St Michael's Church, Flixton facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St Michael's Church, Flixton
The Parish Church of St Michael's, Flixton
St Michael's Church & Graveyard (2009)
53°26′31″N 2°22′55″W / 53.44186°N 2.38197°W / 53.44186; -2.38197
OS grid reference	SJ7473093960
Location	348 Church Road, Flixton, Trafford, Greater Manchester
Country	England
Denomination	Church of England
Previous denomination	Roman Catholic
Churchmanship	Anglo-Catholicism
Website	http://www.stmichaelsflixton.co.uk
History
Status	Parish Church
Founded	Pre-1066
Dedication	Michael (archangel)
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Heritage designation	Grade II*
Architectural type	Church
Style	Georgian and Gothic Revival
Years built	at least 900
Specifications
Number of towers	1
Bells	8 (full circle)
Tenor bell weight	13 long cwt 3 qr 1 lb (1,541 lb or 699 kg)
Administration
Parish	Flixton, St Michael's
Diocese	Anglican Diocese of Manchester
Province	Province of York

St Michael's Church, Flixton is an Anglican parish church located in Flixton, Greater Manchester. It is named after Michael the Archangel. The church is part of the Flixton parish, which used to include the area of Urmston. It belongs to the Anglican Diocese of Manchester.

History of St Michael's Church

People have likely worshipped at this spot since before the Norman invasion in 1066. However, there isn't much physical proof of this. Some people believe the church was actually started in 1198.

How Flixton Got Its Name

The area of Flixton is mentioned in history as early as 1177. Its name has been spelled in many ways over time, like Fluxton and Flyxton. Some think it came from "Fleecetown" because of its connection to the wool industry long ago. But it's more likely that the name comes from the Viking name Flikke or Flikkr. This Viking is thought to have brought Christianity to the area and built the first stone wall behind the altar. The word "ton" in Anglo-Saxon means "dwelling place," so "Flikke's ton" means "Flikke's dwelling place."

Flixton's Growth and New Churches

Flixton was once a parish that included the areas of Urmston and Flixton. The church of St Michael's was first recorded around the same time. In the past, Flixton mostly had separate farmhouses and a medieval manor house, not a central village. As more people moved to Flixton in the 1800s and 1900s, a new church called St. John's was built in the mid-1900s. This new church helped serve the growing community.

St Michael's Church is a Grade II* listed building, meaning it's a very important historic site. It has been a central part of church life in Flixton for centuries. For about 500 years, the church was connected to Lichfield Cathedral.

The Church Building

The church building mostly looks like Georgian style. In 1888, the tower you see today was completely rebuilt. It stands on the foundations of an older tower from the 1700s. <mapframe latitude="53.442471" longitude="-2.382113" zoom="10" width="200" height="100" align="right"> { "type": "FeatureCollection", "features": [ { "type": "Feature", "properties": {}, "geometry": { "type": "Point", "coordinates": [ -2.381951808929444, 53.4418705109029 ] } } ] } </mapframe>

Inside the Church

A view of the sanctuary end (chancel) of the church showing the Altar and sanctuary. (Credited Tom Jeffs)

The church has been rebuilt many times. Because of this, not much of the very old parts remain. However, some stones from the 1100s are built into the outside east wall. The oldest part of the building that still looks somewhat like it did originally is the chancel, which dates back to the 1400s.

The church tower has eight bells. These bells are still rung every week for church services. The bell ringers also practice every Tuesday night. The bells were first recast (melted down and reshaped) in 1808, and four more were added. They were recast again in 1938. The largest bell weighs about 13.5 long tons. St Michael's has also had a robed choir since the 1870s.

The Churchyard

The oldest gravestone in the churchyard dates back to 1669. However, there are records of people being buried there even before that. You can find simple poems on many of the flat gravestones. For example, there's a "Fiddler's grave" near the vestry door. The poem on the "Blacksmith's grave" (for William Oldfield) is thought to have been written by a famous Lancashire poet named Tim Bobbin, who was baptized at this very church.

The Vicar and Church Groups

The current vicar of St Michael's Church is The Reverend Huw Thomas. He became the vicar in 2016. The church has had a resident priest or rector since before the 1500s.

Community Groups at St Michael's

The church has several groups for people in the community to join:

• Bell ringers
• The Choir
• The Churchyard gardening team
• Mother's Union

Restoration and Development Trust

There is a special trust at the church called the Restoration and Development Trust. This group works to keep the church building in good condition, both inside and out. They also help with Church Croft, a building next to St Michael's where most church activities happen. The trust also supports the spiritual growth of the church community.

Gallery

• 

  The view of the church from the side.

• 

  The sanctuary end with altar and antependium.

• 

  The central nave of the church looking down to the sanctuary end.

• 

  The Radclyff brass

• 

  The Graveyard and churchyard

• 

  The church next to the Church Inn pub

• 

  The church and carpark

See also

• Flixton
• Anglican diocese of Manchester
• Urmston
• List of churches in Greater Manchester
• Antependium