St Edmund Falinge Rochdale

THE NEW CHURCH OF ST. EDMUND’S, FALINGE - The building, which when completed will be handsome and imposing edifice, is cruciform in plan, having a massive central tower, with lantern and angle turret, a nave and chancel, on the south side of which is the founder's chapel, and on the north side the vestry and a western porch. Accommodation will be provided for about 750 persons. There will be circular staircase, with a conical roof, leading to the small western gallery. The architectural style will be a well-developed type of decorated Gothic. The east window, of five lights, is to be filled, also are many of the other windows, with richly-stained glass. The western facade will contain large and effective rose window. The side windows will also be well traceried. The two principal entrances will be in the south transept and at the west end of the church. The arches supporting the tower inside will be carried upon massive granite columns, which will odd considerably to the effective appearance of the interior. The church will be built throughout Yorkshire stone. The organ will be placed at the end of the south transept, the organist and choir being seated in the body of the church. The pulpit will stand on the north side of the chancel arch. The font, a square-shaped bowl, supported on pillars, will be placed under the western gallery. T» e seats will be good, comfortable, open benches. As the founder (Mr. Royds) is high in rank as a Freemason, the church will be decorated, both externally and internally, with various masonic symbols. The contract has been taken by Messrs. Ellis and Hinchliffe; the architects are Messrs. Medland and Henry Taylor, of Manchester.  [Rochdale Observer 14 May 1870 page 7]

A NEW CHURCH FOR ROCHDALE —The comer-stone of St. Edmund's Church, Falinge, erected solely at the expense of Mr. Albert H. Royds, at a cost of £10,000, has been laid. The ceremony was performed with Masonic honours. Mr Royds is a P.G.M. of Worcester and a D.P.G.M. of East Lancashire, and the Masons in the district, appreciating his munificence, took advantage of the occasion to muster in very large force. The church will be well situate, on a plot of land between the Spotland and Falinge roads. The edifice will be cruciform in plan, having a massive central tower, with lanthorn and angle-turret; a nave and chancel (on the south side of which is the Founder's Chapel, and on the north side the vestry) and a western porch. Accommodation will be provided for about 760 persons. There will be a circular staircase, with a conical roof, leading to the small western gallery. The style will be decorated Gothic. The east window, of five lights, is to be filled, as are also many of the other windows, with richly stained glass. The western facade will contain a large rose-window. The side windows will be traceried. The two principal entrances will be in the south transept and at the west end of the church. The arches supporting the tower inside will be carried upon massive granite columns. The church will be built throughout of Yorkshire stone. The organ will be placed at the end of the south transept, the organist and choir being seated in the body of the church. The seats will be open benches. The church will be decorated, both externally and internally, with various Masonic symbols. The contract has been taken by Messrs Ellis and Hinchliffe, and Messrs Medland & Henry Taylor, of Manchester, are the architects. [[Builder 21 May 1870 page 412] 

Set in the middle of a circus on high ground to the west of Rochdale town centre, St Edmunds is one of the most unusual churches of the nineteenth century. It was built at the expense of Albert Hudson Royds, a local banker, in memory of his parents, Clement and Jane Royds, the foundation stone being laid on 7 May 1870 and the church consecrated by Bishop Fraser on 7 May 1873, exactly three years later. It cost approximately ,22,000 at a time when a good church could be provided for half that amount and is said to have left Royds financially crippled. Royds was a prominent, even fanatical freemason, ultimately becoming Provincial Grand Master and Grand Superintendent of Worcestershire as well as a leading officer in the Knights Templar, and references to the lore of freemasonry abound.  Medland Taylor, an architect not renowned for his restraint, rose to the opportunity and produced an exuberant design. Although Taylor was not a mason and none of the symbols of freemasonry appear on his drawings, the whole building was so designed and detailed that everywhere there is some reminder of the Temple of Solomon, the shrine of freemasonry.  Externally the walls are a mixture of ashlar dressings and coursed rubble, inside the finest dressed stone.  Centrally planned, the design is based on seven cubes, certain dimensions are said to relate to or be proportional to those of the Temple of Solomon.  Whole building raised up on a battered stone plinth. The central crossing tower with its higher stair turret is supported on four massive pillars of Aberdeen granite almost detached from the walls. The central lantern was originally open and since it has been closed the interior has lost both light and scale. Symbols of freemasonry can be found in the square headed windows, gable finials and tracery patterns. The timbers of the chancel roof and font are all given their significance. The Seal of Solomon or the pentalpha of the popular world appears on the gilt vane of the NE bell turret and in the window tracery.  Intricately carved reredos in which five pointed arches burst into leafy growth interwoven with vines fruit and other flowers emblematic of the Passion. Exuberantly carved capitals to columns and corbels - Spanish/ Arabic influences - palm leaves etc Detailing in naturalistic tracery carved corbels and capitals, hammerbeam and reredos all show Art Nouveau influences.  Rose window in nave exhibited at the Vienna exhibition of 1887, Massive timber roofs cover the nave and transepts, that to the chancel being much richer in design. Detailed construction of timber roof is remarkable, with the boarding laid to the most effective structural patterns. In the chancel the support timbers reversed - appear as tree branches.  Lectern - base of black marble. Cube of white marble Ionic Doric and Corinthian columns the pillars of wisdom strength and beauty. Jewels of the Master and Senior and Junior Wardens on the pedestals. The columns support a brass plate the middle of which represents a blazing star, the frame enriched with pomegranates and other symbols of freemasonry. The sloping rests are the square and compass, thus the significance of the whole is complete. Royds chapel - in place of south chancel aisle and divided from the chancel by a triple arcade supported on two granite pillars resembling those that stood at the porch of the Temple. The positioning seems strange but the Temple was not a place for the congregation to assemble but where the High Priest performed certain duties that necessitated his entrance.