Church of All Saints, Church Lane, Marple

The first church on the site was a small timber-framed building erected in the late 16th century.  By 1803 this building was tumbling into ruins and it was decided to replace it with a new church. In 1808 Robert Goldsmith was appointed as architect and the church was completed in 1811 at a cost of £4,000, a major financial contributor being Samuel Oldknow, a local cotton manufacturer. By the 1870s an increasing congregation led to a need for more accommodation. The original project was to extend and improve the Old Church. For this work a faculty was obtained, plans drawn, and estimates procured, but from one cause or another the feeling gradually grew and strengthened in favour of building an entirely new church, the whole of the seats in which should be free and open and unappropriated for ever. Built to the designs of Medland and Henry Taylor, the new church of All Saints was built some 30 yards to the south.

Surprisingly, the Georgian building survived until 1964 when, considered unsafe, the body of the church was demolished. However, the tower was retained and strengthened and the bells re-hung. Listed Grade II, It  now forms a free-standing bell tower.

LISTING TEXT - GV II Central west tower of a former church. 1808-12 for Samuel Oldknow. Dressed stone with rock-faced base and ashlar dressings. Four-stages with arched door opening with rusticated surround, interlaced fanlight and dripmould and a two-light window above with Y-tracery. Stone bands to each stage, clock face in third stage and two lancet openings to each side of belfry. Plain pilasters to coped parapet and square pinnacles. Blocked semi-elliptical openings to other three sides which were formerly inside. Monuments from church are preserved inside: S.Oldknow wall plaque by Chantry 1828, Nathanial Wright 1818, Elizabeth Isherwood 1835 by Manning and John Clayton 1848. Listing NGR: SJ9611887987

See separate entry for All Saints New Church