St Michael and All Angels Church, Mottram facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St Michael and All Angels' Church, Mottram
St Michael and All Angels' Church, Mottram, from the south
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OS grid reference	SJ 997 953
Location	Mottram in Longdendale, Greater Manchester
Country	England
Denomination	Anglican
Website	The Parish of Mottram-in-Longdendale
History
Status	Church
Dedication	St Michael
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Heritage designation	Grade II*
Designated	1 November 1966
Architectural type	Church
Style	Perpendicular
Completed	1855
Specifications
Materials	Stone, slate roof
Administration
Parish	Mottram in Longdendale
Deanery	Mottram
Archdeaconry	Macclesfield
Diocese	Chester
Province	York

St Michael and All Angels Church is a historic church located in Mottram in Longdendale, Greater Manchester, England. It sits on a hill called Warhill, looking over the village. This church is a very important old building. It is officially protected as a Grade II* listed building. Today, it is an active Anglican parish church for the local community. It is part of the diocese of Chester.

History of the Church

We know there was a church on this spot as early as 1225. Clergy (church leaders) from the church were mentioned in local documents from that time. There's also another old record of the church from 1291.

The church building you see today was mostly built at the end of the 1400s. It had a big renovation, or "makeover," between 1854 and 1855. This work was done by an architect named E. H. Shellard. During this time, the roof of the main part of the church, called the nave, was made taller.

Church Architecture

The church is built using local stone from a place called Tinsell-Norr. It is designed in a style called Perpendicular Gothic, which is known for its tall, straight lines and large windows.

Outside the Church

The church has a tall tower at the west end. It has strong supports called buttresses on its corners. There's a clock face on the tower and openings for the bells. A small tower with stairs inside is also part of the main tower. At the very top, the tower has a decorative edge that looks like the top of a castle wall. It also has fancy pointy decorations on the corners.

The main part of the church, the nave, has five sections and windows high up on the walls, called a clerestory. There are also side sections called aisles on both the north and south sides. At the east end, there's a special area called the chancel. You can also enter through a porch on the south side. Each aisle has a chapel at its east end. The north chapel is known as the Hollingworth Chapel, and the south chapel is called the Staley Chapel.

Inside the Church

The oldest item inside the church is the baptismal font. It's round and comes from the Norman period, which means it's very old!

Above the arch leading to the chancel, there are painted panels. These panels show the Ten Commandments, the Lord's Prayer, and the Creed. There are also paintings of Moses and Aaron. The pulpit, where the priest gives sermons, is made of beautiful white alabaster. It was created in 1885 by an artist named Harry Hems. You can also see a brass chandelier inside, which dates back to 1755. Some of the colourful stained glass windows were designed by a famous artist named Kempe.

The Hollingworth Chapel is now used by the choir and as a meeting room. The old organ was replaced with an electronic one in 1998. In this chapel, there's a white marble monument for Reginald Bretland, who passed away in 1703.

The Staveley Chapel holds two sandstone statues of people. These statues are thought to be of Sir Ralph Staveley and his wife, from the early 1400s. The church also has a set of eight bells. They were made in 1910 by a company called John Taylor and Company. The church's official records, called parish registers, go back a long way. Marriage and burial records start from 1559, and baptism records from 1562.

Outside the Church Grounds

In the churchyard, there is a sundial with a dial dated 1811. It has a stone stand and a copper dial with a pointer (called a gnomon) that tells the time by the sun's shadow. This sundial is also a protected Grade II listed item.

The churchyard's gateposts, railings, steps, and walls are also listed as Grade II. Near the church, there's a medieval cross. This cross was repaired in 1760 and again in 1897. The 1897 repair was done to celebrate the 60th anniversary (diamond jubilee) of Queen Victoria's reign. The cross has an eight-sided stone shaft that stands on a round, stepped base. On top of the cross is a cube-shaped sundial with three copper faces. This medieval cross is listed at Grade II*.

See also

• Grade II* listed buildings in Greater Manchester
• Listed buildings in Longdendale
• List of works by E. H. Shellard

Gallery

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  St Michael and All Angels' Church, Mottram

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  View of the church from the side

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  Close-up of the church tower