St Mary the Virgin's Church, Ellenbrook facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary the Virgin's Church, Ellenbrook |
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| 53°30′37″N 2°24′49″W / 53.5102°N 2.4135°W | |
| Location | Ellenbrook, Greater Manchester |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| History | |
| Founded | 13th century |
| Consecrated | 1725 present church |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Brick |
St Mary the Virgin's Church, also known as Ellenbrook Chapel, is an active Anglican church. It is located in Ellenbrook, a part of Worsley in Greater Manchester, England.
This church works together with St Mark's Church in Worsley and St Andrew's in Boothstown. It belongs to the Eccles area (called a deanery) within the larger Salford region (an archdeaconry). All of these are part of the Manchester Diocese. In 1966, the church was given a special "Grade II listed status". This means it's an important historic building that needs to be protected.
A Look Back in Time
The first Ellenbrook Chapel was built a very long time ago. It was started by the powerful families who owned the land in Worsley, known as the lords of the manor.
Around the late 1200s, the church leader of Eccles allowed Richard de Worsley to have a special prayer area, called a chantry, in his chapel. We next hear about the chapel in 1549. Sir Richard Brereton reported that a valuable cup, called a chalice, was stolen from his chapel.
In 1638, Dame Dorothy Legh left money to help keep the chapel running. Later, in 1677, the Bishop of Chester made rules about how the church should be supported. Around 1693, a nobleman named Lord Willoughby tried to replace the church's priest with a Nonconformist preacher. However, the bishop stopped him.
The church building we see today was built on the same spot in 1725.
What the Church Looks Like
The church is built with brick in a pattern called Flemish bond. It has a roof made of slate. The church was later made longer at the east end.
The main part of the church, called the nave, has five sections with simple, arched windows. The chancel, which is the area near the altar, has three tall, narrow windows known as lancet windows at the east end.
A side section on the south, called an aisle, was added in the 1800s. The small tower holding the bell, called a bell cote, was also added then. The room where the priests get ready, the vestry, was built in the 1900s. On the north side, there's a porch with a pointed roof, or gable. Its entrance has an arch that looks like the Norman style. Inside, the roof is held up by strong wooden supports called king post trusses.
