Wigan Parish Church
Encyclopedia
All Saints' Church, Wigan is the Church of England
parish church in Wigan
, Greater Manchester
.
It is a Grade II* listed building.
partnership of Sharpe and Paley, when it was almost entirely rebuilt, at a cost of £15,000 (£ as of ). In 1861 the tower was raised in height, and the clock chamber and pinnacle
s were added, this time by E. G. Paley
working alone. The tower was restored again in 1922 when its lower part was refaced in Parbold
stone. This was managed by the successors in the same practice, Austin and Paley.
The church was originally in the Diocese of York
. Around the beginning of the 10th century it moved to the Diocese of Lichfield
. In 1541 the Diocese of Chester
and 1880 the Anglican Diocese of Liverpool
.
The rectors of the parish church were lords of the manor
of Wigan, a sub-manor
of Newton (Newton-le-Willows
), until the 19th century.
erected in 1925.
The Organ of Wigan Parish Church
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
parish church in Wigan
Wigan
Wigan is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It stands on the River Douglas, south-west of Bolton, north of Warrington and west-northwest of Manchester. Wigan is the largest settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan and is its administrative centre. The town of Wigan had a total...
, 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...
.
It is a Grade II* listed building.
History
The church is medieval but most of the present building was erected between 1845 and 1850 by the LancasterLancaster, Lancashire
Lancaster is the county town of Lancashire, England. It is situated on the River Lune and has a population of 45,952. Lancaster is a constituent settlement of the wider City of Lancaster, local government district which has a population of 133,914 and encompasses several outlying towns, including...
partnership of Sharpe and Paley, when it was almost entirely rebuilt, at a cost of £15,000 (£ as of ). In 1861 the tower was raised in height, and the clock chamber and pinnacle
Pinnacle
A pinnacle is an architectural ornament originally forming the cap or crown of a buttress or small turret, but afterwards used on parapets at the corners of towers and in many other situations. The pinnacle looks like a small spire...
s were added, this time by E. G. Paley
Edward Graham Paley
Edward Graham Paley, usually known as E. G. Paley, , was an English architect who practised in Lancaster, Lancashire, in the second half of the 19th century.-Education and career:...
working alone. The tower was restored again in 1922 when its lower part was refaced in Parbold
Parbold
Parbold is a large commuter village and civil parish in the county of Lancashire, England.-Local government:The 83 hectares of the 'urban settlement' of Parbold has a population of 2,700. This settlement forms part of the larger Parbold ward Parbold is a large commuter village and civil parish in...
stone. This was managed by the successors in the same practice, Austin and Paley.
The church was originally in the Diocese of York
Diocese of York
The Diocese of York is an administrative division of the Church of England, part of the Province of York. It covers the city of York, the eastern part of North Yorkshire, and most of the East Riding of Yorkshire....
. Around the beginning of the 10th century it moved to the Diocese of Lichfield
Diocese of Lichfield
The Diocese of Lichfield is a Church of England diocese in the Province of Canterbury, England. The bishop's seat is located in the Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Chad in the city of Lichfield. The diocese covers 4,516 km² The Diocese of Lichfield is a Church of England...
. In 1541 the Diocese of Chester
Diocese of Chester
The Diocese of Chester is a Church of England diocese in the Province of York based in Chester, covering the county of Cheshire in its pre-1974 boundaries...
and 1880 the Anglican Diocese of Liverpool
Anglican Diocese of Liverpool
The Diocese of Liverpool is a Church of England diocese based in Liverpool, covering Merseyside north of the River Mersey along with West Lancashire, Wigan in Greater Manchester, Warrington and Widnes in Cheshire...
.
The rectors of the parish church were lords of the manor
Lord of the Manor
The Lordship of a Manor is recognised today in England and Wales as a form of property and one of three elements of a manor that may exist separately or be combined and may be held in moieties...
of Wigan, a sub-manor
Subinfeudation
In English law, subinfeudation is the practice by which tenants, holding land under the king or other superior lord, carved out new and distinct tenures in their turn by sub-letting or alienating a part of their lands....
of Newton (Newton-le-Willows
Newton-le-Willows
Newton-le-Willows is a small market town within the Metropolitan Borough of St Helens, in Merseyside, England. Historically a part of Lancashire, it is situated about midway between the cities of Manchester and Liverpool, to the east of St Helens, to the north of Warrington and to the south of...
), until the 19th century.
Features
- Stalls for the Mayor and Corporation dating from 1850.
- A Roman altar is built into the church
Memorials
- Sir William de Bradshaigh ca. 1338
- Lady Mab Bradshaigh ca. 1338
- James Banks 1689
- John Baldwin 1726
- Alexander Lindsay, 6th Earl of Balcarres and de jure 23rd Earl of Crawford 1825
- James Lindsay, 24th Earl of CrawfordJames Lindsay, 24th Earl of CrawfordJames Lindsay, 24th Earl of Crawford and 7th Earl of Balcarres was an Earl in the Scottish peerage.James Lindsay was born on 24 April 1783 at Balcarres, Fife to Alexander Lindsay, 23rd Earl of Crawford and inherited the title of 7th Earl of Balcarres on his father's death in 1825...
