St George's Church, Heaviley Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids St George's Church, Heaviley
St George's Church, Heaviley, from the east
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OS grid reference	SJ 900,889
Location	Buxton Road, Heaviley, Stockport, Greater Manchester
Country	England
Denomination	Anglican
Website	St George, Stockport
History
Status	Parish church
Dedication	Saint George
Consecrated	25 February 1897
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Heritage designation	Grade I
Designated	10 March 1975
Architect(s)	Hubert Austin
Architectural type	Church
Style	Gothic Revival
Groundbreaking	1893
Completed	1897
Specifications
Capacity	1,401
Length	180 feet (55 m)
Width	75 feet (23 m)
Spire height	236 feet (72 m)
Materials	Runcorn sandstone
Administration
Parish	Stockport, Saint George
Deanery	Stockport
Archdeaconry	Macclesfield
Diocese	Chester
Province	York

St George's Church is a beautiful church located in Heaviley, an area of Stockport, Greater Manchester, England. It is an active Anglican parish church, meaning it serves the local community. The church is considered very important and is listed as a Grade I building on the National Heritage List for England. This means it's a building of exceptional interest. Many people think it's one of the most impressive churches in Stockport. A former archbishop of Canterbury, Geoffrey Fisher, even said it was "the finest church built in England since the Reformation".

History of St George's Church
Architecture and Design
- Exterior Features of the Church
- Inside the Church: What to See
Outside the Church
Images for kids
See also

History of St George's Church

The first stone for St George's Church was laid in 1893. The church was officially opened and blessed on February 25, 1897. It was designed by Hubert Austin, an architect from the firm Paley, Austin and Paley.

The church was part of a larger project. It included the vicarage (the priest's house) and schools. All these buildings were paid for by George Fearn, a local brewer. The total cost for the church and its related buildings was nearly £80,000 in 1898.

Architecture and Design

Exterior Features of the Church

St George's Church is built from red Runcorn sandstone. Its design style is Perpendicular Gothic, which is a late form of Gothic architecture. It also has some hints of Art Nouveau style.

The church has a long main hall called a nave with six sections. It has a clerestory, which is an upper level with windows. There are also north and south aisles, which are side passages. The church has porches on the north and south sides.

A large tower stands where the nave and chancel meet, called the crossing. The chancel and sanctuary are at the east end. There is a Lady Chapel to the north and an organ room to the south. A vestry is located to the southeast.

The tower has a parapet with a jagged top, like a castle wall. It also has corner pinnacles, which are small pointed towers. These pinnacles are connected by flying buttresses to the spire, which is the tall, pointed top of the tower.

The church is about 55 meters (180 feet) long and 23 meters (75 feet) wide. The tower itself is about 34 meters (112 feet) tall. With the spire, the total height reaches about 72 meters (236 feet).

Inside the Church: What to See

The reredos, a decorative screen behind the altar, is made from Derbyshire alabaster. It features three carved panels. The middle panel shows the Crucifixion, and the side panels show the Virgin Mary and Saint John.

The font, used for baptisms, is also made of Derbyshire alabaster. It is beautifully carved with plants and leaves. Both the reredos and the font were carved by Robert Bridgeman.

The pulpit, where sermons are given, has six small niches. These niches hold figures of important saints: Saint Paul, Saint Matthew, Saint Mark, Saint Luke, Saint John, and Saint Peter.

The lectern, where readings are given, is a brass eagle. It stands on a base supported by lions. The Lady Chapel has a carved oak screen separating it from the chancel. It also has a carved oak reredos with figures of Saint John the Divine and Saint John the Baptist.

The church has stained glass windows only in the east and west ends, and one in the south aisle. All the stained glass was made by Shrigley and Hunt. The east window shows a picture of Saint George and the Dragon.

The large organ has three keyboards and was built in 1897. It cost £1,710 at the time. The organ was rebuilt in 1936 and had more work done in 1981. The organ's outer case was designed by Hubert Austin. The church also has a ring of ten bells. All these bells were made in 1896 by Mears and Stainbank.

Nave and roof detail
Ceiling features
Organ case and pipes

Outside the Church

In the churchyard, there is a sandstone memorial for the First World War. It was built around 1920. This memorial lists the names of 137 men. It features a tall cross and a statue of Saint George. The statue stands under a special roof-like structure called a canopy. This memorial is listed as a Grade II building.

The wall around the churchyard and its gate posts are also listed as Grade II. The gate posts for the nearby church school are also listed. The former vicarage, built around 1920, is also a Grade II listed building. It was built in the Arts and Crafts style.