ST ANDREW'S CHURCH, ECCLES OPEN DAY THIS SATURDAY

Guided tours start at 11am and 2pm and are well worth going on as you can learn about the history of the church including it's ornate stone carvings, stained glass windows by Charles Kempe and much more

The church is a beautiful Grade 11* Listed building which opened for worship in 1879.

Over the next 40 years the church was to be beautified with a wealth of stone carving, stained glass, decorative woodwork, and even wall paintings (although the latter were sadly covered over in 1965) to produce the magnificent Grade II* listed building we see today.

The stone carving is probably the church’s most distinctive feature. Surrounding the tops of all the pillars in the central aisle are rings of foliage, some with birds, animals and human and angelic faces among the leaves. 

High above are the carved heads of the 12 apostles and higher further still the symbols associated with each apostle. More religious symbols and saints’ heads may be seen at the east end of the church. In the north and south aisles are a series of carved angels each one completely different from the other.

The most impressive stain glass windows are the 3 east windows by Charles Kempe which show the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus. Two unusual windows are one in memory of a young man killed in World War I who is actually portrayed in the window and one which shows the Old Testament story of Abraham’s concubine Hager and their son Ishmael (a subject rarely portrayed in stain glass.).

Also there is an amazing Peterloo exhibition which tells about local people killed or injured at Peterloo in 1819.

Refreshments are available on the day.