OS grid reference SJ 898 905 Denomination Anglican Opened 1817 Architect Lewis Wyatt | Country England Status Parish church Phone +44 161 480 1815 | |
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Location Stockport, Greater Manchester Website St Mary's Parish Church Address Churchgate, Stockport SK1 1YG, UK Architectural styles Gothic Revival architecture, English Gothic architecture Similar St Thomas' Church - Stockport, St Mary's Church - Cheadle, St Peter's Church - Stockport, St George's Church - Heaviley, Vernon Park | ||
St Mary's Church is the oldest parish church in the town of Stockport, Greater Manchester, England. It stands in Churchgate overlooking the market place. The church is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade I listed building. It is an active Anglican parish church in the diocese of Chester, the archdeaconry of Macclesfield and the deanery of Stockport.
Contents
History
A church was on the site by 1190 but of this church only the original oratory (which is now an annex to the vestry) remains. Around 1310 a new church was built and only its chancel remains. The rest of the present church was built between 1813 and 1817 to the design of Lewis Wyatt. There was a further restoration in 1848 to replace weathered masonry. The tower originated in the 14th century and was rebuilt in 1612–16 and again in 1810.
Structure
The chancel is built in local red sandstone in the decorated style. The rest of the church is Runcorn sandstone in the perpendicular style. Its plan consists of a west tower, a wide nave with galleries, a south porch, and a chancel with a vestry to its north.
Fittings and furniture
The roof of the chancel is the original single-framed timber roof. In the sanctuary is a double piscina, a large triple sedilia and, in a recess, the damaged effigy of Richard de Vernon, who was rector of Stockport from 1306 to 1334. In the church are a number of monuments, including one dated 1753 by Daniel Sephton to the memory of William Wright. Other memorials include one to Sir George Warren who died in 1801 by Sir Richard Westmacott depicting a standing female figure by an urn on a pillar, to Rev Charles Prescott who died in 1820, also by Westmacott, showing a seated effigy, to James Antrobus Newton who died in 1823 by Bacon junior and S. Manning showing a kneeling female figure, and to Mrs Hawall who died in 1852 by Latham of Manchester showing angels hovering over her body. On the chancel arch are the coat of arms of George III in plaster. The parish registers begin in 1584. There is a ring of ten bells. Seven of these were cast by John Rudhall in 1817 and the other three by John Taylor & Co in 1897.