Loxley United Reformed Church facts for kids
Loxley United Reformed Church is an old building in Loxley, a part of Sheffield, England. It's a special building, officially called a Grade II* listed building, which means it's very important historically. Sadly, it's now empty and damaged by a fire.
Contents
The Church's Long Story
The church building was first known as the Loxley Congregational Chapel. It was built in 1787 and cost about £1,000. People from the nearby Church of St Nicholas, Bradfield helped build it. They wanted to keep their minister, Benjamin Greaves, in the area. He was a "curate," which is a type of church leader.
When it was finished, the chapel looked like a large house. It was made from strong stone called gritstone. It also had special "Venetian windows." These are a type of window design. The building was set back about 100 metres from Loxley Road.
At first, the church was used for Anglican worship. Benjamin Greaves continued to preach there. But then he moved to a new job. Another Church of England minister, Reverend Flockton, took his place.
New Beginnings
By 1798, a group called Protestant Dissenters started renting the building. These were people who had different religious beliefs from the main Church of England. They later bought the building and changed its name to The Loxley Independent Church.
In 1802, Daniel Dunkerley became their first minister. He stayed for 18 years until he passed away. He was buried in the churchyard. Another minister, David Dunkerley (no relation), then took over. He later moved to Canada in 1830.
Reverend Cullen was minister from 1830 to 1836. After him came Reverend John Hanson, who was known as the "Vicar of Loxley." He served the church for 18 years. Thomas France was minister for a very long time, 35 years, from 1854 to 1889. A special tablet was placed in the church to remember him.
In 1851, a survey showed that about 200 people attended the afternoon service. In 1855, a new school-room and a house for the minister were built. A local important person, Alderman Francis Hoole, helped start the building work.
Sad Times and Famous Connections
Many people who died in the terrible Great Sheffield Flood of 1864 were buried in the churchyard. This included families like the Armitages, Bowers, and Chapmans.
In 1872, a very famous person was christened (baptized) at the church. This was Henry Tingle Wilde, who later became the Chief Officer of the RMS Titanic.
In the 1970s, the church changed its name again. It became the Loxley United Reformed Church. This happened because of a new church group called the United Reformed Church, which formed in 1972.
Recent Years and the Fire
The church closed its doors in 1993. Over the years, the building slowly fell apart. The churchyard around it also became very overgrown. Even though people tried to keep the inside safe, others broke in and caused a lot of damage.
Then, on August 17, 2016, a fire broke out in the early morning. The church was badly damaged by the flames. Three fire engines came to put out the fire quickly. However, the inside of the building was completely destroyed. It lost its roof and upper floor. All the things inside were gone.
Today, the building is still standing, but it's open to the weather. Trees have even started to grow where the ground floor used to be. As of October 2023, there are no plans to fix, restore, or pull down the building.