Churchyard War Memorial
The churchyard war memorial is by Giles Gilbert ScottGiles Gilbert Scott
Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, OM, FRIBA was an English architect known for his work on such buildings as Liverpool Cathedral and Battersea Power Station and designing the iconic red telephone box....
erected in 1925.
Organ
The church has had pipe organs from at least as early as 1620. The current instrument has been rebuilt several times from a new organ installed in 1708. A number of famous organ builders have restored and enlarged the instrument, including Samuel Renn, and William Hill. A specification of the current organ can be found on the National Pipe Organ Register.Organists
The church has had a number of famous organists, including:- Mr Coates 1623 - 1626
- Mr Betts 1714
- Mr Allan 1714 - 1717
- James Perrin 1717 - 1770
- John Langshaw 1770 - 1772
- Mr Barker 1772 - 1783
- James Entwistle 1784 - 1796
- Jane Entwistle 1796 - 1825
- Thomas Roby 1825 - 1839
- William Cooper 1839 - 1843
- Thomas Graham 1844 - 1867
- Walter ParrattWalter ParrattSir Walter Parratt KCVO was an English organist and composer.-Biography:Born in Huddersfield, son of a parish organist, Parratt began to play the pipe organ from an early age, and held posts as an organist while still a child...
1868 - 1872 (later Master of the King's MusicMaster of the Queen's MusicMaster of the Queen's Music is a post in the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. The holder of the post originally served the monarch of England.The post is roughly comparable to that of Poet Laureate...
) - Langdon ColborneLangdon ColborneLangdon Colbourne was an cathedral organist, who served at Hereford Cathedral.-Background:Langdon Colbourne was born on 15 September 1835 in Hackney London.He studied organ under George Cooper.-Career:Organist of:*St...
1875 - 1877 (later organist of Truro CathedralTruro CathedralThe Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Truro is an Anglican cathedral located in the city of Truro, Cornwall, in the United Kingdom. It was built in the Gothic Revival architectural style fashionable during much of the nineteenth century, and is one of only three cathedrals in the United Kingdom...
) - Alfred Alexander 1877 - 1888 (formerly organist of St. Michael's College, Tenbury St. Michael's College, TenburyThe College of St. Michael and All Angels, in Tenbury Wells Worcestershire was a boys school founded by Frederick Ouseley in 1856 to provide a model for the performance of Anglican church music. Choral services were performed daily in term time, and the college possessed a library that contained...
)
- John W Potter 1889 - 1895
- Charles Harry Moody 1895 - 1899 (later organist of Holy Trinity Church, CoventryHoly Trinity Church, CoventryHoly Trinity Church, Coventry is a parish church in the Church of England located in Coventry City Centre, West Midlands, England.Above the chancel arch is probably the most impressive Doom wall-painting now remaining in an English church.-History:...
, and Ripon CathedralRipon CathedralRipon Cathedral is the seat of the Bishop of Ripon and Leeds and the mother church of the Diocese of Ripon and Leeds, situated in the small North Yorkshire city of Ripon, England.-Background:...
) - Edward BairstowEdward BairstowSir Edward Cuthbert Bairstow was born in Huddersfield on 22 August 1874 and died in York on 1 May 1946. He was an English organist and composer in the Anglican church music tradition....
1899 - 1906 (later organist of York MinsterYork MinsterYork Minster is a Gothic cathedral in York, England and is one of the largest of its kind in Northern Europe alongside Cologne Cathedral. The minster is the seat of the Archbishop of York, the second-highest office of the Church of England, and is the cathedral for the Diocese of York; it is run by...
) - Edgar Cyril Robinson 1906 - 1919 (formerly assistant organist at Lincoln CathedralLincoln CathedralLincoln Cathedral is a historic Anglican cathedral in Lincoln in England and seat of the Bishop of Lincoln in the Church of England. It was reputedly the tallest building in the world for 249 years . The central spire collapsed in 1549 and was not rebuilt...
) - Captain Percy W. de Courcy Smale 1919 - 1927
- William O Minay 1927 - 1943 (formerly assistant organist of Gloucester CathedralGloucester CathedralGloucester Cathedral, or the Cathedral Church of St Peter and the Holy and Indivisible Trinity, in Gloucester, England, stands in the north of the city near the river. It originated in 678 or 679 with the foundation of an abbey dedicated to Saint Peter .-Foundations:The foundations of the present...
, from 1946 organist of St. Cuthbert's Church, Edinburgh) - Frank E Bailey 1943 - 1948
- George Galloway 1949 - 1957
- Kenneth R Long 1958 - 1961
- A G David Cutter 1961 - 1994
- John Walton 1994 - 1999
- Karl Greenall 1999 - current
See also
- List of works by Sharpe and Paley
- List of ecclesiastical works by E. G. Paley
- List of ecclesiastical works by Austin and Paley (1916–44)
- Grade II* listed buildings in Greater Manchester
- List of churches in Greater Manchester
The Organ of Wigan Parish Church