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The tower dates from the 14th century and the rest of the church from 1758–59, replacing an earlier church on the site. Restorations were carried out in 1874, when a northwest vestry was added, and 1903.[3] In October 1977, the church was the victim of an arson attack, leaving only the walls and the tower still standing.[4] As a result of the fire there is nothing remaining of the restorations other than the vestry walls. Following the fire, the foundations of a narrower, timber-framed church were discovered. The roof and interior of the church were replaced by the architects Buxeby and Evans in 1979–80.[3]
Architecture
Exterior
St Mary's is built in red sandstoneashlar with a slate roof. Its plan is a rectangle in five bays with a west tower, a northwest vestry, a northeast gabled projecting chapel, and a south porch. The tower is square with corner buttresses and a crenellatedparapet. It has a west door with a window above it. At the bell stage are two-light louvred belfry windows on all sides. The windows on each side of the body of the church are round-headed. The east window is Venetian in style, glazed in large squares, with a cherub carved in the keystone.[1][3]
Interior
The roof, dating from 1979–80, is in varnishedchestnut. It is panelled in five compartments, and heavily moulded. The west organ gallery, standing on Tuscan columns, is a replica of that destroyed in the fire. The furniture has been acquired from a variety of sources. The font, which consists of a bowl carved with cherubs, dates from the 18th century and spent a century in a garden. The oak pulpit dating from the 17th century stands on Tuscan columns; it came from York Minster. The pews came from the demolished church of St Mary, Ince-in-Makerfield.[3]
External features
In the churchyard is the grave of John Middleton, known as the Childe of Hale, who was reputed to have been over 9 feet (3 m) tall.[3] Also in the churchyard are the war graves of four soldiers of World War I and two of World War II.[5]
Opposite the church on the other side of the road is a wooden carving of John Middleton with other images of the village, called the History Tree, dating from 1996.[3]