All Souls Church, Halifax

 I have previously posted a little about All Souls, with a set of pictures from August 2018. This single picture below was taken in June 2014 with a Polaroid is2132 camera.

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Fielden Square, Todmorden

Fielden Square is an area of Todmorden outside the Golden Lion Pub. Cleared to house a statue of John Fielden a local businessman, benefactor and social reformer, the area is now mainly used as a car park near the town centre. The statue was moved in 1939 to Centre Vale Park.

I took this picture on the 9th November 2013 with a Samsung Galaxy Tablet. The original image had a totally flat, lifeless overcast sky so this was my first attempt at replacing a sky within an image.

Also seen in the picture, to the left the Golden Lion, the pub was closed when I took this having been badly flooded, I believe it reopened the following year. The spire that overlooks the town is that of Todmorden Unitarian Church. The Fielden family contributed to it's construction.

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Square Independent Chapel and Congregational Church Spire, Halifax

Square Independent Chapel opened on the 24th May 1772 taking it's name from the area of Halifax it was built in. The chapel is constructed of red brick and is 60ft square and when opened was the largest independent place of worship in the country. The chapel cost a fortune for the time £2000 to build and the red brick is said to contain bulls blood to highlight the red. 

The chapel held it's last service on the 12th June 1857, when it became the Sunday School for the newly constructed Square Congregational Church, which had recently opened next door. In 1939 the Army took control of the building for the war effort and the Chapel was given Grade II listed status on the 3rd November 1954. The local Council purchased the building in 1969 with a plan to demolish it, the Victorian society getting the building on the listed for preservation register in 1970. In 1985 Calderdale Council once again had a plan to demolish the building, again this never came to fruition before the Square Chapel Building Trust bought the building for £25 in 1989 spending over £3million in the refurbishment of the building which was to become the Square Chapel Arts Centre in 1992.

Square Congregational Church opened on the 15th July 1857 as the replacement for Square Independent Chapel. When built the church had the second tallest spire in Yorkshire at 235ft until Edward Akroyd had the nearby All Souls Church built with a spire that was just 1ft taller. Local legend suggest this was deliberate as Akroyd had a rivalry with the Crossley Family who had contributed to the construction of Square Church. The church held services until 1970, a year after it had merged with the United Congregational Church. 

Square Congregational Church was granted Grade II listed status on the 2nd March 1950. The church became a target for vandals after closure and the main body of the church was devastated by a large fire on the 3rd January 1971, and a further fire and gale before 1973. In 1976 the church was demolished saving the spire and foundations and becoming a rest-garden area until it was closed off in 2005 after the spire had become unsafe. Around this time workmen who had checking the spire structurally became convinced there was a ghost inhabiting an inaccessible area near the top of the spire, this was after photo's they had taken showed a shape that they claimed could not be explained.

The spire remained closed off for a number of years with some members of Calderdale Council requesting its demolition, before the town decided a new library was needed and this was constructed including the spire as a and rose window as a central part of the new building which opened in 2017. The spire with the new library now forms a welcoming part of the new eastern entrance to the Piece Hall.

The Rose Window seen to the left of the spire is based on the east window at Selby Abbey.

The new Halifax Library Building can be seen built around the spire.

These pictures were taken on the 27th October 2019 with a Nikon d3300 SLR camera. They can be seen on Clickasnap full size, resolution and un-watermarked.

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Todmorden Unitarian Church (April 2017)

 Todmorden Unitarian Church is located at Honey Hole Road, Todmorden, West Yorkshire. The church was built in the memory of John Fielden a local mill owner, social reformer and member of parliament for Oldham between 1832-1847. Fielden was also a prominent member of the local unitarian movement. Building work began in 1865, paid for by his 3 sons Joshua, John and Samuel on land the Fielden family donated, the budget was not limited by them with the final bill over £35000 ( over £3.5 million at 2020 rates). The work was completed in 1869 with the church opening in April with a sermon preached by William Gaskell to a congregation of over 800 people.

The church continued to grow until the early pert of the 20th Century when like most other religions in the UK, congregations started to decline. As numbers decreased it became increasingly harder to fund the upkeep of the building and by 1987 the decision was taken to close the main church building and move services to the nearby lodge at the entrance to the church grounds. These services continued until 1992 when the church and grounds were closed completely.

After the complete closure the church decayed and was subject to large amounts of vandalism. In 1994 the Historic Chapels Trust took over the church and over the next few years spent over £1million pounds on repairs. The church is licensed for weddings and is used locally as a meeting place.

The church was granted Grade I listed status on the 22nd November 1966, with the lodge at the entrance gaining Grade II listed status on the 22nd February 1984.

The following pictures were taken with a Nikon d3300 SLR camera on the 22nd April 2017.

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Vintage Postcard - Glasgow Cathedral

Part of my large collection of Vintage postcards is this one I have of Glasgow Cathedral which is dated from the early 20th century, probably pre 1st world war. The company that produced the card was J.M & Co. LTD who were formed in 1903 in Edinburgh and it forms part of the companies Caledonian Series of cards. The card in my collection is unwritten and unposted.

