Diameter: 16.5" Bell 1 of 1
Founded by John Warner & Sons 1889
Dove Bell ID: 57538 Tower ID: 22074 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Micklehurst: All Saints
Diocese of Manchester
Closed Church, 609312
Victorian/Pre-WW1
Overview
Grid reference: SD 980 20
Visiting and facilities
Building is closed for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
Nave of seven bays, chancel, south-west tower over a porch, transepts with south vestry and north organ chamber, toilets and utility rooms at the north-west corner.
Dimensions:
Nave 29m (90 ft) x 9.5m (30ft).
Description of Archaeology and History
Until the 18th century the town consisted of several hamlets. The earliest settlements in the area were high above the valley of the River Tame, the above mentioned hill fort being the most obvious remnant of this. With the building of the canal and later the railway, along with the mills being constructed along the valley bottom, Mossley spread out to fill the valley. Although textile production has ceased, many of the mills are now used for other purposes, while others have been replaced by modern factories. Mossley has a well-used railway station and the Huddersfield Narrow Canal, closed for fifty years, has recently been re-opened. Mossley is increasingly becoming a dormitory town for Manchester, and tourism is also important due to its handy location for the Peak District and Pennines.
The church, the first in Mossley, was built in 1892-3 by Potts son and Pickup, a local practice based in Oldham. It seems probable that the design was influenced by the parish church at Millbrook, by G & J Shaw. Externally and internally the church is largely unchanged, with the exception of an extension built on to the vestry in the 1960s, but is now rather dilapidated. The vicarage is adjacent, a 1970’s house. The focus of the parish has recently moved to a chapel in a converted hall building adjacent to the local school nearby.
Exterior Description
The architectural style is Perpendicular Gothic. The spire of the dominating three-stage tower is underpinned by an octagonal drum with clasping pinnacles, with pointed louvred belfry openings. The stage below is square with a parapet, and has small quatrefoil openings above a pointed doorway with continuous mouldings within the lower stage. This is the main access to the church via an integral porch. There is a west stair turret with conical cap.
The nave walls are pierced by large pointed windows, alternately 2- and 3-lights with panel tracery, between buttresses of three weatherings. The west window is a large 4-light. The lower and narrower chancel has two 2-light windows in the side walls, the east chancel window is a 3-light with rather odd tracery and stained glass. The south vestry has a three-light in the south wall and a pointed doorway in the north, the organ chamber has a two-light in the east wall.
Building Fabric and Features
Nave
19th century 7-bay
Chancel
19th century
Tower (component)
19th century porch in base, west
Porch
19th century in base of tower
Transept
19th century
Vestry
19th century south
Organ (component)
19th century north chamber
Building Materials
Stone
19th century rock-faced gritstone walls
Brick
20th century extension
Plaster
19th century interior
Timber
19th century roof structure
Slate
19th century blue, roofing
Asphalt
20th century extension roof
Interior
Interior Description
The interior is low and long. The walls are painted cream above a dado and brown below. The plaster is flaking in many places due to water ingress, revealing lurid patches of orange and blue. The building is damp and cold, and there is evidence of damp and dry rot in several places. The chancel arch is broad, pointed and plain with decoration on the soffit. The plaster above has partly flaked away exposing brickwork. A light filigree screen allows good visibility to the chancel. There is a door with a rounded head in the wall below leading to the south vestry. The chancel is raised by three steps. The east window is flanked by two pointed niches with cusped heads.
The nave is fully pewed with simple pitched pine benches. There are tiled floors in the nave walkways, with encaustic tiles in the chancel, and, probably, the sanctuary (under yellow carpet). The open timber roof is arch-braced, taken down to simple stone corbels; the chancel has a boarded pointed tunnel-vault ceiling following the profile of the chancel arch.
Fixtures and fittings
Altar
19th century Of oak, panelled front.
Reredos
19th century Limestone panelled reredos to the window sill, with blind tracery carving.
Pulpit
19th century Panelled octagonal dark-stained pine pulpit.
Font (component)
19th century Limestone square font with tracery panel sides on stem and moulded foot.
Stained Glass (window)
19th century East window with Via Dolorosa, c 1895? by Willis & Jones of Liverpool.
Organ (component)
19th century 2-manual pipe organ built by Hardy of Stockport, ornate Gothic architectural case with displayed gilded pipes. Piano.
Stall
19th century Three rows of choirstalls and clergy desks.
Rail
19th century Panelled wood, plain.
Inscribed Object
20th century World War I and World War II memorial board on the chancel arch south wall.
Bells
Churchyard
Grid reference: SD 980 20
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
Submit a change
If you notice something incorrect or missing, please explain it in the form below and submit it to our team for review.