The Church of St Mary with St Peter,
Anglican Parish Church
The history of Oldham Parish Church
A short
history of Oldham Parish Church, by Jean Bannister [Also available
in pdf format]
The crypt, by Arthur
Davenport
The Oldham Giant, Joseph Scholes (1758–1814)
The
organ, by Les Garner
The process of building the church, by Clare
Hartwell (in .pdf format)
John Lake and the Lake Chapel (in pdf format)
Summary
A church has stood
on the site since 1280 AD, from when a record exists of a cleric being appointed
by the Rector of Prestwich to be responsible for the cure of souls in Oldham.
There was probably a church on what is Rock Street for many years beforehand.
In the
thirteenth-century, a small chapel is believed to have been on the same site.
In the fifteenth
century, a substantial Church in the early Gothic style occupied the site.
The present Church
building was built to meet the needs of the rapidly expanding population,
caused by the Industrial Revolution. Work began on the new church in 1824. It opened
on 12 December 1830, although work was not completed until 1834.
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Oldham Parish Church
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posted 1 March 2009