All Saints Church Rochdale

 The history of the Parish Church of All Saints in Hamer, Rochdale, is a fascinating tale of Victorian philanthropy, striking Gothic architecture, and a bittersweet final chapter in recent years.

                                

A night vist to the church..

The Land Donation: The church was built on land at Hamer Bottoms (just off Foxholes Road). This plot was generously donated by John S. Entwistle Esq., whose prominent local family owned the surrounding Foxholes estate.

The Historic Build: The foundation stone was laid in the spring of 1865 (recorded historically as either April 29 or May 1). Construction was completed at a relatively modest cost of £3,800

Official Consecration: The church was officially consecrated on November 22, 1866, proudly opening its doors to the local Anglican community of Hamer.

A Grade II Listed Building: Architectural Significance

All Saints was designed by the notable Manchester-based architect J. Medland Taylor. The building is an outstanding example of Victorian church design and was officially designated as a Grade II Listed Building on February 12, 1985.

Key architectural features that define this historic Rochdale landmark include:

Architectural Style: Designed in the beautifully ornate Early Decorated (or "second pointed") Gothic style.

Structural Design: Built from coursed rubble and ashlar stone with a steep slate roof, the church features a 6-bay nave, north and south aisles, a double south transept (originally designed to seat school children), and a rectangular chancel.

Interior Details: The interior is highlighted by circular columns with beautifully carved, flowered stone capitals. Cylindrical shafts made of red sandstone create a striking visual contrast against the white stone.

Key Details of the Hamer Organ:

The Organ: It was installed in 1904 and was positioned in the north aisle of the chancel. J.J. Binns was a highly respected organ builder of the era, also famous for constructing the massive organ in Rochdale Town Hall.

The Iconic Spire: Its most prominent exterior feature is a 133-foot south-west tower topped with a striking broach spire, which originally housed the main entrance porch.

Climbing the tower

Views around the church:

The Final Chapter: The Closure of All Saints, Hamer

For exactly a century and a half, All Saints served as a vibrant spiritual and community hub for Hamer. However, like many historic local churches across the UK, it eventually faced the difficult realities of changing demographics and dwindling attendance.

The 150th Anniversary: In November 2016, the church celebrated its 150th anniversary. It was a grand, joyous occasion—the building was packed, decked out in floral arrangements from 15 local parishes, and hosted live performances by several choirs.

Facing Demographic Reality: Despite the celebratory high of the anniversary, regular Sunday attendance had dropped to just 18 to 20 mostly elderly parishioners. Church leaders and the Archdeacon of Rochdale deemed this level of attendance financially unsustainable.

Permanent Closure: Just a month after the 150th-anniversary celebrations, the Parochial Church Council announced they were exploring the option of closure. Following public consultations in early 2017, the historic church was permanently closed for worship.