St Stephen's Church, Astley
Encyclopedia
St Stephen's Church is a church in Astley, Greater Manchester
, England. It is an active Anglican church built in 1968 and part of Leigh deanery in the archdeaconry of Salford, diocese of Manchester
. The church, together with St George and St. John, is part of the united benefice of Astley, Tyldesley
and Mosley Common
. Its origins are in Astley Chapel, a chapel of ease
of Leigh Parish Church built in 1631 and its successor which was burned in an arson attack in 1961.
who died in early 1631, was consectrated on
3 August in the same year by the Bishop of Chester. It was the first daughter chapel of the mother church of Leigh,and was dedicated in honour of St Stephen, the first Christian martyr. The chapel was built of local brick on part of the common.
The Reverend Thomas Crompton, appointed by Thomas Mort, was the first minister of the chapel in 1632.
The chapel stood for nearly 130 years when it was rebuilt after becoming delapidated. The second, slightly larger chapel was built on the same site in 1760. Thomas Froggatt of Damhouse gave a contribution towards the cost of reconstruction. It was built of handmade brick and measured 54 in 6 in (16.61 m) in length and 36 ft (11 m) in width. It had a capacity of 170 people and included a nave
with four side and two end windows, and a small chancel. It was enlarged in 1834, 1842, and 1847, and had an embattled western tower containing a single bell.
The second chapel on Church Road was destroyed by fire on 18 June 1961 and it was decided not to rebuild it but relocate to a site on Manchester Road. The third St Stephen's Church was consecrated on 26 October 1968.
and his successor was from Shakerley
. They were both educated at Brasenose College, Oxford.
1632 Thomas Crompton, B.A. Crompton was ejected for nonconformity.
1683 John Battersby
1702 Roger Seddon, died 1716
1716 James Marsh, died 1728
1732 Thomas Mawdesley, died 1769
1769 Robert Barker
1822 Thomas Birkett
1838 John Wilkinson Edwards, B.A. died 1840
1840 Alfred Hewlett, D.D. died 1885
1885 James Alexander Maxwell Johnstone, M.A
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. It is an active Anglican church built in 1968 and part of Leigh deanery in the archdeaconry of Salford, diocese of Manchester
Anglican Diocese of Manchester
The Diocese of Manchester is a Church of England diocese in the Province of York, England. Based in the city of Manchester, the diocese covers much of the county of Greater Manchester and small areas of the counties of Lancashire and Cheshire.-History:...
. The church, together with St George and St. John, is part of the united benefice of Astley, Tyldesley
Tyldesley
Tyldesley is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, in Greater Manchester, England. It occupies an area north of Chat Moss near the foothills of the West Pennine Moors, east-southeast of Wigan and west-northwest of the city of Manchester...
and Mosley Common
Mosley Common
Mosley Common is a suburb of Tyldesley at the far-eastern edge of the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, in Greater Manchester, England.It was anciently a hamlet in the east of the township of Tyldesley cum Shakerley, in the ancient parish of Leigh...
. Its origins are in Astley Chapel, a chapel of ease
Chapel of ease
A chapel of ease is a church building other than the parish church, built within the bounds of a parish for the attendance of those who cannot reach the parish church conveniently....
of Leigh Parish Church built in 1631 and its successor which was burned in an arson attack in 1961.
History
The first chapel, built and paid for by Adam Mort the wealthy owner of DamhouseDamhouse
Damhouse or Astley Hall is a Grade II* Listed building located in Tyldesley, Greater Manchester, England. It has served as a manor house, sanatorium, and, since restoration in 2000, houses offices, a clinic, nursery and tearooms.-History:...
who died in early 1631, was consectrated on
3 August in the same year by the Bishop of Chester. It was the first daughter chapel of the mother church of Leigh,and was dedicated in honour of St Stephen, the first Christian martyr. The chapel was built of local brick on part of the common.
The Reverend Thomas Crompton, appointed by Thomas Mort, was the first minister of the chapel in 1632.
The chapel stood for nearly 130 years when it was rebuilt after becoming delapidated. The second, slightly larger chapel was built on the same site in 1760. Thomas Froggatt of Damhouse gave a contribution towards the cost of reconstruction. It was built of handmade brick and measured 54 in 6 in (16.61 m) in length and 36 ft (11 m) in width. It had a capacity of 170 people and included a nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
with four side and two end windows, and a small chancel. It was enlarged in 1834, 1842, and 1847, and had an embattled western tower containing a single bell.
The second chapel on Church Road was destroyed by fire on 18 June 1961 and it was decided not to rebuild it but relocate to a site on Manchester Road. The third St Stephen's Church was consecrated on 26 October 1968.
Clergy
The first minister was the son of William Crompton of BedfordBedford, Greater Manchester
Bedford, a suburb of Leigh, Greater Manchester is one of three ancient townships, Bedford, Pennington and Westleigh, that merged in 1875 to form the town of Leigh.-Toponymy:...
and his successor was from Shakerley
Shakerley
Shakerley is a suburb of Tyldesley in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, Greater Manchester, England.It was anciently a hamlet in the northwest of the township of Tyldesley cum Shakerley, in the ancient parish ofLeigh....
. They were both educated at Brasenose College, Oxford.
1632 Thomas Crompton, B.A. Crompton was ejected for nonconformity.
1683 John Battersby
1702 Roger Seddon, died 1716
1716 James Marsh, died 1728
1732 Thomas Mawdesley, died 1769
1769 Robert Barker
1822 Thomas Birkett
1838 John Wilkinson Edwards, B.A. died 1840
1840 Alfred Hewlett, D.D. died 1885
1885 James Alexander Maxwell Johnstone, M.A