St Ann's Church, Manchester
Encyclopedia
St Ann's Church, Manchester
, was consecrated in 1712. Although named after St Anne
, it also pays tribute to the patron of the church, Ann, Lady Bland. St Ann's Church is a Grade I listed building.
houses. A large cornfield named Acres Field, which is now St Ann's Square, became the site for St Ann's Church. The church was an impressive building and although it stood between the market
and the collegiate church
, both towers could be seen from all directions. It is a neo-classical
building, originally constructed from locally quarried, red Collyhurst sandstone although, due to its soft nature, much of the original stone has since been replaced with sandstone of various colours from Parbold
in Lancashire
, Hollington
in Staffordshire
, Darley Dale
in Derbyshire
and Runcorn
in Cheshire
. When the church was first constructed, the interior was extremely simple with plain glass windows. However, in the 19th century many changes were made, including the installation of stained glass windows. Some of these were bespoke
and others were adapted from other churches. One such window, on the north side of the church, was designed and made by William Peckitt
of York
.
The tower of the church marks the centre of the city; surveyors
used it as a platform to measure distances to other locations. Their benchmark
remains visible at the tower door.
s were the Lords of the Manor
of Manchester and in 1693 the manor was inherited by Ann, Lady Bland, daughter of Sir Edward Mosley
. Lady Bland was a leader of fashion in Manchester, staunch in her religious and political views as a member of the Low Church
Party: she herself at first worshipped at the Presbyterian Church in the centre of the town. In 1695, however, Henry Newcome
, the incumbent, died and Lady Bland decided to found a church of her own. In 1708, Parliament
was petitioned to seek permission to build a new church, as the population of Manchester was increasing rapidly. On 18 May 1709, Lady Bland laid the foundation stone of a new church at one end of Acres Field. On 17 June 1712, the church was consecrated by the Bishop of Chester
and was dedicated to St Ann
, the Virgin Mary's mother, which was a compliment both to the founder and to the reigning monarch
, Queen Anne
. Ann herself is buried in the Church of St James, Didsbury
, where a memorial plaque commemorates her life.
, there was a time when it was fashionable to attend "the old church" in the morning and "the new church" in the afternoon or vice versa. One of those who did so was John Byrom
(1692–1763), author of Christians Awake, who played quite a prominent part at St Ann's under the first two rectors, despite his Jacobite
sympathies.
Towards the end of the 17th century streets had become more numerous in the St Ann's district; by 1720, St Ann's Square had been laid out and planted with trees in imitation of the fashionable squares of London
and Bath. In 1729, Sir Oswald Mosley
built an exchange
, not far from the site of the present Royal Exchange
. By 1735, buildings had begun to rise on the south side of Acres Field and King Street
and Ridgefield came into being. There was now no longer the simple distinction between "the old church" and "the new church". The rapid growth of Manchester as a result of the Industrial Revolution
led to the building of other churches. Then, as the population moved out to the suburbs in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many of these churches fell into disuse and were demolished. St Ann's holds the memorials from several of these churches, for example Sir Charles Barry's St Matthew's, Campfield (built 1823–25, demolished 1950).
, the county council chairmen and the police. In 1975, the Friends of St Ann's Church was formed from the business houses in the parish, to maintain the fabric of this historic building.
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, was consecrated in 1712. Although named after St Anne
Saint Anne
Saint Hanna of David's house and line, was the mother of the Virgin Mary and grandmother of Jesus Christ according to Christian and Islamic tradition. English Anne is derived from Greek rendering of her Hebrew name Hannah...
, it also pays tribute to the patron of the church, Ann, Lady Bland. St Ann's Church is a Grade I listed building.
Architecture and setting
At the beginning of the 18th century, Manchester was a small rural town little more than a village, with many fields and timber framedTimber framing
Timber framing , or half-timbering, also called in North America "post-and-beam" construction, is the method of creating structures using heavy squared off and carefully fitted and joined timbers with joints secured by large wooden pegs . It is commonplace in large barns...
houses. A large cornfield named Acres Field, which is now St Ann's Square, became the site for St Ann's Church. The church was an impressive building and although it stood between the market
Market
A market is one of many varieties of systems, institutions, procedures, social relations and infrastructures whereby parties engage in exchange. While parties may exchange goods and services by barter, most markets rely on sellers offering their goods or services in exchange for money from buyers...
and the collegiate church
Manchester Cathedral
Manchester Cathedral is a medieval church on Victoria Street in central Manchester and is the seat of the Bishop of Manchester. The cathedral's official name is The Cathedral and Collegiate Church of St Mary, St Denys and St George in Manchester...
