St George's Church, Altrincham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St George's Church, Altrincham |
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St George's Church, Altrincham, from the west
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 St George's Church, Altrincham
Location in Greater Manchester
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| 53°23′24″N 2°21′04″W / 53.3900°N 2.3511°W | |
| OS grid reference | SJ 766,882 |
| Location | Altrincham, Greater Manchester |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | St George, Altrincham |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Dedication | Saint George |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II |
| Designated | 12 July 1985 |
| Architect(s) | Paley and Austin |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Completed | 1897 |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Red brick with terracotta dressings Slate spire and clay tile roofs |
| Administration | |
| Parish | St George, Altrincham |
| Deanery | Bowdon |
| Archdeaconry | Macclesfield |
| Diocese | Chester |
| Province | York |
St George's Church is a special building in Altrincham, Greater Manchester, England. It's an important Anglican church where people worship. This church is so important that it's listed as a Grade II building, which means it's protected because of its history and architecture. It's still a busy parish church today, part of the diocese of Chester.
Contents
History of St George's Church
The first version of St George's Church was built way back in 1799. It started as a small church, called a "chapel of ease," connected to St Mary's Church, Bowdon. Over the years, it grew bigger.
In 1874, a tower and a tall, pointed roof (called a spire) were added. Then, in 1886, the part of the church where the altar is (the chancel) was built. Finally, between 1896 and 1897, architects from Lancaster named Austin and Paley rebuilt the main part of the church (the nave) and the side sections (the aisles).
The history of St George's Church is also linked to the Wesleyan Movement. John Wesley, who started Methodism, visited Altrincham many times. His last visit was in 1790, just a year before he passed away. He preached at the first Wesleyan chapel in the town.
A man named Oswald Leicester, who was a successful grocer, played a big part in the church's early days. His son, Oswald Leicester Jnr., born in 1761, is known as "The Founding Father of St George's Altrincham."
The First Sunday School in Altrincham
In 1783, when he was only 22, Oswald Leicester Jnr. started a Sunday School in Altrincham. He rented a room in a cottage on Ashley Road. On Sundays, children would go there to learn to read, write, and hear Bible stories.
He was inspired by Robert Raikes, who had started the first Sunday School in 1780. It's very likely that both Oswald Leicesters were influenced by Wesley's teachings. This Sunday School was a very important step that eventually led to the building of St George's Church.
Church Architecture and Design
St George's Church is built with red bricks and has special decorative parts made of terracotta. The roof of the spire is made of slate, and the other roofs are made of clay tiles.
Outside the Church
The church has a tower and an entrance porch on the west side. It also has a main hall (the nave) with a row of windows high up (a clerestory). On both the north and south sides, there are six sections (called bays) that form side aisles. These aisles continue along the tower. There's also a many-sided area at the east end (a polygonal chancel) with a room for clergy (a vestry) and a small chapel.
The tower has three main levels and decorative supports (called corbelled eaves) under the roof. The large window at the east end has three sections, and above it is a round window shaped like a rose. All the other windows have rounded tops.
Inside the Church
Inside the chancel, there's a special plaque remembering Rev. O. Leicester, who was the church's first leader and passed away in 1831. The church also has two decorated staffs from 1838 that belonged to the churchwardens (people who help manage the church).
The beautiful stained glass windows in the chancel were made in 1895. They were designed by Mary Lowndes, who was the first woman glazier (someone who works with glass) in the Arts and Crafts movement. She was also an important figure in the suffragette movement, which fought for women's right to vote.
The church organ, which has two keyboards (called manuals), is located in the west gallery. It was built in 1977 by a company called Wood Wordsworth & Co. They used parts from an older organ to create it.
See also
- Listed buildings in Altrincham
- List of churches in Greater Manchester
- List of ecclesiastical works by Austin and Paley (1895–1914)
Images for kids
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Sketch of proposed Church prepared by architects Austin & Paley in 1895.
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Picture of St George's Altrincham from the south in 1895.
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Oswald Leicester's first Sunday School 1783.
