St Mary's Church, Stockport Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids St Mary's Church, Stockport
St Mary's Church, Stockport, from the south
53°24′40″N 2°09′20″W / 53.411234°N 2.155514°W / 53.411234; -2.155514
OS grid reference	SJ 898 905
Location	Stockport, Greater Manchester
Country	England
Denomination	Anglican
Churchmanship	Central
History
Status	Parish church
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Heritage designation	Grade I
Designated	14 May 1952
Architect(s)	Lewis Wyatt
Architectural type	Church
Style	Gothic
Completed	1817
Specifications
Materials	Chancel sandstone Rest of church limestone
Administration
Parish	Stockport and Brinnington
Deanery	Stockport
Archdeaconry	Macclesfield
Diocese	Chester
Province	York

St Mary's Church is a very old church in Stockport, Greater Manchester, England. It's located in Churchgate, looking over the market place. This church is super important! It's listed as a Grade I building, which means it's a special historic place. It's an active Anglican church, part of the diocese of Chester.

History of St Mary's Church
Church Design and Features
- Building Materials and Layout
- Inside the Church: Fittings and Furniture
Outside the Church
- Historic Gateway and Fountain
- The Old Rectory
Gallery
See also

History of St Mary's Church

A church has stood on this spot since at least 1190. The oldest part of the current church, the chancel, was built between 1306 and 1320. This part is made of sandstone.

Most of the church you see today was built much later. It was designed by Lewis Wyatt and constructed between 1813 and 1817. Over the years, the church has been repaired and updated. For example, in 1848, some worn-out stone was replaced. More repairs happened in 1882. The church's tower is also very old, first built in the 1300s. It was rebuilt in 1612–1616 and again in 1810.

Church Design and Features

Building Materials and Layout

The oldest part, the chancel, is made from local red sandstone. It's built in a style called "decorated Gothic." The rest of the church uses Runcorn sandstone and is in the "perpendicular Gothic" style.

The church has a tower on the west side. Inside, there's a large main area called the nave with balconies. There's also a south porch, which is an entrance area. The chancel is at the east end, with a room called a vestry next to it.

Inside the Church: Fittings and Furniture

The chancel still has its original wooden roof. In the sanctuary, which is the area around the altar, you can see a double piscina (a basin for washing sacred vessels) and a large triple sedilia (seats for priests). There's also a damaged stone statue of Richard de Vernon, who was a church leader here from 1306 to 1334.

The church has many memorials to important people. One from 1753 was made by Daniel Sephton. Another, for Sir George Warren who passed away in 1801, shows a standing female figure. There's also a memorial to Rev Charles Prescott, who died in 1820, showing a seated figure. These were created by famous sculptors like Sir Richard Westmacott.

Above the chancel arch, you can see the coat of arms of King George III made from plaster. The church's records of births, marriages, and deaths, called parish registers, go all the way back to 1584!

The church has a set of 10 bells. Seven of these bells were made by John Rudhall in 1817. The other three were added later, in 1897, by John Taylor & Co.

Outside the Church

Historic Gateway and Fountain

The main entrance gateway to the church is very special. It was designed by Lewis Wyatt, the same person who designed much of the church. It has three pointed archways with fancy decorations above the middle one. This gateway, along with a nearby drinking fountain, is listed as Grade II*, meaning they are very important historic structures.

The Old Rectory

A rectory, which was the home for the church's rectors (priests), was built in 1744. It replaced an even older wooden building from the 1500s. Rectors and later bishops lived there until the 1950s. Today, this historic building is part of a Travel Inn and is also a Grade II* listed building. You can still find the old ice house within its grounds.