Hamer: All Saints
Overview
Grid reference: SD 903 145
J. Medland Taylor, 1865-6.
Visiting and facilities
Building is closed for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
Chancel and nave with aisles, clerestory, double south transept, south-west tower and north west porch.
Footprint of Church buildings: 554 m²
Description of Archaeology and History
No archaeological finds of significance have been reported in the vicinity and there was no known previous building on the site. Burials in churchyard, but low archaeological potential overall. Mature trees in churchyard but no known designations.
Site donated by John Smith Entwistle of Foxholes and Castleton Hall. £1000 given each by Entwistle, W. W. Schofield, and the Reverend R. K. Cook, vicar of Smallbridge. The corner stone was laid by Entwistle on 29 April 1865 and the church was consecrated on 22 November 1866, the full cost being £5,220 19s. 5d. A more detailed history is contained in the church guide.
Exterior Description
6-bay aisles and clerestory, 2 and 3-light windows with plate tracery to aisles and alternating cinquefoils and quatrefoils to clerestory. Weathered buttresses, steep roofs and coped gables. Under the 4-light west window are sculpted the words “The Lord is in his Holy Temple” and “All His Saints shall praise Him.” The 4-stage tower has set back buttresses, one incorporating a stair turret; a south porch, 2-light openings to the bell stage with traceried heads, enriched eaves and a broach spire (the steeple is recorded as being 122 feet high). N porch with coped gable. The base of the tower at the SW formed a porch which was intended as the main entrance to the church (the doorway is now blocked up and the tower-base forms a vestry). On either side of the entrance are sculpted the heads of Queen Victoria and the Bishop of Manchester. The doorway to the W side of S transept is also now blocked, well-detailed with a shallow porch supported on a moulded column, is also now blocked up. The transept has two gables of unequal dimensions. The 2-bay chancel has a 5-light east window. There are five steps up to the vestry doorway, which has decorative metalwork inscribed “AD 1866”; a circular stone chimney rises from the vestry roof. On the E side of the vestry steps lead down to the boiler house.
Building Fabric and Features
Chancel
19th century
Nave
19th century
Aisle
19th century north and south
Clerestory
19th century
Transept
19th century double south
Tower (component)
19th century south west
Porch
19th century north west
Building Materials
Stone
19th century coursed rubble and ashlar
Slate
19th century roof
Timber
19th century roof structure
Painted Plaster
19th century inside walls
Interior
Interior Description
Double-chamfered nave arcade with circular columns (Bath stone bases, and shafts of Everton red sandstone) and elaborate non-archeological capitals, some displaying symbols of the Evangelists. Scissor-braced roof trusses, in the chancel supported on elaborate columned corbels. The E window is framed by a multifoil arch.
There is now a nave altar platform at the level of the first chancel step. From this a further step rises to the chance, then one to the sanctuary, and there is an altar platform of one step. Good encaustic tiling to chancel becoming more splendid in sanctuary, complemented by less elaborate coloured tiling to nave aisles (now partly covered by carpet). Sedilia in S chancel wall, two cusped lancets separated by thin column with elaborate capital. Aumbry in N chancel wall, cusped round-arched nice in round-arched surround. Gothic wooden screen to organ chamber, with cusped lancets. Doorway to vestry in N wall of chancel.
At the W end of the N aisle is the Lady Chapel, with the organ chamber beyond. The S transept has been subdivided with glazed screens to form a meeting room. The former vestry beyond now houses lavatories. The base of the tower is now the church office; a staircase leads up to the former bell-chamber.
Fixtures and fittings
Altar
19th century High altar. Timber, the ends pierced with sexfoils. Lady chapel altar (pictured). Timber, ornamented with delicate tracery.
Pulpit
20th century Oak, with walnut colonettes. Ornamented with pierced lancets, blind quatrefoils and bosses. The multifoil stone base echoes that of the font. Given by a bequest of A small plaque records the donation of the pulpit light in memory of Eric Young (Sgt. W. O. P. / A. G. R. A. F., V. R.) “Who gave his life for his country, Sept. 1943”.
Lectern
19th century Wooden eagle. The base is inscribed, “Be ye doers of the word and not hearers only.”
Font (component)
19th century Marble font, circular bowl ornamented with carved shields, with a multifoil stem on an octagonal plinth; wooden cover with ornamental ironwork. Not the original font (though its stem matches that of the pulpit) and does not sit neatly on the surrounding floor tiles and may therefore have been moved.
Reredos
19th century Caen stone. Displays central saltire with Alpha and Omega with two cusped lancets, containing roundels with symbols of the evangelists, either side, separated by short marble colonettes. Beneath, “Christ was once offered for the sins of many.”
Bench (seat)
19th century Nave benches of red deal and St John’s pine: fairly plain in themselves, but of value as part of a complete ensemble of original Victorian furnishings. Numbered, some marked ‘free’, with umbrella holders.
Stall
19th century Good choir stalls and readers’ desks with frontals with pierced tracery and fleur-de-lis poppyhead ends. The N reader’s desk is inscribed “Lord hear our prayer”, the S “and let our cry come unto thee.”
Pew (component)
19th century Churchwardens’ pews at rear of nave with high backs and frontals pierced with blind trefoils. Now converted to a shelf for parish noticeboards, leaflets etc.
Rail
19th century High altar - low wooden rails.
Organ (component)
19th century The BIOS National Pipe Organ Register identifies the organ as being by W. Hill of London, 1866, and has awarded it a Grade II Historic Organ Certificate (#N01524).
Plaque (component)
20th century Fine brass to John S. Entwistle, one of the principal donors of the church (with W. W. Schofield) beside N door. WW1 – brass plaque on W wall with names of the fallen. WW2 – brass plaque on W wall with names of the fallen. WW2 - Small plaque recording donation of pulpit light.
Stained Glass (window)
19th / 20th century E window, 5-light: in the first, scenes from the nativity; in the middle three lights, scenes from the crucifixion and last supper; in the fifth, scenes from the resurrection. In the three trefoils above, angels and Christ in majesty. The window was presented by John Entwistle (one of the principal donors of the church) and the church guide suggests that it may be by William Wailes/ W window, 4-light: scenes from the boyhood of Christ; in the tracery above, eleven small lights with angels and Christ the paschal lamb. It was presented by W. W. Schofield (one of the principal donors of the church) and the church guide suggests that it was made by Clayton and Bell. Chancel, N & S lancets: patterned glass. S transept: two 2-light windows contain patterned glass. S transept: lancet in memory of the Reverend T. C. Kidd, d.1865. The Visitation of the Sick: “In as much as ye have done it unto the least of these my brethren ye have done it unto me.” S aisle: 3-light, Christ in the temple, given in memory of Arthur J. Howorth by his son. n.d. but the same style as that donated by Joseph Crossley (q.v.) dated 1955. S aisle: 3-light, the figure of Peace in the central light with St George to her left and St Michael to her right. “Erected in the year 1922 by the Congregation and Parishioners of All Saints as a Memorial to the Fallen in the Great War.” S aisle: 3-light, Christ the Good Shepherd. Erected to the memory of his parents by Joseph Crossley, 1955. N aisle: 2-light. L: “Feed my sheep”; R: “The ascent into heaven.” In memory of J. A. Lobley LLD, first vicar of the parish, d.1889.
Portable Furnishings and Artworks
Wooden, in sanctuary.
Churchyard
Grid reference: SD 903 145
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
Sources
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