St Michael and All Angels Church, Great Houghton
Encyclopedia
St Michael and All Angels Church is the parish church of Great Houghton
in South Yorkshire.
The church is dedicated to St Michael
, and was originally a private chapel and was built by Sir Edward Rodes
, the High Sheriff of Yorkshire, who was a conspicuous Parliamentarian. It was built about 1650 and used for worship by his family and the tenants of his land.
Sir Edward was a great friend of Oliver Cromwell
, when he was the Lord Protector of England. He served in Cromwell’s Privy Council and was also the Colonel of his Cavalry. Cromwell visited the church on its completion and approved of its simple design.
Sir Edward died on the 19th February 1666 and is buried in Darfield Church. His Coat of Arms appeared in stone on the east gable of the church. This mysteriously disappeared over the years but the space where it lay still remains.
The first religious ceremony in the chapel was the baptism of one of the younger sons of Sir Edward by Mr Edward Bowles of York, one of the most eminent Presbyterian clergy of his day. Richard Taylor was the first officiating minister as Chaplain to the Rodes family. He had been prevented from exercising his ministry in public by the Act of Uniformity. The Rodes family were great patrons of nonconformity. The chapel at Great Houghton must have been well known throughout the country as a haven for persecuted clergy of the period. The chapel had a succession of non-conforming ministers who existed under Rode’s protection.
The chapel remained private for many years and it was not until 1849 that it became ‘Episcopally licensed’ for worship. It only became part of the Church of England (under Darfield parish) in 1906 and the first Anglican service was a Holy Communion which took place on the 24th November 1908.
Great Houghton, South Yorkshire
Great Houghton is a village and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley in South Yorkshire, England), on the border with West Yorkshire. It lies to the west of Thurnscoe, on the B6411 road, and is located at approximately 53° 33' 20" North, 1° 21' West, at an elevation of around 60...
in South Yorkshire.
The church is dedicated to St Michael
St Michael
St Michael was a brand that was owned and used by Marks & Spencer from 1928 until 2000.-History:The brand was introduced by Simon Marks in 1928, after his father and co-founder of Marks & Spencer, Michael Marks. By 1950, virtually all goods were sold under the St Michael brand...
, and was originally a private chapel and was built by Sir Edward Rodes
Edward Rodes
Sir Edward Rodes , of Great Houghton, Yorkshire, served as sheriff of Yorkshire and colonel of horse under Cromwell; he was also a member of Cromwell's privy council, sheriff of Perthshire, and represented Perth in the parliaments of 1656-8 and 1659-1660...
, the High Sheriff of Yorkshire, who was a conspicuous Parliamentarian. It was built about 1650 and used for worship by his family and the tenants of his land.
Sir Edward was a great friend of Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
, when he was the Lord Protector of England. He served in Cromwell’s Privy Council and was also the Colonel of his Cavalry. Cromwell visited the church on its completion and approved of its simple design.
Sir Edward died on the 19th February 1666 and is buried in Darfield Church. His Coat of Arms appeared in stone on the east gable of the church. This mysteriously disappeared over the years but the space where it lay still remains.
The first religious ceremony in the chapel was the baptism of one of the younger sons of Sir Edward by Mr Edward Bowles of York, one of the most eminent Presbyterian clergy of his day. Richard Taylor was the first officiating minister as Chaplain to the Rodes family. He had been prevented from exercising his ministry in public by the Act of Uniformity. The Rodes family were great patrons of nonconformity. The chapel at Great Houghton must have been well known throughout the country as a haven for persecuted clergy of the period. The chapel had a succession of non-conforming ministers who existed under Rode’s protection.
The chapel remained private for many years and it was not until 1849 that it became ‘Episcopally licensed’ for worship. It only became part of the Church of England (under Darfield parish) in 1906 and the first Anglican service was a Holy Communion which took place on the 24th November 1908.