St Leonard's Church, Middleton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of St Leonard, Middleton |
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 Church of St Leonard, Middleton
Location in Greater Manchester
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| 53°33′12″N 2°11′41″W / 53.5532°N 2.1946°W | |
| Location | Middleton, Greater Manchester |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| History | |
| Former name(s) | St Cuthbert |
| Status | Active |
| Founder(s) | Thomas Langley |
| Dedication | St Leonard |
| Consecrated | September 1412 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Parish church |
| Heritage designation | Grade I listed |
| Years built | 1100, 1412 |
| Specifications | |
| Administration | |
| Parish | joint benefice of St Leonard, Middleton and St John, Thornham |
| Archdeaconry | Archdeaconry of Rochdale |
| Diocese | Diocese of Manchester |
| Province | Province of York |
St Leonard's Church is a special place in Middleton, England. It is a Church of England parish church, which means it serves the local community. This church is also a "Grade I listed building." This is a very important title given to buildings that are historically or architecturally significant. It means it's one of the most important old buildings in the country!
History of St Leonard's
Much of the church building you see today was built a long time ago in 1412. A man named Thomas Langley helped build it. He was born in Middleton in 1363. Thomas Langley became a very important person. He was a Bishop of Durham and also the Lord Chancellor of England. When the church was built, he used an old doorway from an even earlier church. This doorway was from the Norman period, which was hundreds of years before. He used it to create the arch for the tower. The top part of the church tower is also quite unique. It is covered in wooden boards, which is not common for churches in this area.
Enlarging the Church
The church of St Leonard was made even bigger in 1524. This was done by Sir Richard Assheton. He wanted to celebrate becoming a knight. King Henry VIII of England made him a knight because of his brave actions. Sir Richard fought in a big battle called the Battle of Flodden in 1513.
Special Features Inside
The church has a very special window called the Flodden Window. It is in the sanctuary area. Many people believe this window is the oldest war memorial in the whole UK. It has the names of the Middleton archers who fought bravely at the Battle of Flodden.
St Leonard's Church also has one of the best collections of monumental brasses in the north of England. These are special engraved brass plates that remember people. One of them is very rare. It is the only brass in the UK that shows an officer from the English Civil War in full armour. This officer was Major-General Ralph Assheton.
In more recent times, an architect named George Pace worked on the church. He designed a war memorial for it. In 1958, he also added a choir vestry. This is a room where the choir gets ready. He also put in new lighting to make the church brighter.
War Graves
In the churchyard, which is the area around the church, there are special graves. These are the war graves of soldiers who died serving their country. There are two soldiers from the First World War. There is also an airman from the Second World War. These graves remind us of their sacrifice.
See also
- List of churches in Greater Manchester
- Grade I listed churches in Greater Manchester
- Grade I listed buildings in Greater Manchester
- Listed buildings in Middleton, Greater Manchester
- List of works by George Pace