Glasgow Cathedral is a Church of Scotland denomination place of worship that is also known by the names High Kirk of Glasgow, St Kentigern's and St Mungo's Cathedral. The Cathedral is built on the site where the Patron Saint Mungo is said to have built his church, and before the reformation was the seat of the Archbishop of Glasgow and a scene of Roman Catholic worship.

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A Spire of History: The Haunting Beauty of Halifax's Square Church

Halifax, a town steeped in industrial history, holds a silent sentinel against its skyline: the Square Church Spire. A lone finger pointing towards the heavens, it's a striking reminder of a grander structure, a story etched in stone and fire.

Imagine, if you will, the bustling Square in 1857. Amidst the clatter of horse-drawn carriages and the rhythmic hum of nearby mills, a new beacon of faith rose. The Square Congregational Church, opened on July 15th, a testament to Victorian ambition and religious fervor. This magnificent edifice stood proudly beside the iconic Piece Hall, a symbol of Halifax's prosperity. It replaced the older Georgian Square Chapel, which, in a charming twist of fate, became the church's Sunday school, a passing of the torch from one generation to the next.

For over a century, the Square Church echoed with hymns, sermons, and the quiet prayers of its congregation. It was a place of community, of solace, and of spiritual guidance. But time, as it inevitably does, brought change. The church's doors closed in 1970, marking the end of an era.

Then, tragedy struck. In January 1971, a devastating fire ripped through the main building, leaving behind a charred skeleton. The once proud structure was reduced to rubble, and in 1976, the final act of demolition was carried out. All that remained was the magnificent, Grade II listed spire, soaring 235 feet into the sky.

This solitary spire, a relic of a lost grandeur, now stands as a poignant reminder of what once was. It's a striking juxtaposition against the modern architecture of the Halifax Central Library, into which it is now incorporated. Standing at its base, you can almost hear the echoes of the past, the faint strains of an organ, the murmur of prayers.

The Square Church Spire is more than just a historical landmark; it's a symbol of resilience, a testament to the enduring power of memory. It's a place where the past and present collide, where the echoes of a bygone era mingle with the everyday sounds of a bustling town.

Next time you find yourself in Halifax, take a moment to gaze upon this architectural marvel. Let its silent story resonate with you, and remember the grand church that once stood beside it, a testament to the enduring spirit of Halifax. It's a reminder that even in the face of destruction, something beautiful and enduring can remain, reaching towards the sky like a whispered prayer.

The pictures below were taken on the 27th May 2018 with a Nikon d3300, clicking any of them should open a link in another window to my Colin Green Photography store on Zazzle.

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The Silent Witness: St. Paul's Spire and the Stories it Holds

Standing tall against the sky, a lone spire points heavenward, a silent sentinel of a bygone era. This is all that remains of St. Paul's Church, a once magnificent structure that graced the landscape for over half a century. Opened in 1847 at a cost of a million pounds – a truly staggering sum in those days – the church served its community until 1912, before finally being demolished in 1931.

Today, only the Grade II listed spire remains, a poignant reminder of the grand church that once stood in its place. It stands proudly within the former burial grounds, now transformed into a peaceful rest garden. Imagine the stories this spire could tell, the generations it has witnessed come and go.

What makes this site even more intriguing is the history of its burials. While the headstones have been removed and repositioned, I understand that the bodies remain undisturbed beneath the tranquil surface of the garden. Burials continued here until as recently as 1969, a testament to the long and varied history of this place.

It's a fascinating thought, to wander through this serene space, knowing that beneath your feet lie the remains of those who lived and worshipped in the shadow of St. Paul's. The removal of the headstones, while perhaps necessary for creating a public space, adds an air of mystery. Who were these people? What were their lives like? The spire stands as a silent witness, guarding their secrets and connecting us to the past.

Next time you find yourself in the area, take a moment to visit St. Paul's Spire. Walk through the rest garden, breathe in the fresh air, and consider the lives lived and the stories whispered by the stones beneath your feet. It's a place where history and tranquility intertwine, a reminder that even in the quietest of spaces, stories can still be told. 

The pictures were taken using a Samsung Galaxy Tablet on November 12, 2013. Clicking any image should open a link in another window to my Colin Green Photography store on Zazzle.

The interior of the spire, not often seen but the opportunity was taken that day. 

The following information was taken from Wikipedia on their page about King Cross.

 

A commissioner's church, St. Paul's, designed by Robert Chantrell in 1845, was built in 1847 with seating for 450 people.

By the end of the 19th century, with a population of some 17,000 people, the older church of St. Paul's, built in 1847, had eventually run out of space for burials. A decision was made in 1909 to build a new church designed by Sir Charles Nicholson, with seating for 1,000, nearby. Except for the tower, it was completed in 1912.

Following a fire in the old St. Pauls in 1930, during which the roof was destroyed, the building was demolished in 1931, leaving only the tower and spire standing. With the increased space, burials continued in the graveyard until 1969. With some 1,737 graves in the graveyard, the church asked the local council to take over the maintenance of the grounds. The area was eventually designated as a'rest garden' in 1973, though with some considerable controversy.

 

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