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 in Eccles, Greater Manchester, England. It's a parish church, which means it serves a local community. The church is part of a group of churches in Eccles, including St Andrew's, St Paul's, and Christ Church. In 1964, the church was given a special "Grade I Listed status". This means it's a very important historic building.
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History of St Mary's Church
In the Middle Ages, St Mary's Church was the main church for a very large area. This area included places like Pendleton, Swinton, and Worsley. The church has been on its current site for a very long time, even since the Norman times (around 1066 AD) and possibly even before that.
The church doesn't have many parts left from its very first days. However, the bottom of the tower and the west end of the north aisle are from the 13th century. The church building grew over time. It was made bigger in the 15th century. The chancel, which is the part of the church near the altar, was rebuilt in the 16th century and then again in 1862.
Architecture and Design
St Mary's Church is built from red sandstone blocks, called ashlar. It has slate roofs. The church has strong supports called buttresses and decorative walls with battlements, known as castellated parapets.
The church has a tall, three-part tower at the west end. Inside, there's a main area called the nave and side sections called aisles. The chancel, which was rebuilt, has a row of windows high up, called a clerestory. There's also a south transept, which is a part of the church that sticks out like an arm. This transept used to be a special chapel.
The Long Donkey Window
One special feature is a window from the 16th century called the 'Entry to Jerusalem' window. It originally came from Rouen, France. This beautiful window was first in another church in Manchester before it was moved to Eccles in 1929. It's also known by a fun nickname: the Long Donkey Window!
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