Christ Church, Bacup

TO BUILDERS - Persons desirous of CONTRACTING for the ERECTION of a NEW CHURCH proposed to be erected at Bacup, near Rochdale, Lancashire, are informed that the drawings and specifications may be inspected at Mr Fishwick’s office, Rochdale, from Monday December 27 1852 to Monday January 10 1853, inclusive. Tenders to be sent on or before Saturday 29 to Messrs SHARP and PALEY, architects, Lancaster. The lowest tender will not necessarily be accepted. Lancaster December 13th, 1852. [Manchester Guardian 1 January 1853 page 12]

CONSECRATION OF A NEW CHURCH AT BACUP - The Lord Bishop of Manchester consecrated Christ Church, Bacup, on Monday last, with the usual formalities. This church has been erected at the sole expense of the Rev. James Heyworth, of Henbury Hill, near Bristol, at a cost of upward of £3,000, in addition to his giving the site. Mr. Heyworth has also invested £1,500 as endowment, and £200 as a repair fund for the church. Messrs Sharpe and Paley, of this city, (sic) are the architects. The church contains sittings for 500 persons, 168 of which free. On the conclusion of the ceremony his lordship licensed the Rev J. M'Cubhan to the perpetual curacy of the church, on the nomination of the Rev. James Heyworth, In whom the patronage has been - by her majesty's commissioners for building new churches, with the consent of the bishop—declared to be vested. [Manchester Guardian 16 August 1854 page 7]

Christ Church parish was formed in 1854, and parts have since been assigned to St. Saviour’s. The church, standing on an eminence in the Todmorden road, and erected in 1864 at the cost of the late Rev. James Heyworth, from the designs of Messrs. Sharpe and Paley, is a building of stone in the Early English style, consisting of chancel, clerestoried nave, aisles, south porch and an embattled western tower containing 6 bells: there are three memorial windows: an organ chamber and vestries were added in 1895 at a cost of £1,600: the church affords sittings for 500 persons, 168 being free. [Kelly's Directory of Lancashire (1905)]

Consecrated 14 August 1854 by Dr Lee the Bishop of Manchester. Closed August 2012, the last service being held on Sunday 26 August. The church was declared redundant and was subsequently offered for sale.

Reference    Manchester Guardian 1 January 1853 page 12 - contracts
Reference    Manchester Guardian 16 August 1854 page 7 – consecration
Reference    Manchester Times 16 August 1854
Reference    Lancashire Telegraph 30 March 2012 – planned closure
Reference    Brandwood, Geoff; Austin, Tim; Hughes, John; Price, James (2012), The Architecture of Sharpe, Paley and Austin, Swindon: English Heritage, p. 216,