the first church

Village Sanctuary - A chapel is built and opened at Ringley, donated by Nathan Wallworth, (steward to the Earl of Pembroke). Consecration of the chapel 1635. John Bridgeman, Bishop of Chester decided upon the name 'St. Saviour's Chapel'. All that remains of the first chapel is a stone, set in the isolated tower of the 1826 church with the inscription " Nathan Walworthe builded mee. Anno: do 1625 ".

the second church

1826 - A second church was erected on the site, and was consecrated on August 6th, 1827 (The Feast of our Lord's Transfiguration). The Architect was Charles Barry, then 31 years old, who also designed St. Matthew's, Deansgate, Manchester and All Saint's, Stand. Both of these churches were built out of the �1,000,000 Thank Offering voted by Government for church building after the victory at Waterloo. Sir Charles Barry later designed the Houses of Parliament.

1854 - St. Saviour's pulled down, due to its inadequate size. Of this second church only the isolated tower remains. Note the stone in the West wall of the old tower which states: 'Nathan Wallworthe builded mee. AD 1625.'

the third church

The third church was built to an enlarged plan, adjacent to the second church, and was consecrated on Saturday, 10th June 1854, by Dr. James Prince Lee, Lord Bishop of the Diocese. The collection was �52. The incumbent was James Radcliffe Lyon M.A. The choir vestry was added in 1921.

The chapelry was made into a parish by an Order in Council of October 20th, 1898. At that time the dimensions of the parish were roughly four miles by three.

To provide places of worship for the rapidly growing settlement of Outwood, a mission church of St. Aidan's was opened and dedicated in May 1914.

St. Mary's an army hut was consecrated by the Bishop and opened on Lady Day, 1924. This second mission church served the hamlet of twenty-six houses built at 'Bottom o'th Fields' in Outwood.

A portrait of Nathan Wallworth, founder of St. Saviour' Church is hung on the North Wall. Nathan did not marry and died in 1640-1 (Charles 1.'s reign), some fifteen years after the founding of the Chapel. This portrait presents him in his capacity as steward of Baynard's Castle the seat of' the Pembroke's.

The Chained Bible dates back to 1728 with 'Expository notes on the New Testament,' by W. Burkett, M.A., Rector of Dedham, Essex.

The Altar Table at East End of North Aisle is the Original Altar of 1625. An inscription on the wall reads: 'Here stands the Jacobean altar from the original Chapel which was consecrated in 1634. After nearly 70 years disuse it was restored, and the Chapel was furnished at the charges of' the mothers of the parish in 1919.

The Rood Beam was erected in1925 as part of the tercentenary celebrations.

The three stained glass Armorial Windows in the north wall of the chancel are said to have been formerly the East window of the original Chapel.

The Alabaster and Mosaic Reredos in nine panels dates from 1883.

The manual pneumatic Organ by Wilkinsons of Kendal, with 21 speaking stops, six couplers and seven composition pedals. Inscription: 'To the Glory of GOD in commemoration of and thanksgiving for the reign of Victoria, Queen of England and Empress of India, December 12th, 1903.

Mural Monument in South Aisle. 'Sacred to the memory of Ellis Fletcher, Esq., who departed this life after a severe affliction, borne with patient resignation, on the 26th April 1834, in the 60th year of this age. (Also of Margaret his widow, (1836), and John (1836) and Ellis (1854) their sons.) There is a second monument to Matthew Fletcher who helped to initiate the Manchester, Bolton & Bury Canal scheme for the movement of his coal. The memorials where originally sited on the wall of the Sanctuary.

The Royal, Denby and Pembroke Arms are located over the West and North doors. Wallworth's directions as to the unpacking of these survive, and are quaint enough to quote: 'First, observe that the syde wch is chalked to the upper syde. Ripp open the boards upon that syde. Be careful in taking off the crown wych is fastened with 3 nayles and a coard in the end. The lower syde board is fastened with 5 or 6 nayles to the lower part of the arms wh must be carefully ripped off wt a thin chisell. The unicorne's horn lies wrapped in a paper at the backe of the unicorn.' Care must be taken to set the arms just in the middle, and the 2 lesser armes at the two ends in a equal proportion. But the greatest care of all that no help be wantings wherby in the lifting them up, for want of help anythings be broken, bruised or disfigured......'

Manchester, Bury & Bolton Canal web site entry for Ringley Parish Church

For further information please refer to the GENUKI pages for Ringley