Church of St Edmund, Rochdale
Encyclopedia
St Edmund’s Church is a redundant church
building located on Clement Royds Street in the Falinge area of Rochdale
, in Greater Manchester
, England. Commissioned by Rochdale's local industrialist and Freemason Albert Royds, the construction of the building was completed to a high and rich specification in 1873, with an "enormous" cost of around £25,000 (£ as of ). It is the only known church building in England so overtly dedicated to Masonic symbolism and is therefore unique within English architecture.
Art critic Nikolaus Pevsner
described the building as "Rochdale's temple to freemasonry, a total concept as exotic as Roslin Chapel in Scotland". Because of the building's craftsmanship, design and prevalent Masonic theme, St Edmund's Church was designated by English Heritage
as a Grade II* listed building in 1985. The church closed for worship in 2007, and in 2009, The Victorian Society
identified the building as "unusual and extraordinary" but also critically endangered. St Edmund's heritage status was upgraded to a Grade I listing
in 2010 in recognition of its unique Masonic architecture and exceptional architectural interest.
. Royds acquired a crossroads at the highest point of Rochdale and commissioned the Manchester
-based practice of James Medland and Henry Taylor to design and construct a new church building "at a time when Freemasonry in Rochdale was a strong force and its members were stalwarts of the local community". The building was constructed between 1870-1873 at a cost between £22,000 (£ as of ), and £28,000 (£ as of ), at a time when a suitable parish church
could have been built for £4,000 (£ as of ).
in particular. The interior of the church is designed around the geometric form of a cube. A hammerbeam roof
springs from the walls and is decorated with the Masonic symbols of pomegranate
s, lilies and water lilies
. The church has an "elaborate set" of stained glass windows with the Masonic theme on the south side of the building dedicated to building and Freemasonry. The Masonic theme climaxes in Royds Chapel, where the window depicts Nehemiah
, Ezra
and the Tyler, the guard of a Masonic Lodge, wielding a sword. Solomon's Temple
is shown with a likeness of Albert Hudson Royds as one of the master masons. In the main body of the church, the lectern features three brass columns all with the symbolic tools of masoncraft engraved on the base.
designated St Edmund's as a Grade II* listed building in 1985. The Victorian Society
, the United Kingdom's national charity responsible for the study and protection of Victorian
and Edwardian
arts and architecture, identified the building as "unusual and extraordinary" but also critically endangered, placing it among the nation's top-10 endangered buildings. The building was upgraded to a Grade I listed building by English Heritage in September 2010 largely due it being a rare example of Masonic architecture on a church, as opposed to a Masonic Lodge
. Nick Bridgland, Heritage Protection Team Leader for English Heritage
in northern England
said that "St Edmunds is unique as it merges the architectural style of Gothic revival with Masonic symbolism to create a building which is not only a successful parish church but also a temple to Freemasonry. The completeness of the Masonic scheme is unparalleled in England and the importance of this building is reflected in its Grade I listing".
Redundant church
A redundant church is a church building that is no longer required for regular public worship. The phrase is particularly used to refer to former Anglican buildings in the United Kingdom, but may refer to any disused church building around the world...
building located on Clement Royds Street in the Falinge area of Rochdale
Rochdale
Rochdale is a large market town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies amongst the foothills of the Pennines on the River Roch, north-northwest of Oldham, and north-northeast of the city of Manchester. Rochdale is surrounded by several smaller settlements which together form the Metropolitan...
, in Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
, England. Commissioned by Rochdale's local industrialist and Freemason Albert Royds, the construction of the building was completed to a high and rich specification in 1873, with an "enormous" cost of around £25,000 (£ as of ). It is the only known church building in England so overtly dedicated to Masonic symbolism and is therefore unique within English architecture.
Art critic Nikolaus Pevsner
Nikolaus Pevsner
Sir Nikolaus Bernhard Leon Pevsner, CBE, FBA was a German-born British scholar of history of art and, especially, of history of architecture...
described the building as "Rochdale's temple to freemasonry, a total concept as exotic as Roslin Chapel in Scotland". Because of the building's craftsmanship, design and prevalent Masonic theme, St Edmund's Church was designated by English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
as a Grade II* listed building in 1985. The church closed for worship in 2007, and in 2009, The Victorian Society
The Victorian Society
The Victorian Society is the national charity responsible for the study and protection of Victorian and Edwardian architecture and other arts in Britain....
identified the building as "unusual and extraordinary" but also critically endangered. St Edmund's heritage status was upgraded to a Grade I listing
Grade I listed buildings in Greater Manchester
-See also:*Architecture of Manchester*Conservation in the United Kingdom*Grade II* listed buildings in Greater Manchester*List of tallest buildings in Manchester*Scheduled Monuments in Greater Manchester-Bibliography:...
in 2010 in recognition of its unique Masonic architecture and exceptional architectural interest.
