St Lawrence's Church, Denton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Lawrence's Church, Denton |
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![]() St Lawrence's Church in 2005
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Religion | |
Affiliation | Church of England |
District | Diocese of Manchester |
Province | Province of York |
Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Parish church |
Location | |
Location | Denton, Greater Manchester, England |
Architecture | |
Architect(s) | J Medland Taylor and Henry Taylor |
Architectural type | Church |
Completed | 1532 |
Materials | Timber framed |
St Lawrence's Church in Denton (grid reference SJ92639506) is a very old and special church. It's in Greater Manchester, England. What makes it unique is that it's built mostly from wood! This type of building is called "timber-framed." There are only 29 timber-framed churches left in all of England, making St Lawrence's very rare. It's also a "Grade II* listed building," which means it's an important historical place that needs to be protected.
Contents
St Lawrence's Church: A Special Wooden Building
St Lawrence's Church is famous for being a timber-framed building. This means its main structure is made from large wooden beams. It's one of only 29 churches and chapels in England that are still standing and built this way. This makes it a very important historical site.
How Old Is This Church?
The church was first built in 1531. At that time, it was known as a "chapel of ease." This was a smaller church built for people who lived far from the main parish church. It was originally a Roman Catholic church and was dedicated to St James.
Changes Over Time
In 1839, the church was rededicated and given a new name: St Lawrence. Later, in 1854, it became a full Parish church. This meant it was the main church for the local area.
The church was made bigger and updated in 1872. This work was done by architects J Medland Taylor and Henry Taylor. Inside the church, you can still see beautiful stained glass windows from the 1500s.
Keeping the Church Strong
Because the church is so old, it needs a lot of care. It was restored between 1993 and 2003. This big project was paid for by Tameside MBC, which is the local council. More restoration work started in 2009 to keep this historic building safe for the future.