, both towers could be seen from all directions. It is a neo-classical
Neoclassicism
Neoclassicism is the name given to Western movements in the decorative and visual arts, literature, theatre, music, and architecture that draw inspiration from the "classical" art and culture of Ancient Greece or Ancient Rome...
building, originally constructed from locally quarried, red Collyhurst sandstone although, due to its soft nature, much of the original stone has since been replaced with sandstone of various colours from 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...
in Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, Hollington
Hollington, Staffordshire
Hollington is a village in the English county of Staffordshire.The nearest town to Hollington is Uttoxeter to its south-east.The quarries at Hollington produce the notable red and white 'Hollington stone' which has been used for centuries in the construction of churches and stately homes...
in Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
, Darley Dale
Darley Dale
Darley Dale, also known simply as Darley, is a town in Derbyshire, England, with a population of around 6,000 people. It lies north of Matlock, on the River Derwent and the A6 road.- History :...
in Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
and Runcorn
Runcorn
Runcorn is an industrial town and cargo port within the borough of Halton in the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. In 2009, its population was estimated to be 61,500. The town is on the southern bank of the River Mersey where the estuary narrows to form Runcorn Gap. Directly to the north...
in Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
. When the church was first constructed, the interior was extremely simple with plain glass windows. However, in the 19th century many changes were made, including the installation of stained glass windows. Some of these were bespoke
Bespoke
Bespoke is a term employed in a variety of applications to mean an item custom-made to the buyer's specification...
and others were adapted from other churches. One such window, on the north side of the church, was designed and made by William Peckitt
William Peckitt
William Peckitt was an English glass-painter and stained glass maker. He was based in York throughout his working life, was one of the leading Georgian glass craftsmen in England and helped “keep the art of glass painting alive during the eighteenth century"...
of York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
.
The tower of the church marks the centre of the city; surveyors
Surveying
See Also: Public Land Survey SystemSurveying or land surveying is the technique, profession, and science of accurately determining the terrestrial or three-dimensional position of points and the distances and angles between them...
used it as a platform to measure distances to other locations. Their benchmark
Benchmark (surveying)
The term bench mark, or benchmark, originates from the chiseled horizontal marks that surveyors made in stone structures, into which an angle-iron could be placed to form a "bench" for a leveling rod, thus ensuring that a leveling rod could be accurately repositioned in the same place in the future...
remains visible at the tower door.
Consecration
The MosleyMosley
Mosley is a family name.The Mosley family were the lords of the manor of Manchester, England until 1846. They also became wealthy landowners in Staffordshire...
s were the 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 Manchester and in 1693 the manor was inherited by Ann, Lady Bland, daughter of Sir Edward Mosley
Mosley Baronets
There have been three Baronetcies created for members of the Mosley family, one in the Baronetage of England and two in the Baronetage of Great Britain...
. Lady Bland was a leader of fashion in Manchester, staunch in her religious and political views as a member of the Low Church
Low church
Low church is a term of distinction in the Church of England or other Anglican churches initially designed to be pejorative. During the series of doctrinal and ecclesiastic challenges to the established church in the 16th and 17th centuries, commentators and others began to refer to those groups...
Party: she herself at first worshipped at the Presbyterian Church in the centre of the town. In 1695, however, Henry Newcome
Henry Newcome
-Life:He was the fourth son of Stephen Newcome, rector of Caldicote, Huntingdonshire. He was born at Caldicote, and baptised on27 Nov. 1627. His mother was Rose, daughter of Henry Williamson, B. D. ,...
, the incumbent, died and Lady Bland decided to found a church of her own. In 1708, Parliament
Parliament of Great Britain
The Parliament of Great Britain was formed in 1707 following the ratification of the Acts of Union by both the Parliament of England and Parliament of Scotland...
was petitioned to seek permission to build a new church, as the population of Manchester was increasing rapidly. On 18 May 1709, Lady Bland laid the foundation stone of a new church at one end of Acres Field. On 17 June 1712, the church was consecrated by the Bishop of Chester
Bishop of Chester
The Bishop of Chester is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Chester in the Province of York.The diocese expands across most of the historic county boundaries of Cheshire, including the Wirral Peninsula and has its see in the City of Chester where the seat is located at the Cathedral...
and was dedicated to St Ann
St Ann
St Ann may refer to:*Saint Ann or Saint Anne, the mother of the Virgin Mary*Saint Ann Parish, Jamaica*St. Ann, Missouri-See also:*Church of St. Ann *Saint Anne *St Ann's *St Anne's...