History
St Edmund's Church was commissioned by Albert Hudson Royds, a industrialist, banker and Freemason who belonged to Rochdale's prominent Royds family of wool merchants financiers of the Rochdale CanalRochdale Canal
The Rochdale Canal is a navigable "broad" canal in northern England, part of the connected system of the canals of Great Britain. The "Rochdale" in its name refers to the town of Rochdale, Greater Manchester, through which the canal passes....
. Royds acquired a crossroads at the highest point of Rochdale and commissioned the Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
-based practice of James Medland and Henry Taylor to design and construct a new church building "at a time when Freemasonry in Rochdale was a strong force and its members were stalwarts of the local community". The building was constructed between 1870-1873 at a cost between £22,000 (£ as of ), and £28,000 (£ as of ), at a time when a suitable parish church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
could have been built for £4,000 (£ as of ).
Features
References to the traditions of Masonry are everywhere at St Edmund's, in the weathervane and lecternLectern
A lectern is a reading desk with a slanted top, usually placed on a stand or affixed to some other form of support, on which documents or books are placed as support for reading aloud, as in a scripture reading, lecture, or sermon...
in particular. The interior of the church is designed around the geometric form of a cube. A hammerbeam roof
Hammerbeam roof
Hammerbeam roof, in architecture, is the name given to an open timber roof, typical of English Gothic architecture, using short beams projecting from the wall.- Design :...
springs from the walls and is decorated with the Masonic symbols of pomegranate
Pomegranate
The pomegranate , Punica granatum, is a fruit-bearing deciduous shrub or small tree growing between five and eight meters tall.Native to the area of modern day Iran, the pomegranate has been cultivated in the Caucasus since ancient times. From there it spread to Asian areas such as the Caucasus as...
s, lilies and water lilies
Water Lilies
Water Lilies is a series of approximately 250 oil paintings by French Impressionist Claude Monet . The paintings depict Monet's flower garden at Giverny and were the main focus of Monet's artistic production during the last thirty years of his life...
. The church has an "elaborate set" of stained glass windows with the Masonic theme on the south side of the building dedicated to building and Freemasonry. The Masonic theme climaxes in Royds Chapel, where the window depicts Nehemiah
Nehemiah
Nehemiah ]]," Standard Hebrew Nəḥemya, Tiberian Hebrew Nəḥemyāh) is the central figure of the Book of Nehemiah, which describes his work rebuilding Jerusalem and purifying the Jewish community. He was the son of Hachaliah, Nehemiah ]]," Standard Hebrew Nəḥemya, Tiberian Hebrew Nəḥemyāh) is the...
, Ezra
Ezra
Ezra , also called Ezra the Scribe and Ezra the Priest in the Book of Ezra. According to the Hebrew Bible he returned from the Babylonian exile and reintroduced the Torah in Jerusalem...
and the Tyler, the guard of a Masonic Lodge, wielding a sword. Solomon's Temple
Solomon's Temple
Solomon's Temple, also known as the First Temple, was the main temple in ancient Jerusalem, on the Temple Mount , before its destruction by Nebuchadnezzar II after the Siege of Jerusalem of 587 BCE....
is shown with a likeness of Albert Hudson Royds as one of the master masons. In the main body of the church, the lectern features three brass columns all with the symbolic tools of masoncraft engraved on the base.
Heritage status
Many churches in Rochdale display reference to Freemasonry but none so prominently as St Edmund’s. English HeritageEnglish Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
designated St Edmund's as a Grade II* listed building in 1985. The Victorian Society
The Victorian Society
The Victorian Society is the national charity responsible for the study and protection of Victorian and Edwardian architecture and other arts in Britain....
, the United Kingdom's national charity responsible for the study and protection of Victorian
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
and Edwardian
Edwardian architecture
Edwardian architecture is the style popular when King Edward VII of the United Kingdom was in power; he reigned from 1901 to 1910, but the architecture style is generally considered to be indicative of the years 1901 to 1914....
arts and architecture, identified the building as "unusual and extraordinary" but also critically endangered, placing it among the nation's top-10 endangered buildings. The building was upgraded to a Grade I listed building by English Heritage in September 2010 largely due it being a rare example of Masonic architecture on a church, as opposed to a Masonic Lodge
Masonic Lodge
This article is about the Masonic term for a membership group. For buildings named Masonic Lodge, see Masonic Lodge A Masonic Lodge, often termed a Private Lodge or Constituent Lodge, is the basic organisation of Freemasonry...
. Nick Bridgland, Heritage Protection Team Leader for English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
in northern England
Northern England
Northern England, also known as the North of England, the North or the North Country, is a cultural region of England. It is not an official government region, but rather an informal amalgamation of counties. The southern extent of the region is roughly the River Trent, while the North is bordered...
said that "St Edmunds is unique as it merges the architectural style of Gothic revival with Masonic symbolism to create a building which is not only a successful parish church but also a temple to Freemasonry. The completeness of the Masonic scheme is unparalleled in England and the importance of this building is reflected in its Grade I listing".
External links
- St Edmund’s Masonic Church by Philip Coppens