Did you know that St Philip & St James Church, Alderley Edge, originally looked like this? No tower and spire! And no south aisle!
And did you know that the first Vicar, the Revd. J. W. Consterdine, was in post for all of 51 years?
These are just two of the fascinating facts revealed in a new history of the church by former Churchwarden Michael Scaife. Based on research in the parish archive and the Record Office in Chester, the booklet tells the story of the church and the parish from its opening in 1853 to the present day.
Known until recently as St Philip’s, the church owes its foundation to the so-called ‘Cottontots’ - Manchester merchants and professional men who were attracted by the opening of the railway from Manchester to Crewe in 1842 to build villas on the slopes of the Edge.
As the village grew they felt the need for their own church and they had the money to build one. St Philip’s was consecrated on 12 January 1853. The Stockport Advertiser, reported that “Nothing could have been more unpropitious that the weather… the rain, which had descended in torrents, had completely saturated the ground”. Sounds familiar!
The Stockport Advertiser and later the Wilmslow Advertiser, predecessors of today’s Wilmslow Express, were valuable sources for the history. As well as providing a detailed report of the opening of the church, they have been used for accounts of other important events in its history, such as the opening of the Church Institute in 1879 and St James’s Mission Church in 1908. Both of these played an important part in the life of the village in their day but sadly have now disappeared.
Copies of the booklet, which includes over 30 historic photographs, can be obtained from the church or from Michael Scaife on 01625 584566, price £3.00 plus postage.
This is a member post by Michael Scaife.
