Wadsley Parish Church
Encyclopedia
Wadsley Parish Church is situated within the city of Sheffield
, South Yorkshire
, it is located on Worrall Road, 3 miles (5 km) north west of the city centre in the suburb of Wadsley
, which was formerly a village outside the city boundary. The church is quite unusual in that it is not dedicated to a saint. It is a grade II listed building.
was drawn up to build a chapel of ease
within the parish of Ecclesfield. The agreement stated that the Church of St. Mary, Ecclesfield
was too far distant for the ill or infirm to travel for divine service. However nothing further came of this agreement until the 1830s. The church was eventually built between the years 1832 and 1834 at a total cost of £3,500 by Joseph Potter
. It is in the Gothic
style with much use of Lancet arches and has cast iron piers. The money for construction was put forward by two sisters Ann and Elizabeth Harrison, daughters of Thomas Harrison, a wealthy saw manufacturer.
by William Wilson, the uncle of the Harrison sisters. The church was opened on 21 May 1834, 20 days late; the delay was caused by a change in the design of the spire. The first service was led by Reverend S. Langton of St George's Church, Portobello
and Wadsley’s first minister Francis Owen also delivered an address. The church was consecrated
by the Archbishop of York
Edward Venables-Vernon-Harcourt on 25 August 1835.
On 30 June 1841 Wadsley parish church received some autonomy from the parish of Ecclesfield when it had a definite district assigned to it. In June 1857, the minister was eventually allowed to publish Banns of marriage
and carry out all the usual duties when Wadsley became a "new parish". In March 1883 complete independence was achieved when Alfred Gatty, Vicar of Ecclesfield, relinquished all ties with Wadsley.
. In the ensuing investigation it was decided that the fire had been caused by sparks from a chimney which ran up the north wall of the building. The church did not hold a service again until Christmas Day 1884 and was officially re-opened by William Thomson, Archbishop of York on 12 February 1885.
A later addition to the church was the choir vestry which was built in 1897 to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee
of Queen Victoria
. Probably the most eminent member and patron of the church was James Willis Dixon (1814–1876) eldest son of James Dixon founder of Dixon’s silversmiths in Sheffield. There is a memorial to him and his wife in the church nave
. In 1917 George Cherry Weaver became minister; his long incumbency of 30 years saw many changes to the church, with electric light installed, pew rents abolished and the churchyard extended.
. A baptistry (a tank used for baptisms by immersion) was also added, although the conventional font
was retained.
of 1864, which include resting places for the Watson, Price and Atkinson families who perished in the Great Inundation. The inscription on the Atkinson grave reads: “Ezra and Maurice, their son aged 15 and 9 months ... also William aged 13 and 4 months who perished by the bursting of the Bradfield reservoir, March 12 1864.” The church's original benefactors Ann and Elizabeth Harrison are both buried in the churchyard with a gothic memorial over their graves.
Another out of the ordinary grave, which caused controversy and was mentioned in the local press at the time, is the so called “Cricketer’s Grave”. This is the final resting place of Benjamin Keeton, a well known cricket
player in the area who played for the Hallam
Cricket Club. When he died in 1871, aged 47, he requested that his grave should mark his devotion to cricket as well as his place of burial. His widow Fanny abided by his request and had a gravestone carved with cricket stumps, bat and ball on it. However the stone caused some controversy with the vicar and certain parishioners thinking it unsuitable for a graveyard. The stone was knocked down at one point, but replaced after a public meeting showed the majority to be in favour of it remaining in the churchyard.
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
, South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire is a metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It has a population of 1.29 million. It consists of four metropolitan boroughs: Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, and City of Sheffield...
, it is located on Worrall Road, 3 miles (5 km) north west of the city centre in the suburb of Wadsley
Wadsley
Wadsley is a suburb of the City of Sheffield in South Yorkshire, England. It stands five km NW of the city centre at an approximate grid reference of...
, which was formerly a village outside the city boundary. The church is quite unusual in that it is not dedicated to a saint. It is a grade II listed building.
History
The first mention of a church for the Wadsley area was in 1751 when an agreement between William Burton, Lord of the Manor of Wadsley and Margaret Bamforth, Lady of the Manor of OwlertonOwlerton
Owlerton is a suburb of the city of Sheffield, it lies northwest of the city centre near the confluence of the River Don and River Loxley. Owlerton was formerly a small rural settlement with its origins in the Early Middle Ages, it became part of Sheffield in the early 1900s as the city expanded...
was drawn up to build 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....
within the parish of Ecclesfield. The agreement stated that the Church of St. Mary, Ecclesfield
Church of St. Mary, Ecclesfield
The Church of St. Mary, Ecclesfield is situated on Church Street in the village of Ecclesfield, now a northern suburb of Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. It is situated seven kilometres north of the city centre. It is a Grade One listed building, one of only five within the Sheffield city...
was too far distant for the ill or infirm to travel for divine service. However nothing further came of this agreement until the 1830s. The church was eventually built between the years 1832 and 1834 at a total cost of £3,500 by Joseph Potter
Joseph Potter (architect)
Joseph Potter , was an English architect and builder from Lichfield, Staffordshire in the United Kingdom. Potter has a considerable practice in Staffordshire and its neighbouring counties in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century. Potter lived in Pipehill south west of Lichfield and had...
. It is in the Gothic
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
style with much use of Lancet arches and has cast iron piers. The money for construction was put forward by two sisters Ann and Elizabeth Harrison, daughters of Thomas Harrison, a wealthy saw manufacturer.
