Church Of St Mary

326/10/116 30-JUN-66

CHURCH LANE Prestwich CHURCH OF ST MARY

GV I

Church.There has been a church on this site since at least 1200, but the earliest part of the present structure appears to be the C15 tower; the nave and aisles date from the C16; south porch, 1856; Lever Chapel and Lady Chapel, 1874-5; chancel, Wilton Chapel, organ chamber and choir vestry added by Paley and Austin, 1888-9; and north porch, 1895. Red sandstone with stone slate roof. 3-bay chancel with choir vestry and organ chamber to north and Lady Chapel to south; 5-bay nave and aisles with Wilton Chapel projecting from 2 easternmost bays on north side, Lever Chapel from same bays on south side, and porches from westernmost bays on both sides; west tower. The heavily buttressed C19 chancel has a large 7-light Perpendicular east window, tall clerestory, 2-storey choir vestry in the angle between the chancel and tall, transept-like organ chamber, and stair turret with a polygonal cap between the chancel and vestry. Most of the structure of the C16 nave is hidden by the C19 additions, externally only the 3-stage battlemented tower retains much of its medieval character. INTERIOR: very tall octagonal piers support fine C16 coffered roof with carved bosses. Most of the fittings, including the polychromatic marble floor in the chancel and screen with stone wall land integral pulpit, are late C19. Memorials: brass of 1634, Anna Allen; plaque, 1816, Nathaniel Milne; bust with relief, Rev James Lyon, 1833 by Sievier. C18 candelabrum. Stained glass: Shrigley and Hunt, chancel clerestory and organ chamber; Clayton and Bell, in aisles (SAW, NA1,2,3). A fine church with much medieval work and of great historic importance as the ancient parish church of Prestwich-cum-Oldham.

Listing NGR: SD8110303676