Church of the Ascension, Lower Broughton
| Church of the Ascension | |
|---|---|
 The Church of the Ascension in 2007 | |
| Location | Lower Broughton |
| Coordinates | 53°29′41.014″N 2°15′46.382″W / 53.49472611°N 2.26288389°W |
| OS grid reference | SJ8265799812[1] |
| Official name | Church of the Ascension |
| Type | Grade II |
| Designated | 20 October 1998 |
| Reference no. | 1386122 |
  The church's location in Greater Manchester | |
The Church of the Ascension is a Grade II listed Anglican church in Lower Broughton, Salford, England. In February 2017 a fire destroyed the roof and interior of the building.
Location
The church is located on Clarence Street[1] in Lower Broughton, in the United Kingdom,[2] at grid reference SJ89NW and National Grid reference SJ 82657 99812.[1] It is next to Green Grosvenor Park and River View Primary School.[3]
Architecture
Exterior
The brick building has a roof made of Welsh slate. It is constructed in an Early English style with "robust, muscular detail". The narthex to the west has an arched doorway on each side, with a gabled porch, and a large rose window. The aisles are divided into four bays.[1] The eastern apse had ornate brickwork, and the building had Victorian-era stained glass. The building was a rare example of the work of Medland Taylor.[4]
Interior
The nave has two aisles. The chancel has transeptual chapels. The east end of the church has an apse that is a little higher than the nave.[1]
History
Early history
The church was built in 1869.[2] It was used as an Anglican church,[1] and contained memorials from World War I and World War II.[5]
Restoration
It was Grade II listed on 20 October 1998.[1] In September 2013[6] grants totalling £250,000[2] from English Heritage and the National Lottery, were awarded to restore both the inside and outside of the building, and to replace the roof. The church was used for worship.[7][3]
2017 fire
On 12 February 2017 the church caught fire,[8][9] and the fire brigade was called at 11.08pm.[7] The fire took dozens of firefighters[2] with six fire engines to extinguish.[8] The fire melted gas pipes inside the building, with the subsequent gas ignition causing additional damage to the building.[10] Most of the fire was extinguished in an hour,[11] although firefighters stayed at the site overnight.[2] The roof of the building collapsed during the fire,[8] and the interior was destroyed.[2] The top parts of the gable ends of the building were dismantled to make the building safe.[10]
A fundraising campaign to restore the church was launched after the fire, with the hope that the building can be saved.[11] Canon David Wyatt of the Church of the Ascension, described the fire as hurtful and frustrating but noted the “heart-warming” response from parishioners.[12] Greater Manchester Police investigated the fire.[2] CCTV footage of suspects was released to the public.[13] A 22-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of arson on 17 February, although the origin of the fire remains unknown.[2]
A project to rebuild the church over two years was announced in June 2017.[14]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1386122)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 17 February 2017.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Rucki, Alexandra (17 February 2017). "Man arrested following huge fire at Salford church". Manchester Evening News.
- ^ a b Britton, Paul (13 February 2017). "Church destroyed in huge fire had recently undergone £250k makeover". Manchester Evening News.
- ^ "Church of the Ascension, Ascension Road | Historic England". historicengland.org.uk. Historic England. Retrieved 17 February 2017.
- ^ "The Church of Ascension, Broughton". Salford War Memorials. Retrieved 17 February 2017.
- ^ "Salford - Church of the Ascension, Lower Broughton | Heritage Lottery Fund". www.hlf.org.uk. Retrieved 18 February 2017.
- ^ a b Bainbridge, Pete (13 February 2017). "LIVE: Huge fire at Church of Ascension in Salford is visible across the city". Manchester Evening News.
- ^ a b c "Blaze at Grade II-listed church in Salford treated as arson, police say". The Telegraph. 13 February 2017.
- ^ Rucki, Alexandra (13 February 2017). "Firefighters remain at scene after huge fire at church overnight". Manchester Evening News.
- ^ a b "Blaze that gutted church in Lower Broughton 'suspicious'". BBC News. 13 February 2017.
- ^ a b Yarwood, Sam (14 February 2017). "Fundraising bid launched to save historic church gutted by fire". Manchester Evening News.
- ^ "Community rallies after Salford church fire". Retrieved 3 March 2017.
- ^ Yarwood, Sam (13 February 2017). "CCTV released after arson attack on church in Salford". men.
- ^ Bardsley, Andrew (24 June 2017). "Salford church gutted by huge fire could be rebuilt within two years". Manchester Evening News.