The church continues to be active, and works in association with the other churches in the parish, the Church of the Good Shepherd, Rode Heath, and St Luke's Mission Church, Mow Cop.[1]
History
The church was built in 1863–64 and designed by George Gilbert Scott.[3] It was commissioned by Randle Wilbraham III of Rode Hall. The family had worshipped at St Mary's Church, Astbury, but Wilbraham wanted to have a church in Odd Rode. He had previously bought an old chapel in the parish for the purpose, but this was too small, and in 1861 he commissioned Scott to design a new church. Building began in 1863, but Wilbraham died during the first year of construction, and the church was completed and paid for by his son, Randle Wilbraham IV.[4] It cost nearly £5,914, and was dedicated in 1864.[4]
The pipe organ was made in 1887 by Wadsworth at a cost of £280.[5]
From 1896 until 1906, the organist was Havergal Brian.[6] Brian was born in Longton, and around the time he started at All Saints he set out to become a composer. He wrote a large number of symphonies.
Architecture
Exterior
All Saints is constructed in
weathercock. The lateral bays of the west end of the nave contain lancet windows, and at the corners are buttresses. The west end of the aisle is recessed and contains a three-light window. At its top is a gable containing an octofoil and surmounted by a cross finial. The sides of the church are in four bays divided by buttresses, and each bay contains a two-light window, other than the second bay of the aisle which contains a porch. The porch is gabled and has a pointed arch with semi-octagonal colonettes, a hood mould with figurehead label stops, and a cross finial. On the south side of the chancel is a chapel with a doorway, and on the north side is a gabled vestry. The east window has five lights, the label stops of its hood mould being carved with a bishop and a queen.[2]
All Saints Church was designated as a Grade II* listed building on 14 February 1967.[2] Grade II* is the middle of the three grades of listing, and is applied to "particularly important buildings of more than special interest".[7] The architectural historian Goodhart-Rendel said of the church "Taking things all round, I like this best of any Scott church I have seen ... Everything seems to me a triumph of the academic type of good Gothic design ... there is nothing but safety first – but it is safety".[2][3] The description of the church in the National Heritage List for England concludes by saying "not only the design but the craftsmanship is of high quality".[2]
