Weight: 340 lbs Diameter: 24.38" Bell 1 of 1
Founded by John Taylor & Co 1873
Dove Bell ID: 53858 Tower ID: 20039 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Falinge: St Edmund
Diocese of Manchester
CCT Church, 624329
http://www.visitchurches.org.uk/Ourchurches/Completelistofchurches/Church-of-St-Edmund-Falinge-Greater-Manchester/Overview
Grid reference: SD 891 138
Built 1873, designed by James Medland & H Taylor for Albert Hudson Royds of Mount Falinge, a prominent industrialist, banker and Freemason. The church is designed in a free interpretation of the Gothic revival style with definite hints of Arts-and-Crafts, and very unorthodox even for a Medland Taylor church, whose Magnum Opus this undoubtedly is. It was clearly an expensive and ambitious commission, and indeed it cost some £22,000, an enormous sum at the time, enough to build four parish churches of this size.
Visiting and facilities
Building is closed for worship
Open every Saturday Until Sept Then Every 1st & 3rd Entry Free
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
Cruciform. Short wide nave with gallery and west porch. Large transepts with south porch and crossing tower with staircase and bell turret to north-east corner. Chancel with Royd (now memorial) chapel to south and vestry to north.
Dimensions:
Nave including crossing c 25m (85 ft) x 10m (35ft), transepts and chancel c 10m square.
Footprint of Church buildings: 658 m²
Description of Archaeology and History
Built 1873, designed by James Medland & H Taylor for Albert Hudson Royds of Mount Falinge, a prominent industrialist, banker and Freemason. The Royds family were local wool merchants who had helped finance the Rochdale canal. The crossing lantern was ceiled in 1911. The Royds chapel was rededicated as a Memorial chapel after World War II.
Exterior Description
The church is designed in a free interpretation of the Gothic revival style with definite hints of Arts-and-Crafts, and very unorthodox even for a Medland Taylor church, whose Magnum Opus this undoubtedly is. It was clearly an expensive and ambitious commission, and indeed it cost some £22,000, an enormous sum at the time, enough to build four parish churches of this size.
The central tower is the dominant feature. It has angle buttresses which become both clasping and diagonal at the lower level, square shaped blind arcading, two 2-light geometrical traceried openings to the lantern stage with blind arches in between and on either side, crocketed banding, decorative crenellations with crocketed corner pinnacles and an octagonal corner stair turret with traceried bell-stage and small spire capped with a vane, again with a five-pointed stair.
The nave is of three bays with weathered buttresses, square-headed 1, 2 and 3-light windows with Decorated and Free Gothic tracery and hoodmoulds, coloured stone banding, a castellated circular stair turret to the north-east corner and a steeply pitched roof with coped gables. There is much blind tracery panelling of the same character, and the five-pointed star is worked in many places. The transept is treated similarly except for the three gable windows which are lancet shaped and of 1, 2 and 1-light, the central pair being taller and in two tiers. The west wall has a large rose window.
The vestry is of one bay and is approached by a flight of steps and a cusped doorway; the chancel is of two bays. Each is roofed separately and architectural treatment is as above apart from the diagonal buttressing. The east window is a 5-light with reticulated tracery, with carved voussoirs of alternating colours and a drip mould. There is a foundation stone in the north-east buttress and a panel set under the east window commemorating the founder’s parents, Clement and Jane Royds.
Building Fabric and Features
Stained Glass
19th Century
The chancel east window has tiers of scenes from the Life and Passion of Christ from the Nativity to the Passion and Crucifixion. In memory of Albert’s three brothers died 1838, 1865 and 1871. By Lavers, Barraud & Westlake.
Stained Glass
The east window of the Royds chapel is of particular note, the three Grand Masters designing the temple, one of whom has AH Royds likeness, while his monogram is worked into the lower field. By Lavers, Barraud & Westlake.
Stained Glass
Vestry, 3-light, Noah and the Ark, and single lancet with Creation of Adam.
Stained Glass
North wall, east-west:
- Adam and Eve, the Creation of Eve, Temptation, and Expulsion, Genesis 3.
