St.Mary's Church, Prestwich photographed late evening on 18 May 2016 as we walked back to the car after a walk along the nearby stream which meanders through a wooded valley.
There is evidence that there has been a church on this site since at least 1200 although the tower of the current church was built in about 1500 and the rest of the church rebuilt in the early part of the 16th Century. Building work and alterations have continued up to the 20th Century.
In 1756 the South porch was rebuilt, the East Vestry was also rebuilt in 1803 and in 1860 the chancel was extended. In 1872 a new chapel was added to the South side of the church and in 1874 the chapel on the East side was rebuilt. In 1889 some major alterations were completed to the building including the addition of an organ chamber and vestry. A porch was added to the North in 1895. Alterations in 1959 involved the removal of the North and South galleries.
The church is constructed in red sandstone with stone slate roofs. The tower is in three stages and rises to a height of 86 feet (26 m). It has a stair turret in the northeast corner.
The original organ was made in 1825 but was moved to a church in Preston in 1891. It was replaced in 1889 by a new organ built by the Belgian firm of Anneesens which cost £1,000 and was given to the church by the 4th Earl of Wilton. By 1901 the organ had become unplayable and it was replaced by an organ by Abbott and Smith. This too was replaced in 1964 by an organ made by J.W.Walker who made use of some of the pipes from the previous organ.
Originally there were four bells in the tower, these were recast into five bells in 1721 and a sixth bell was added at the same time. These were all replaced in the 20th century by eight bells, all cast by John Taylor, two of them in 1910, and the rest in 1919.
There is evidence that there has been a church on this site since at least 1200 although the tower of the current church was built in about 1500 and the rest of the church rebuilt in the early part of the 16th Century. Building work and alterations have continued up to the 20th Century.
In 1756 the South porch was rebuilt, the East Vestry was also rebuilt in 1803 and in 1860 the chancel was extended. In 1872 a new chapel was added to the South side of the church and in 1874 the chapel on the East side was rebuilt. In 1889 some major alterations were completed to the building including the addition of an organ chamber and vestry. A porch was added to the North in 1895. Alterations in 1959 involved the removal of the North and South galleries.
The church is constructed in red sandstone with stone slate roofs. The tower is in three stages and rises to a height of 86 feet (26 m). It has a stair turret in the northeast corner.
The original organ was made in 1825 but was moved to a church in Preston in 1891. It was replaced in 1889 by a new organ built by the Belgian firm of Anneesens which cost £1,000 and was given to the church by the 4th Earl of Wilton. By 1901 the organ had become unplayable and it was replaced by an organ by Abbott and Smith. This too was replaced in 1964 by an organ made by J.W.Walker who made use of some of the pipes from the previous organ.
Originally there were four bells in the tower, these were recast into five bells in 1721 and a sixth bell was added at the same time. These were all replaced in the 20th century by eight bells, all cast by John Taylor, two of them in 1910, and the rest in 1919.
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