Construction
Fleester Field was chosen as the site for the church at the top of gently sloping meadowland. The plans for the building were re-drafted a number of times before being approved by the Harrison sisters. In the Autumn of 1832 the site was marked out by the builder and on 22 October 1832 the foundation stone was laid. 600 children who attended the local Sunday Schools were present at the laying of the stone which was carried out using a silver trowelTrowel
A trowel is one of several similar hand tools used for digging, smoothing, or otherwise moving around small amounts of viscous or particulate material.-Hand tools:...
by William Wilson, the uncle of the Harrison sisters. The church was opened on 21 May 1834, 20 days late; the delay was caused by a change in the design of the spire. The first service was led by Reverend S. Langton of St George's Church, Portobello
St George's Church, Portobello
St George's Church, Portobello was a Church of England church in the City of Sheffield, England. It is now part of the University of Sheffield and functions as a lecture theatre and student housing....
and Wadsley’s first minister Francis Owen also delivered an address. The church was consecrated
Consecration
Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service, usually religious. The word "consecration" literally means "to associate with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different groups...
by the Archbishop of York
Archbishop of York
The Archbishop of York is a high-ranking cleric in the Church of England, second only to the Archbishop of Canterbury. He is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of York and metropolitan of the Province of York, which covers the northern portion of England as well as the Isle of Man...
Edward Venables-Vernon-Harcourt on 25 August 1835.
On 30 June 1841 Wadsley parish church received some autonomy from the parish of Ecclesfield when it had a definite district assigned to it. In June 1857, the minister was eventually allowed to publish Banns of marriage
Banns of marriage
The banns of marriage, commonly known simply as the "banns" or "bans" are the public announcement in a Christian parish church of an impending marriage between two specified persons...
and carry out all the usual duties when Wadsley became a "new parish". In March 1883 complete independence was achieved when Alfred Gatty, Vicar of Ecclesfield, relinquished all ties with Wadsley.
Fire of 1884
On Easter day 1884 the church suffered serious damage when a fire destroyed the roof and devastated much of the interior including the pews and organ. The damage took nine months to repair, costing £1,700; a stone was placed over the door in the porch to commemorate the restorationVictorian restoration
Victorian restoration is the term commonly used to refer to the widespread and extensive refurbishment and rebuilding of Church of England churches and cathedrals that took place in England and Wales during the 19th-century reign of Queen Victoria...
. In the ensuing investigation it was decided that the fire had been caused by sparks from a chimney which ran up the north wall of the building. The church did not hold a service again until Christmas Day 1884 and was officially re-opened by William Thomson, Archbishop of York on 12 February 1885.
A later addition to the church was the choir vestry which was built in 1897 to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee
Diamond Jubilee
A Diamond Jubilee is a celebration held to mark a 60th anniversary in the case of a person or a 75th anniversary in the case of an event.- Thailand :...
of Queen Victoria
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
. Probably the most eminent member and patron of the church was James Willis Dixon (1814–1876) eldest son of James Dixon founder of Dixon’s silversmiths in Sheffield. There is a memorial to him and his wife in the church 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...
. In 1917 George Cherry Weaver became minister; his long incumbency of 30 years saw many changes to the church, with electric light installed, pew rents abolished and the churchyard extended.
Present day
The church underwent a major renovation and facelift in 2002-3; side balconies were removed and the rear balcony was extended over the new amenities which included a quiet room, kitchen and a larger welcome area. An office and a new toilet block were added to the exterior of the church on either side of the spireSpire
A spire is a tapering conical or pyramidal structure on the top of a building, particularly a church tower. Etymologically, the word is derived from the Old English word spir, meaning a sprout, shoot, or stalk of grass....
. A baptistry (a tank used for baptisms by immersion) was also added, although the conventional font
Baptismal font
A baptismal font is an article of church furniture or a fixture used for the baptism of children and adults.-Aspersion and affusion fonts:...
was retained.
Graveyard
There are quite a few interesting gravestones at the church. There are several graves for victims of the Great Sheffield FloodGreat Sheffield Flood
Not to be confused with the floods in Sheffield in 2007.The Great Sheffield Flood was a flood that devastated parts of Sheffield, England, on 11 March 1864, when the Dale Dyke Dam broke.- Collapse of Dale Dyke Dam :...
of 1864, which include resting places for the Watson, Price and Atkinson families who perished in the Great Inundation. The inscription on the Atkinson grave reads: “Ezra and Maurice, their son aged 15 and 9 months ... also William aged 13 and 4 months who perished by the bursting of the Bradfield reservoir, March 12 1864.” The church's original benefactors Ann and Elizabeth Harrison are both buried in the churchyard with a gothic memorial over their graves.
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
player in the area who played for the Hallam
Hallamshire
Hallamshire is the historical name for an area of South Yorkshire, England, in the current city of Sheffield.The origin of the name is uncertain. The English Place-Name Society describe "Hallam" originating from a formation meaning "on the rocks"...
Cricket Club. When he died in 1871, aged 47, he requested that his grave should mark his devotion to cricket as well as his place of burial. His widow Fanny abided by his request and had a gravestone carved with cricket stumps, bat and ball on it. However the stone caused some controversy with the vicar and certain parishioners thinking it unsuitable for a graveyard. The stone was knocked down at one point, but replaced after a public meeting showed the majority to be in favour of it remaining in the churchyard.