in an area called Besses o' th' Barn, right between Bury New Road and Bury Old Road. This church is so important that Historic England has given it a special status called Grade II listed. This means it's a historic building that needs to be protected.
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The Church's Beginning
Besses United Reformed Church was first built for a group of Christians called Congregationalists. They were part of a larger movement called Nonconformists, which meant they didn't follow the main Church of England. The church was originally known as Besses Congregational Church. Later, in the 1970s, the Congregationalists in the UK joined with the Presbyterian Church of England to create the United Reformed Church.
When the church was being planned, about 8,000 people lived in the Besses o' th' Barn area. People involved with the church felt that there weren't enough places for people to learn about faith. The church building was also created to remember a big event from 1662. This was when many religious leaders chose to leave the official Church of England.
Who Designed the Church?
The church was designed by a famous architect named Alfred Waterhouse. He used a style called Gothic Revival, which looks like older medieval churches. His design included a main chapel that could hold 823 people. It also had other important rooms, like a vestry (where clergy prepare).
Upstairs, there was a large schoolroom. This room was about 24 metres (78 feet) long and 10 metres (33 feet) wide. It was big enough for 500 to 600 children! At that time, the local school only had 200 students, and about 70 to 80 of them were adults.
Building the Church
The first stone of the church was laid in 1863. At the time, people thought it would cost between £3,700 and £4,000 to build. They had already raised about three-quarters of that money before construction even started. The Lancashire Congregational Union also gave £1,000 to help with the costs.
The church building was finished in 1865. However, services had already been happening since 1863. For a few years, the church worked closely with Stand Independent Chapel. Their minister, Alexander Anderson, helped lead the services. This arrangement changed in 1866 when Besses formed its own separate church. Within a few years, the church was able to support itself without needing help from the Union.
Early Church Leaders
Here are some of the first ministers who led the church:
- Alexander Anderson, until 1866
- Osric Copland, 1866–1869
- Llewellyn Porter, 1871–1877
- H. H. Richardson, 1877–1880
A Protected Building
The church was officially listed as a historic building by English Heritage in January 1985. Being a "listed" building means it's important and protected. The official description says it's built in the Gothic Revival style. It's a wide building made of red brick with bands of other coloured bricks. It has steep slate roofs. The front of the church has the date 1865 carved into it, along with a beautiful round window.
