A familiar landmark on Radcliffe's horizon, even though in Whitefield (Stand to be precise), is All Saints' Church.

Although in Whitefield, the church has always drawn some members of its congregation from Radcliffe and shares a linked history with the town.

All Saints was built to celebrate victory at the Battle of Waterloo, in commemoration of which Parliament set aside £1,000,000 for the building of new churches up and down the country. The suggestion at the time was that the church was buil to appease workers angry about the Peterloo Massacre in 1819.

The costs of around £14,000 were met in full by the Waterloo Fund, although there were other benefactors like James RAMSBOTHAM, who was partly responsible for the siting of the church at Stand - then an area of open pasture land.

Young architect Charles Berry, who went on to design the Houses of Parliament and Manchester Art Gallery drew up the plans for the building, which was consecrated in 1826. Bells cast in London were hung in the tower in 1856 and recast in 1912 - the largest 'tenor bell' having a diameter of ten feet.

Also in 1912 a clock was installed in the tower, replacing one that had been donated to the now demolished St John's Church, New Road, Radcliffe.

The present pulpit of All Saints erected "to the glory of God", was donated by John and Emma SMETHURST of Stand Lane, Radcliffe in 1921, when the old interior was refurbised.

But in 1926 the church came close to being damaged beyond repair by a fire which started in the ceiling.

If it hadn't been for chorister who was bored with his choir practice who noticed the rafters getting discoloured, it might have been very bad.

The bells fell into disrepair in the late 1950s, but were fixed and returned in 1977.

Recently a booklet, costing £5, has been published about the history of the church, fixtures and fittings called The History of All Saints Church Stand, writen by church warden Frank BOTHAM.

if anybody wishes to contact the church for any reason, the following may be of use:

Rev. R.W. Bailey
Stand Rectory
Church Lane
Whitefield
MANCHESTER

tele.no. 0161 766 2619

correct October 2001