, the Virgin Mary's mother, which was a compliment both to the founder and to the reigning monarch
Anne of Great Britain
Anne ascended the thrones of England, Scotland and Ireland on 8 March 1702. On 1 May 1707, under the Act of Union, two of her realms, England and Scotland, were united as a single sovereign state, the Kingdom of Great Britain.Anne's Catholic father, James II and VII, was deposed during the...
, Queen Anne
Anne of Great Britain
Anne ascended the thrones of England, Scotland and Ireland on 8 March 1702. On 1 May 1707, under the Act of Union, two of her realms, England and Scotland, were united as a single sovereign state, the Kingdom of Great Britain.Anne's Catholic father, James II and VII, was deposed during the...
. Ann herself is buried in the Church of St James, Didsbury
Church of St James, Didsbury
The Church of St James, Stenner Lane, Didsbury, Manchester is an ancient Anglican church of medieval origins with significant subsequent alterations in the 17th and mid-19th centuries. The church was designated a Grade II* listed building on 25 February 1952.The original chapel is believed to...
, where a memorial plaque commemorates her life.
John Byrom
As a result of the proximity of St Ann's to the collegiate churchCollegiate church
In Christianity, a collegiate church is a church where the daily office of worship is maintained by a college of canons; a non-monastic, or "secular" community of clergy, organised as a self-governing corporate body, which may be presided over by a dean or provost...
, there was a time when it was fashionable to attend "the old church" in the morning and "the new church" in the afternoon or vice versa. One of those who did so was John Byrom
John Byrom
John Byrom or John Byrom of Kersal or John Byrom of Manchester FRS was an English poet and inventor of a revolutionary system of shorthand. He is also remembered as the writer of the lyrics of Anglican hymn Christians Awake, salute the happy morn.- Early life :John Byrom was descended from an old...
(1692–1763), author of Christians Awake, who played quite a prominent part at St Ann's under the first two rectors, despite his Jacobite
Jacobitism
Jacobitism was the political movement in Britain dedicated to the restoration of the Stuart kings to the thrones of England, Scotland, later the Kingdom of Great Britain, and the Kingdom of Ireland...
sympathies.
Manchester becomes a growing town
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and Bath. In 1729, Sir Oswald Mosley
Mosley Baronets
There have been three Baronetcies created for members of the Mosley family, one in the Baronetage of England and two in the Baronetage of Great Britain...
built an exchange
Exchange (organized market)
An exchange is a highly organized market where tradable securities, commodities, foreign exchange, futures, and options contracts are sold and bought.-Description:...
, not far from the site of the present Royal Exchange
Royal Exchange, Manchester
The Royal Exchange is a grade II listed Victorian building in Manchester, England. It is located in the city centre on the land bounded by St Ann’s Square, Exchange Street, Market Street, Cross Street and Old Bank Street...
. By 1735, buildings had begun to rise on the south side of Acres Field and King Street
King Street, Manchester
King Street is one of the most important thoroughfares of the city of Manchester, England. Once the centre of the north-west banking industry it is now predominantly an affluent shopping area.-History:...
and Ridgefield came into being. There was now no longer the simple distinction between "the old church" and "the new church". The rapid growth of Manchester as a result of the Industrial Revolution
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of the times...
led to the building of other churches. Then, as the population moved out to the suburbs in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many of these churches fell into disuse and were demolished. St Ann's holds the memorials from several of these churches, for example Sir Charles Barry's St Matthew's, Campfield (built 1823–25, demolished 1950).
Importance to civic life
St Ann's has always been closely associated with the civic life, and its rectors have from time to time acted as chaplain to the Lord MayorLord Mayor
The Lord Mayor is the title of the Mayor of a major city, with special recognition.-Commonwealth of Nations:* In Australia it is a political position. Australian cities with Lord Mayors: Adelaide, Brisbane, Darwin, Hobart, Melbourne, Newcastle, Parramatta, Perth, Sydney, and Wollongong...
, the county council chairmen and the police. In 1975, the Friends of St Ann's Church was formed from the business houses in the parish, to maintain the fabric of this historic building.