St Mary's Church, Nelson, Lancashire

St Mary's Church is on Manchester Road in Nelson, Pendle, Lancashire. It is a redundant Anglican parish church, and is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II listed building. It was built in 1879 to a design by Waddington and Dunkerley. The west bay and tower were added between 1905 and 1908.[1] The Ecroyd family provided a large amount of the funding with the rest being raised by public subscription.[2] The chapelry district of Saint Mary, Nelson in Little Marsden, a division of the new parish of Little Marsden, was assigned in August 1879.[3]

St. Mary’s Church
St. Mary’s Church, Nelson
The former St. Mary's Church seen from Manchester Road
53.8344°N 2.2202°W / 53.8344; -2.2202
OS grid referenceSD 85607 37595
LocationNelson, Pendle
CountryEngland
DenominationAnglican
History
StatusFormer parish church
Architecture
Functional statusRedundant
Heritage designationGrade II
Architect(s)Waddington and Dunkerley
StyleGothic revival
Completed1879
Closed1989

In 1989 the church was declared redundant due to decline in congregation and attendance.[4] Bought by a private developer who was refused permission to demolish the building, it was left empty for over two decades and was subsequently acquired by the Heritage Trust for the North West. £250,000 structural repairs have been undertaken, funded by the trust and with substantial support from English Heritage, Pendle Borough Council, and the Architectural Heritage Fund.[2][5] It is currently the base of the Open Door Furniture Recycling organisation.[6]

Its benefice has been united with that of St Paul's Church, Nelson and the former Church of St Bede to create the parish of Nelson Little Marsden.[7] After 1989, the former Church Hall on Maurice Street was converted into a shared space for both Church and secular organisations. Today it is known as the Beacon Centre, with a chapel in an upper room containing the altar moved from the original church.[4]

See also

References
  1. Historic England. "CHURCH OF ST MARY (1243542)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  2. "St Mary's Church, Nelson, Lancashire – A Landmark Church – Heritage Trust for the North West". heritagetrustnorthwest.org. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  3. "No. 24753". The London Gazette. 19 August 1879. pp. 5036–5037.
  4. "St Marys". www.nelsonlittlemarsden.org. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  5. "Action call over Nelson church empty for 24 years". lancashiretelegraph.co.uk. 23 January 2011. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  6. "Contact us – Open Door Furniture Recycling".
  7. "St Mary's". Church of England. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
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