St John the Baptist's Church, Atherton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St John the Baptist's Church, Atherton |
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| The Parish Church of St John the Baptist, Atherton | |
Tower of St John the Baptist's Church, Atherton
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| OS grid reference | SD 676,031 |
| Location | Market Place, Atherton, Greater Manchester |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| History | |
| Status | Parish Church |
| Founded | 1645 |
| Dedication | St John the Baptist |
| Consecrated | 1879 (present church) |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II |
| Designated | 15 July 1966 |
| Architect(s) | Paley and Austin Paley, Austin and Paley |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Groundbreaking | 1878 |
| Completed | 1896 |
| Construction cost | £10,000 (first phase) |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Stone, tiled roofs |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Atherton and Hindsford |
| Deanery | Leigh |
| Archdeaconry | Salford |
| Diocese | Manchester |
| Province | York |
St John the Baptist's Church is a beautiful old church located in Market Place, Atherton, Greater Manchester, England. It is an active Anglican church, which means it belongs to the Church of England. It serves as a parish church, a main church for a local area.
The church is part of a group of churches in Atherton and nearby areas. These include St George's, St Philip's, and St Michael and All Angels at Howe Bridge. St John's Church is considered a very important building. It is officially listed as a Grade II listed building because of its special history and design.
Contents
A Look Back: The Church's Story
The site where St John the Baptist's Church stands has a long history. Three different chapels or churches have been built there over time.
The First Chapel: 1645
The very first chapel was built in 1645. It was called a "chapel of ease." This meant it was a smaller church built to help people who lived far from the main Leigh Parish Church. It was sometimes known as the Old Bent Chapel.
At first, this chapel was not officially "consecrated." This means it wasn't formally dedicated for religious use. Both Presbyterians (a type of Protestant Christian) and the Vicar of Leigh used it. In 1721, the local leader, Richard Atherton, asked the "dissenters" (people who disagreed with the main church) to leave. They then built their own church, Chowbent Chapel. The first chapel was finally consecrated in 1723.
New Churches on the Same Spot
The first chapel was replaced by a new St John's Chapel in 1814. This new chapel was also consecrated, meaning it was officially dedicated.
The church you see today replaced that second chapel. It was designed by famous architects from Lancaster, Paley and Austin. The building was constructed in two main stages. The first part, including the chancel (the area around the altar) and part of the nave (the main body of the church), was built between 1878 and 1879. It was consecrated in 1879. This first stage cost £10,000. A large part of this money came from local coal mine owners.
The western part of the church, including a tall tower, was finished later. This work happened between 1890 and 1896. It was completed by the same architectural firm, which was then called Paley, Austin and Paley.
Challenges and Repairs
After 1899, the church faced problems because of mining subsidence. This is when the ground sinks due to mining underground. The subsidence caused the tower to lean and separate from the rest of the church. The tower has been made stable, but it still leans a bit.
In 1991, a fire caused serious damage to the eastern part of the church. It was repaired and updated between 1996 and 1997. During these repairs, the chancel area was separated to create a church hall.
Exploring the Church's Design
The church's design is very impressive, both inside and out.
Outside the Church
The church is built from Runcorn sandstone with smooth stone details. It has a tiled roof. The style is called "late Decorated" which is a type of Gothic Revival design.
The church has a main area called the nave with five sections. It also has side sections called north and south aisles. Above the nave, there's a row of windows called a clerestory. There's also a chancel at the east end, a chapel on the north side, and a two-story room (vestry) and organ area on the south.
The southwest tower is very striking. It has five levels and strong corner supports called buttresses. These supports rise above the top wall, forming small towers with pointed roofs. The top wall itself is shaped like a castle wall, which is called embattled.
The main entrance is on the south side of the tower. Above it is a large window. The tower also has clock faces and openings for bells. Above each bell opening, there's a statue in a small decorated space. The windows on the south side have four sections, while those on the north have three. The upper windows in the clerestory have different patterns.
At the east and west ends, there are very large windows. The west window has seven sections, and the east window has six. Below the east window, you can see a pattern of red and buff stone. This pattern includes carved roses, the IHC symbol (a symbol for Jesus), leaves, and swords. A clock that chimes the hour was put in by Potts of Leeds in 1895.
Inside the Church
The inside of the church uses light-colored stone from Stourton and a floor made of Yorkshire stone. The main roof of the nave is a special type called a hammerbeam roof. The arches that separate the nave from the aisles are supported by groups of pillars.
The church used to have a very detailed screen separating the chancel. This screen is now used behind the altar at the east end of the nave. The stone pulpit (where sermons are given) is beautifully carved. It has marble panels showing scenes from the life of Christ. This pulpit is a memorial to Bishop James Fraser, who passed away in 1885.
The baptismal font (a basin for baptisms) is octagonal and made of alabaster. It is decorated with carved panels. Some old Box pews (enclosed seats) from 1728 have been reused as wall panels in the vestry. The nave also has special lamps designed by Peter Skinner.
The stained glass in the large east window, made in 1896, is by C. E. Kempe. Another window in the south aisle has glass from 1895 by Ward and Hughes. A different window in the south aisle has glass from 1922 by Edward Moore, which was moved from the north chapel. After the 1991 fire, most other windows were replaced with clear glass. The church has a two-manual pipe organ built in 1967. It replaced an older, larger organ from 1888.
Why This Church Is Special
St John the Baptist's Church was officially recognized as a Grade II listed building on July 15, 1966. Grade II is the most common listing level. It means the building is "nationally important and of special interest."
Experts agree that the church is very impressive. The official description says it is "an imposing building which exhibits fine craftsmanship both inside and out." The authors of the Buildings of England series called it "monumental, one of Paley & Austin's best." They also said the tower is "magnificently monumental." Other experts, Brandwood et al., also agree it is "one of Paley & Austin's finest churches."
See also
- Listed buildings in Atherton, Greater Manchester
- List of churches in Greater Manchester
- List of ecclesiastical works by Paley and Austin
- List of works by Paley, Austin and Paley
