St David's Church, Haigh facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St David's Church, Haigh |
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St David's Church, Haigh, from the northeast
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| OS grid reference | SD 606,090 |
| Location | Copperas Lane, Haigh, Wigan, Greater Manchester |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | St David, Haigh & Aspull |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Dedication | Saint David |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II |
| Designated | 22 February 1967 |
| Architect(s) | Thomas Rickman and Henry Hutchinson |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Groundbreaking | 1830 |
| Completed | 1886 |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Stone, slate roof |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Wigan North East |
| Deanery | Wigan |
| Archdeaconry | Warrington |
| Diocese | Liverpool |
| Province | York |
St David's Church is a beautiful old church located in Copperas Lane, Haigh, a town near Wigan in Greater Manchester, England. It is an active Anglican parish church, meaning it is a local church that serves its community. It is part of the Church of England. The church is a special historic building, listed as Grade II. This means it is important to protect its history and architecture.
History of St David's Church
St David's was built a long time ago, between 1830 and 1833. Two architects, Thomas Rickman and Henry Hutchinson, designed it. A group called the Church Building Commission helped pay for it. They gave £3,433 towards its construction.
The church was officially opened and blessed by Bishop John Bird Sumner on November 2, 1833. At first, it was a "chapel of ease." This means it was a smaller church that helped the main Wigan Parish Church. People could go there for services if the main church was too far away. In 1838, St David's became its own parish church. This meant it had its own area and community to serve. Later, in 1886, the east end of the church was made longer by an architect named J. Medland Taylor.
Church Design and Architecture
The church is built from stone. Its roof is made of slate tiles, with a line of red tiles along the top. The building style is called Gothic Revival. This style looks like the grand churches built in the Middle Ages.
The church has a long main hall called a nave. It also has a smaller, lower part at the east end called a chancel. This is where the altar is usually found. There is a porch at the west end, which is the main entrance. Above the porch, there is a small tower for bells, called a gabled bellcote.
Along the sides of the church, you can see thin supports called buttresses. Between these supports are tall, narrow windows known as lancet windows. Inside, the nave has a flat ceiling. The chancel has a special type of wooden roof called a hammerbeam roof. At the west end, there is a stone balcony or gallery. Underneath one of the arches, there is a baptistry, which is where baptisms take place. Some of the windows have beautiful stained glass made by a company called Heaton, Butler and Bayne.
Outside the Church
At the entrance to the churchyard, there is a lychgate. This is a covered gateway, often found at the entrance to churchyards. The lychgate and the churchyard wall next to it are also listed as Grade II historic structures. The lychgate is made of stone with a slate roof and was built in 1909. It has interesting stone carvings called gargoyles at its corners and a cross on its roof.
The churchyard is also a special place. It contains the war graves of three service members from World War I and seven from World War II. These graves remind us of the brave people who served their country.
See also
- Listed buildings in Haigh, Greater Manchester
- List of churches in Greater Manchester
- List of Commissioners' churches in Northeast and Northwest England
- List of new churches by Thomas Rickman