- 2-light, Abel and Cain, Genesis 4:4-8
- 2-light, Abel and Cain, Genesis 4:4-8
- 3-light, Melchizedek, Genesis 14:18
- 4-light, Jesse tree
- 3-light, Last Supper
Stained Glass
South wall, west-east:
- Single light with Ezra the priest holding a text from Ezra 7.12.
- Single light, Nehemiah
- Single light, St Paul
- 3-light transept window may have lost its glass, only the top lights are still filled
- 2-light Christ blesses the bread before Peter; hands him the scroll “Feed my Sheep” John 21:18
- 2-lightAbraham and Isaac, Genesis 22:1-19
- 2-light Moses and the Ark, Leviticus 8:17
- 2-light Building of Tower of Babel, Genesis 11:1-4
- 3-light Moses, Genesis 9:27
- West rose window, prophets and angels
Building Materials
Ashlar
Dressings
Slate
Roof
Interior
Interior Description
The interior betrays the Masonic influence immediately, with a plethora of images and forms derived from these ideals, from the furnishings and fittings, stained glass, carved detail and roofs. Internally as externally such reference extends to more abstract qualities such as the proportions, which are again said to relate to those of Solomon’s temple.
The walls are bare stone, typically for Medland Taylor. Again typically the roofs are of massive timber construction, the chancel roof being a particularly elaborate hammer-beam construction with enormous intricately carved beams and springing from shafted and foliated granite corbels, with facetted panels between. These features and the reredos (designed by Rev E W Gilbert, the first vicar) show early Arts and Crafts influence.
The floors are of stone flags with textured and patterned wood in the chancel. The interior is fully pewed, with rather fine benches with carved ends, their counterparts in the choir stalls even better, with pierced quatrefoil carving to the fronts. Every window has excellent stained glass, a full scheme.
The central crossing is surrounded by four massive detached polished granite columns with moulded capitals and bases which support the lantern above, though this is no longer visible having been enclosed in 1911, which without doubt compromises the architecture of the interior. All the windows have rere-shafts. The organ console is located in the south transept with exposed pipes flanking the window. The transepts are virtually as big as the nave, which has a heavy timber west gallery approached by a winding stair in the thickness of the wall.
The 3-bay arcade between chancel and chapel has particularly fine foliated capitals and polished granite columns. There is an excellent carved piscina, a monument donated in 1896 in memory of Charles Morris, vicar.
Fixtures and fittings
Altar
1875
Oak table with tracery in chancel, and panelled chest altar with riddel posts and gilded angels to Royds chapel.
Reredos
1875
Foliage vine tracery carved into the east chancel wall under the window, with gilded panels underneath with texts.
Pulpit
1875
Square stone base with columns supporting an open tracery hexagonal oak pulpit.
Lectern
1871
Brass openwork lectern incorporating the five-pointed star and compass and set square, with white marble cube base. Donated by Clement, the Founder’s son in 1871.
Font (object)
1875
Marble font with round bowl, four corners and base supported by clustered marble shafts with angels at the capitals and symbols of the Evangelists around the bowl.
Rail
1875
Chancel has oak open tracery rails, and fine brass rails to the chapel with tubular rail.
Organ (object)
1873
Of 1873 and later, donated by the Royds; three silver-plated chalices with patens, a large flagon.
Bells
Churchyard
Grid reference: SD 891 138
Burial and War Grave Information
It is unknown whether the building is consecrated.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has been used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard is used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has war graves.
National Heritage record for England designations
There are no records of National Heritage assets within the curtilage of this site.
Environment
Ancient, Veteran & Notable Trees
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
There are no records of Ancient, Veteran or Notable Trees within the curtilage of this site.
Renewables
| Renewable | Installed |
|---|---|
| Solar PV Panels | No |
| Solar Thermal Panels | No |
| Biomass | No |
| Wind Turbine | No |
| Air Source Heat Pump | No |
| Ground Source Heat Pump | No |
| Ev Charging | No |
Species summary
There are no records of species within the curtilage of this site.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
'Seek advice' Species
More information on species and action to be taken upon discovery.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
Further information
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