Church of St Mary the Virgin, Eccles facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of St Mary the Virgin |
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| 53°29′04″N 2°20′05″W / 53.4844°N 2.3346°W | |
| Location | Eccles, Greater Manchester |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | Ancient Eccles Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Dedication | St Mary the Virgin |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade I |
| Designated | 24 February 1964 |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Sandstone |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Eccles |
| Deanery | Eccles |
| Archdeaconry | Salford |
| Diocese | Manchester |
| Province | York |
St Mary the Virgin's Church is an active Anglican church located in Eccles, England. It is a parish church, which means it serves a specific local area. The church is part of a group of churches in Eccles. In 1964, it was given a special "Grade I Listed status." This means it is a very important historical building.
A Look Back: History of St Mary's
St Mary's Church has a very long history. In the Middle Ages, it was the main church for a huge area. This area included places like Pendleton, Swinton, and Worsley.
A church has stood on this spot since Norman times, which was over 900 years ago! It might even have been there before then. The church you see today has some parts from its earliest days. For example, the bottom of the tower and the west end of the north side are from the 13th century.
The church was made bigger in the 15th century. The front part, called the chancel, was rebuilt in the 16th century. It was rebuilt again in 1862 by an architect named J P Holden.
Exploring the Architecture
St Mary's Church is built from red sandstone blocks. It has strong supports on the outside walls called buttresses. The top edges of the church have decorative, castle-like tops called parapets.
The church has a tall, three-part tower at the west end. The main part of the church is called the nave. The side sections are called aisles. The front part, where the altar is, is the chancel. This part was rebuilt and has a row of windows high up, called a clerestory.
The south side section, called a transept, has a pointed roof. It used to be a special small chapel. The windows on the south side have four sections with fancy stone patterns. The windows on the north side and the clerestory have five sections.
The Long Donkey Window
One special feature is the 16th-century "Entry to Jerusalem" window. This window originally came from Rouen, France. It was first in another church in Manchester. In 1929, it was moved to St Mary's in Eccles. It is also known as the "Long Donkey Window."
