History of All Saints Church Glazebury
Situated halfway between Liverpool and Manchester, Glazebury was in the heartland of Britain's Industrial Revolution. As the economy boomed, so too did the population; and the need for additional places of worship became ever more pressing. The 14th Earl of Derby, the local landowner (whose family had lived at Knowsley, West Derby since the 15th-century) and patron of the ancient parish of Culcheth, foresaw this eventuality and set the wheels in motion to create new parishes. The patronage of the advowson of Glazebury remained in the possession of the Stanley family until 1994, when it was ceded to the Bishop of Liverpool.
The church's foundation stone was laid in June 1851 and All Saints' was consecrated as a chapel of ease in the diocese of Manchester on 14th April 1852 by Dr John Graham, Bishop of Chester, whose ancient diocese had previously included Culcheth and Glazebury.
Services for the first fifteen years were conducted by visiting clergy, a situation not dissimilar from our current system of team benefices: some visiting parsons were known to arrive on horseback from Winwick!
At this time the church seated 340: there were 40 pews, 18 of which brought in an annual rent of £22 10s 0d to the minister's coffers, while the remainder were free. In 1889 Rev Dr William Faucett Black, Rector of Newchurch and Culcheth, determined that All Saints' had become well-established in the local community and so he dispensed with this previous arrangement.
From time to time it was reported that the gas lighting, controlled at one place within the church to enable its lowering during sermons, was sometimes used at inappropriate moments by the mischief-minded to the amusement of some but no doubt to the great embarrassment of others!
1860s:
Baptism and Burial Registers commenced in 1864. The first baptism was that of a son John to Richard and Jane Hurst of Fowley Common and the first burial was that of Martha Adamson.
In 1867 the Rector of Newchurch nominated and presented the first Vicar to the parish, Rev George Feather.
The church's foundation stone was laid in June 1851 and All Saints' was consecrated as a chapel of ease in the diocese of Manchester on 14th April 1852 by Dr John Graham, Bishop of Chester, whose ancient diocese had previously included Culcheth and Glazebury.
Services for the first fifteen years were conducted by visiting clergy, a situation not dissimilar from our current system of team benefices: some visiting parsons were known to arrive on horseback from Winwick!
At this time the church seated 340: there were 40 pews, 18 of which brought in an annual rent of £22 10s 0d to the minister's coffers, while the remainder were free. In 1889 Rev Dr William Faucett Black, Rector of Newchurch and Culcheth, determined that All Saints' had become well-established in the local community and so he dispensed with this previous arrangement.
From time to time it was reported that the gas lighting, controlled at one place within the church to enable its lowering during sermons, was sometimes used at inappropriate moments by the mischief-minded to the amusement of some but no doubt to the great embarrassment of others!
1860s:
Baptism and Burial Registers commenced in 1864. The first baptism was that of a son John to Richard and Jane Hurst of Fowley Common and the first burial was that of Martha Adamson.
In 1867 the Rector of Newchurch nominated and presented the first Vicar to the parish, Rev George Feather.
1870s:
In 1873 permission was granted to conduct weddings at the church. On 9th August 1873 the first marriage was recorded between John Ward (platelayer) and Rachel Wild (winder) widow, who resided in Culcheth.
In 1879, in the year prior to the creation of the diocese of Liverpool, the Parish of All Saints, Bury Lane was established (the Rector of Newchurch and the Vicar of St Thomas', Leigh both relinquishing parts of their parishes to form this new one).
1880s:
In 1882 the All Saints' Church Day School was built on Warrington Road, and the façade of the school has not changed much to this day.
1900-1950:
In 1918 land around the church was extended and an additional burial ground was consecrated.
The Harvest Festival in 1925 is especially remembered because the choir was robed for the first time. These robes were kindly presented for the use of members of the choir by the Rector of Newchurch, Rev Oscar Plant.
Modern lighting was introduced in 1929, when gas lighting was replaced by electricity carried through a cable from the Vicarage stables. At this time the chancel was also extended by 24 feet into the nave. An organ loft was built. A baptistery was constructed at the West end. A vestry was added and the Holy Table was replaced with a new one. The new-look church was completed in 1931.
The War Memorial Tablet was erected along with the wooden cross originating from a fallen soldier's grave in the battlefields of France.
In 1935 a new pulpit was erected.
In 1937 the Mothers' Union formed a local association, whose banner was presented to the church in 1949.
The Second World War witnessed damage to the East Window. Fortunately, however, the centre panels depicting Christ on the Cross survived.
1950-1965:
The church was refurbished with a new carpet. No other major structural changes took place prior to the Coronation and the church continued to be the heart of the local community.
