Oldham Parish Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Oldham Parish Church |
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 Oldham Parish Church
Location in Greater Manchester
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| 53°32′33″N 2°06′40″W / 53.5426°N 2.1111°W | |
| Location | Oldham, Greater Manchester |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| History | |
| Status | Active |
| Founded | 1280 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Parish Church |
| Architect(s) | Richard Lane |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Completed | 1830 |
| Specifications | |
| Bells | 13 |
| Tenor bell weight | 35-0-4 (1780kg) |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Oldham |
| Diocese | Manchester |
| Province | York |
The Church of St. Mary with St. Peter, often called Oldham Parish Church, is a special church in Oldham, Greater Manchester, England. It belongs to the Church of England and is the main church for the local area. This church is part of the Diocese of Manchester. It is also a Grade II* listed building, which means it's a very important historic building.
Contents
A Long History of Oldham's Church
A church has stood on this spot since the year 1280. Back then, it was a small chapel. It served the nearby towns of Oldham, Chadderton, Royton, and Crompton. Later, in the 1400s, a new church was built. This one was in the Early English Gothic style.
Why a New Church Was Needed
During the Industrial Revolution, Oldham grew very quickly. In 1714, fewer than 2,000 people lived there. By 1831, the population was over 32,000! Because so many more people moved to Oldham, the old church became too small. A much bigger building was needed.
The plan was to spend about £5,000 on the new church. However, the final cost ended up being £30,000! A large part of this money, about one-third, was spent on building the church's crypt. A crypt is an underground room, often used for burials.
Designing the New Church
The church you see today was finished in 1830. It was designed by Richard Lane, an architect from Manchester. He designed it in the Gothic Revival Style. This style brings back the look of medieval Gothic churches.
Interestingly, another famous architect, Sir Charles Barry, also submitted designs. He later designed the famous Palace of Westminster (where the Houses of Parliament are). Some people today think his designs for Oldham Church were even better, but they were not chosen at the time.
The church was connected to St Mary's Church in Prestwich. Together, these two were the main churches of the ancient area known as Prestwich-cum-Oldham.
The Church Bells
Oldham Parish Church has a set of twelve bells. These bells were made in 1922 by a company called John Taylor & Co in Loughborough. In 1978, one more bell was added. The church also still has its very first bell. This original bell was made in 1722 by Abraham Rudhall II of Gloucester.
Organists
Over the years, many talented people have played the organ at Oldham Parish Church. Some of them include:
- Jack Pickford
- Jason Hawkins
- Michael Farrer
See also
- Listed buildings in Oldham
- List of churches in Greater Manchester
- History of Oldham
