Church of St Michael and All Angels, Northenden facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Michael's, Northenden |
|
|---|---|
| Church of St Michael and All Angels | |
 |
|
 St Michael's, Northenden
Location in Greater Manchester
|
|
| 53°24′36″N 2°16′56″W / 53.4099°N 2.2821°W | |
| Location | Northenden, Manchester |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| History | |
| Founded | 1935 |
| Dedication | St Michael and All Angels |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* |
| Architect(s) | Nugent Francis Cachemaille-Day |
| Administration | |
| Deanery | Withington |
| Archdeaconry | Manchester |
| Diocese | Diocese of Manchester |
The Church of St Michael and All Angels is a special church located in Northenden, Manchester. It was built between 1935 and 1937. The church was designed by a famous architect named Nugent Francis Cachemaille-Day. It is an Anglican church, which means it belongs to the Church of England.
A well-known expert, Nikolaus Pevsner, once said the church was "sensational" for its time and place. This church is considered very important. It has been a "Grade II*" listed building since January 16, 1981. This means it is a historic building that needs to be protected.
Building the Church
The city of Manchester bought a large area called the Wythenshawe Estate in 1926. They started building a new garden suburb there in 1930. A garden suburb is a planned community with lots of green spaces. This area was huge, about 5,000 acres. It was planned to have 25,000 houses and 100,000 people living there.
The new area was part of the parish of Church of St Wilfrid, Northenden. But that church was too small for all the new people moving in. So, a small mission church was opened in 1934. In 1935, the church leaders decided to build a brand new, bigger church. This new church would be on Orton Road.
The budget for the new church was £10,000. Nugent Francis Cachemaille-Day was chosen to design both the church and the house for the vicar next door. The first stone for the church was laid on May 8, 1937. The Bishop of Manchester helped with this special event. A company called J. Clayton and Sons built the church.
Church Design and Inside
The church has a very interesting shape. Its floor plan looks like a star, made from two squares that fit together. It is built with red bricks and some stone decorations. The roof of the church is flat, and there is a cross right in the middle.
Inside, the church feels very open and clever. It has tall columns that hold up the flat roof, which has a ribbed pattern. Some people thought the architect wanted the altar (the table used for services) to be in the very center. But the original plans show this was not the case.
People Connected to the Church
Michael Barber (1934 – 1991) was a very smart scientist. He was a chemist and an expert in something called mass spectrometry. He was also a FRS, which is a big honor for scientists. Besides his science work, he was the church organist at St Michael's.
See also
- Grade II* listed buildings in Greater Manchester
- Listed buildings in Manchester-M23
