Loxley United Reformed Church facts for kids
Loxley United Reformed Church is an old, important building in Loxley, a part of Sheffield, England. It is a "Grade II* listed building." This means it is a very special historical building. Sadly, a fire badly damaged it. It is now mostly a ruin.
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The Church's Early Days
The church was first known as the Loxley Congregational Chapel. It was built in 1787. It cost about £1,000, which was a lot of money back then! People from another church, St Nicholas, helped build it. They wanted their minister, Benjamin Greaves, to stay nearby.
The building looked like a big house. It was made of strong stone. It had special "Venetian windows." When it opened, the local Bishop would not bless it. This was because it did not have a window on the east side.
At first, the church was used by Anglicans. Benjamin Greaves preached there. He later moved to a new job. Another minister, Reverend Flockton, took his place.
Becoming an Independent Church
By 1798, a group called Protestant Dissenters started renting the building. These were people who had different ideas about church. They later bought the building. They 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.
David Dunkerley became the next minister. He was not related to Daniel. He stayed until 1830, when he moved to Canada. Reverend Cullen followed him. Then came Reverend John Hanson. People called him the "Vicar of Loxley." He was minister for 18 years.
Thomas France was minister for a very long time, 35 years! He served from 1854 to 1889. He passed away in 1898 at 83 years old. People put a special tablet in the church to remember him.
In 1851, a survey showed that about 200 people came to the afternoon service. In 1855, a new school-room and a house for the minister were built. Alderman Francis Hoole, a former Lord Mayor of Sheffield, laid the first stone.
Important Events and Changes
Many people who died in the Great Sheffield Flood of 1864 were buried in the churchyard. These included families like the Armitages and the Bowers.
In 1872, Henry Tingle Wilde was christened at the church. He later became the Chief Officer of the famous ship, 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, formed in 1972.
Modern Times and the 2016 Fire
The church closed its doors in 1993. Over the years, the building slowly fell apart. The churchyard around it became very overgrown. Even though people tried to keep the inside safe, others broke in. They caused a lot of damage inside the church.
In the early morning of August 17, 2016, the church caught fire. The flames caused a lot of damage. Three fire engines came and put out the fire quickly. However, the building was completely burned inside. It lost its roof and its first floor. All the things inside were destroyed.
Today, the church still stands, but it is open to the weather. Trees have even started to grow where the ground floor used to be. As of August 2025, there are no plans to fix, rebuild, or tear down the church.
