St Edmund's Church, Rochdale facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Saint Edmund's Church
St Edmund's viewed from Broadfield Park
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OS grid reference	SD 891 138
Location	Rochdale, Greater Manchester
Country	England
Denomination	Church of England
Architecture
Heritage designation	Grade I
Completed	1873
Closed	2007

Saint Edmund's Church is a very special old building in Rochdale, England. It's located on Clement Royds Street in the Falinge area. This church was finished in 1873 and cost a huge amount of money for its time, about £25,000! It was built by a local businessman and Freemason named Albert Royds.

What makes St Edmund's so unique is that it's the only church in England that clearly shows so many Masonic symbols in its design. Because of its amazing craftsmanship and unique Masonic theme, it's considered a very important building. In 1985, it was listed as a Grade II* building. Later, in 2010, its status was upgraded to Grade I, which is the highest level of protection for historic buildings. This was because of its truly unique Masonic architecture. The church stopped being used for worship in 2007. Now, the Churches Conservation Trust looks after it.

Building History: Who Built St Edmund's?

St Edmund's Church was built for Albert Hudson Royds. He was a rich industrialist and banker from a well-known family in Rochdale. His family were wool merchants and helped fund the Rochdale Canal. Albert Royds was also a dedicated Freemason.

He chose a high spot in Rochdale to build the church. The architects, James Medland and Henry Taylor from Manchester, designed it. The church was built between 1870 and 1873. It cost between £22,000 and £28,000. This was a lot of money, especially when a typical church could be built for around £4,000 at that time.

Unique Features: Masonic Symbols Inside

You can find references to Masonic traditions all over St Edmund's Church. Look closely at the weathervane and the lectern (the stand where readings are given).

The inside of the church is designed like a perfect cube. The roof, called a hammerbeam roof, has decorations of pomegranates, lilies, and water lilies. These are all important Masonic symbols.

Stained Glass Windows

The church has many beautiful stained glass windows. On the south side, the windows tell stories about building and Freemasonry. The most important Masonic window is in Royds Chapel. It shows figures like Nehemiah, Ezra, and the Tyler. The Tyler is like a guard of a Masonic Lodge, holding a special sword. This window even shows Solomon's Temple and a picture of Albert Hudson Royds as one of the master builders.

The Lectern

In the main part of the church, the lectern is made of brass. It has three columns. At the bottom of each column, you can see tools used by masons (builders), which are also important symbols in Freemasonry.

Heritage Status: Why is it so Important?

Many churches in Rochdale have small hints of Freemasonry. But none show it as much as St Edmund's. The church was first listed as a Grade II* building in 1985. This means it's a very important historic building.

The Victorian Society, a group that protects old Victorian buildings, called St Edmund's "unusual and extraordinary." They also said it was in danger, putting it on a list of the nation's top 10 endangered buildings.

Upgraded to Grade I Listing

In September 2010, the church's status was upgraded to a Grade I listed building. This is the highest level of protection. It was given this status mainly because it's a rare example of Masonic architecture in a church, not just a Masonic Lodge (a meeting place for Freemasons).

Nick Bridgland from English Heritage (now Historic England) explained why it's so special. He said St Edmund's mixes the old Gothic church style with Masonic symbols. This creates a building that works as a church but also as a "temple to Freemasonry." He added that the complete set of Masonic designs in this church is unique in England. Its importance is shown by its Grade I listing.

Gallery

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  Chancel with altar

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  Masonic lectern

See also

• Grade I listed churches in Greater Manchester
• Grade I listed buildings in Greater Manchester
• Listed buildings in Rochdale
• List of churches preserved by the Churches Conservation Trust in Northern England