Much of the information above is taken from All Saints' Parish Church, Glazebury Centenary booklet 1852-1952, by the late Allan Houghton, a former headmaster of Glazebury Church School. It has been reproduced by kind permission of his family.
In 1954, a commemorative stained-glass window depicting the Good Shepherd and St Francis of Assisi was dedicated by Ven Arthur White, Archdeacon of Warrington. It was a gift from the family of Thomas Adamson, of Hurst Hall, Glazebury, who died in 1939, and his widow Dorcas Mary Adamson, whose death occurred in 1953.
Vicars and Curates of Glazebury Rev George Feather 1867-1913
Rev John C. Shirtcliffe, Assistant Curate, 1912-1914
Rev Canon Sydney Edward Dymott 1913-1924
Rev William Bracecamp 1924-1935
Rev Arthur Dwerryhouse Smart 1936-1948
Rev Eric Smith 1948-1965
Rev Anthony R. Linton 1966-1967
Rev Charles Walker 1968-1973
Rev Robert Hugh Wagstaff 1975-1987
Rev Robert George Lewis 1988-1994
Rev Canon John Lawton, Honorary Assistant Curate, 1987-1994
Rev Bernard Clark 1994-1999
Rev Canon Brian Robinson 2001-2003
Rev Pat L. Gray, Non-stipendiary Curate, 2002-2004
Rev Canon Robert George Lewis 2004-
Rev Pat L. Gray, Curate-in-charge, 2004-
In 1873 permission was granted to conduct weddings at the church. On 9th August 1873 the first marriage was recorded between John Ward (platelayer) and Rachel Wild (winder) widow, who resided in Culcheth.
In 1879, in the year prior to the creation of the diocese of Liverpool, the Parish of All Saints, Bury Lane was established (the Rector of Newchurch and the Vicar of St Thomas', Leigh both relinquishing parts of their parishes to form this new one).
1880s:
In 1882 the All Saints' Church Day School was built on Warrington Road, and the façade of the school has not changed much to this day.
1900-1950:
In 1918 land around the church was extended and an additional burial ground was consecrated.
The Harvest Festival in 1925 is especially remembered because the choir was robed for the first time. These robes were kindly presented for the use of members of the choir by the Rector of Newchurch, Rev Oscar Plant.
Modern lighting was introduced in 1929, when gas lighting was replaced by electricity carried through a cable from the Vicarage stables. At this time the chancel was also extended by 24 feet into the nave. An organ loft was built. A baptistery was constructed at the West end. A vestry was added and the Holy Table was replaced with a new one. The new-look church was completed in 1931.
The War Memorial Tablet was erected along with the wooden cross originating from a fallen soldier's grave in the battlefields of France.
In 1935 a new pulpit was erected.
In 1937 the Mothers' Union formed a local association, whose banner was presented to the church in 1949.
The Second World War witnessed damage to the East Window. Fortunately, however, the centre panels depicting Christ on the Cross survived.
1950-1965:
The church was refurbished with a new carpet. No other major structural changes took place prior to the Coronation and the church continued to be the heart of the local community.
Much of the information above is taken from All Saints' Parish Church, Glazebury Centenary booklet 1852-1952, by the late Allan Houghton, a former headmaster of Glazebury Church School. It has been reproduced by kind permission of his family.
In 1954, a commemorative stained-glass window depicting the Good Shepherd and St Francis of Assisi was dedicated by Ven Arthur White, Archdeacon of Warrington. It was a gift from the family of Thomas Adamson, of Hurst Hall, Glazebury, who died in 1939, and his widow Dorcas Mary Adamson, whose death occurred in 1953.
Vicars and Curates of Glazebury Rev George Feather 1867-1913
Rev John C. Shirtcliffe, Assistant Curate, 1912-1914
Rev Canon Sydney Edward Dymott 1913-1924
Rev William Bracecamp 1924-1935
Rev Arthur Dwerryhouse Smart 1936-1948
Rev Eric Smith 1948-1965
Rev Anthony R. Linton 1966-1967
Rev Charles Walker 1968-1973
Rev Robert Hugh Wagstaff 1975-1987
Rev Robert George Lewis 1988-1994
Rev Canon John Lawton, Honorary Assistant Curate, 1987-1994
Rev Bernard Clark 1994-1999
Rev Canon Brian Robinson 2001-2003
Rev Pat L. Gray, Non-stipendiary Curate, 2002-2004
Rev Canon Robert George Lewis 2004-
Rev Pat L. Gray, Curate-in-charge, 2004-