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St Michael and All Angels' Church, Ashton-under-Lyne
St Michael and All Angels' Church, 2011
Religion
Affiliation	Anglican
District	Diocese of Manchester
Ecclesiastical or organizational status	Parish church
Location
Location	Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester, England
Shown within Greater Manchester
Geographic coordinates	53°29′16″N 2°05′23″W / 53.487675°N 2.089699°W / 53.487675; -2.089699
Architecture
Type	Church
Style	Gothic
Specifications
Spire(s)	1
Spire height	139ft 6in
Materials	Sandstone, stone-slate roof

St. Michael's Church (also known as, St. Michael and All Angels' Church) is an Anglican parish church in Ashton-under-Lyne, Tameside, Greater Manchester, England. The church is a Grade I Listed Building. The church dates back to at least 1262, and a church on the site was mentioned in the Domesday Book. The church was rebuilt in the fifteenth century; however little of the previous church remains after it was rebuilt again in the nineteenth century and is still an active place of worship.

History

St Michael's church may have been one of the two churches in the barony of Manchester which were mentioned in the Domesday Book, 1086. It was certainly in existence by 1262 when the advowson was held by the lord of the manor of Manchester. There is some uncertainty about the dedication: it is sometimes referred to as St Helen's but it is unclear whether the series of stained glass windows devoted to St Helen is the source of confusion. Rebuilding was undertaken in the 15th century (according to tradition in 1413) by Sir John Assheton who then held the advowson. His great-grandson Sir Thomas (died 1516) gave much of the surviving glass and left money to rebuild the tower. In 1792 after storm damage the interior was pewed and the screen and rood were removed. In 1821 the north side was rebuilt and in 1841 the south wall was also rebuilt. Richard Tattersall did restoration work in 1843 and 1843–45 to the interior piers and the carved oak pews and galleries. In the late 19th century the tower was rebuilt by J. S. Crowther. The only remains of the 15th century church are now the base of the north wall, the arcades, the chancel arch and the ceiling.

Description

The tower built in 1886-88 is modelled on the tower of Manchester Cathedral. The south porch is a fairly close restoration of the earlier porch shown in a view of 1765. There was formerly a family chapel of the earls of Stamford at the east end of the south aisle; this was formerly an Assheton chantry chapel. The two storey Stamford family pew (1841) now occupies its position. The north porch is a memorial of the 1st World War designed by R. B. Preston & R. Martin, 1921. The north vestry is a former chantry chapel of the Lees / Leech family.

The box pews are arranged to face the three-decker pulpit so that some of them have their backs to the chancel. The three galleries may be 18th-century and are supported by cast iron columns. There are three fonts: two are Victorian and the other is 18th-century. The stained glass includes the most important medieval stained glass in Northwest England. It was given in 1497-1512 by Sir Thomas Assheton and the life of St Helen is portrayed in 20 windows as well as the Assheton donors. In 1872 these windows were moved to the south aisle. There are monuments to John Postlethwaite (died 1818) which includes Masonic symbols, and of Edward Brown (died 1857).

Note: While the windows with life of St. Helena might have been donated after 1497, several ladies within it wear hennin. That suggests the design originates from 1480s, over a decade before it was donated/delivered.

See also

• Grade I listed churches in Greater Manchester
• Listed buildings in Ashton-under-Lyne
• List of churches in Greater Manchester

References

1. Listed Grade I: 12 Jan. 1967--Church of St Michael and All Angels, Ashton-under-Lyne; British Listed Buildings
2. Mike Nevell (1991). Tameside 1066-1700. Tameside Metropolitan Borough and University of Manchester Archaeological Unit. pp. 121, 135. ISBN 1-871324-02-5.
3. Hartwell (2004, p. 111
4. Hartwell (2004), pp. 111-12
5. Hartwell (1004), pp. 112-14

• Hartwell, Clare; Hyde, Matthew & Pevsner, Nikolaus (2004) The Buildings of England: Lancashire - Manchester and the South East Yale University Press; pp. 111–14

v t e Buildings and structures in the Metropolitan Borough of Tameside, England
Buildings	Ashton Town Hall Cavendish Mill, Ashton Denton Town Hall Dukinfield Town Hall Hartshead Pike Tower Hyde Hall, Denton Hyde Town Hall Old Street drill hall, Ashton Stayley Hall, Stalybridge Tower Mill, Dukinfield
Places of worship	St Anne's, Haughton St George's, Stalybridge St John's, Dukinfield St Michael's, Ashton St Michael's, Mottram St Peter's, Ashton St Lawrence's, Denton
Education	Alder Community High School All Saints Catholic College, Dukinfield Audenshaw School Copley Academy Denton Community College Droylsden Academy Fairfield High School for Girls Great Academy Ashton Hyde High School Longdendale High School Mossley Hollins High School Rayner Stephens High School St Damian's Roman Catholic Science College St Thomas More Roman Catholic College West Hill School
Transportation	Ashton-under-Lyne bus station Ashton-under-Lyne railway station Denton railway station Fairfield railway station Flowery Field railway station Godley railway station Guide Bridge railway station Hattersley railway station Hyde Central railway station Hyde North railway station Mossley railway station Newton for Hyde railway station Stalybridge railway station
Shopping complexes	Ashton Arcades Clarendon Square Shopping Centre, Hyde
Sport and entertainment	Bower Fold Butcher's Arms Ground Ewen Fields Tameside Hippodrome
Bridges	Broadbottom Viaduct
Others	Mottram Tunnel Tameside General Hospital
Demolished	Atlas Mill, Ashton Cedar Mill, Ashton Curzon Mill, Ashton Gorse Hall, Stalybridge Junction Mills, Ashton Minerva Mill, Ashton Ray Mill, Stalybridge Rock Mill, Ashton Texas Mill, Ashton Tudor Mill, Ashton Waterside Mill
Lists	List of schools in Tameside List of mills in Tameside
Listed buildings in	Ashton-under-Lyne Audenshaw Denton Droylsden Dukinfield Hyde Longdendale Mossley Stalybridge

• Church of England church buildings in Greater Manchester
• Buildings and structures in Ashton-under-Lyne
• Grade I listed churches in Greater Manchester
• Anglican Diocese of Manchester