Thread: Christ Church - Heaton Norris - Stockport

I know this is a long shot because I've trawled the internet trying to get information on this church and also tried Stockport library, but all I've found out was it was built in 1846 by William Hayley.



All that remains is the Spire and the graveyard, but what I really need help in finding out what actually happened to that Church - nobody seems to know, although it still had recorded baptisms in 1975.



Rumours are it was deconsecrated for some reason and then arsonists attacked it, but can anyone shed any light on this?



I really need help as it's for a project about old Stockport buildings and trust me to choose one that doesn't appear to have any info



Any help would be much appreciated, as even the library can't really help as they only have Parish records.

Hi, I attended Christ Church Primary School and I am not having much luck either on finding any info....It breaks my heart to see what is left of it......You will find info on the Church, at St. Mary's in Stockport....Unfortunately, I am livng in Canada, so it is not easy for me to get the info...Hope this helps you out and I would appreciate any info you find.....good luck....charmaine

Hi Carmelia,

Please note that I have been advised that the following story is not quite correct... Manchester Evening News - Tuesday, 20th January 2004

Teachers and parents at six primary schools have been told their schools will be axed. Nine schools had been on a Stockport council hit list for closure, but at a meeting last night councillors decided that three should be reprieved.

St Thomas' CE, Heaton Chapel; Brookside in High Lane; and Outwood, Heald Green were reprieved.

I have been advised that the St Thomas concerned was in fact the "other" St Thomas in Central Stockport, NOT our St Thomas in Heaton Chapel as stated. As the MEN story will be archived long term, this correction will be retained to try to head off yet another historic inaccuracy caused by the number of St Thomas churches (and their schools) in the vicinity.

Maybe a letter to the Manchester Evening News will give you the correct story and further information that you require.

I think the last record of it being in use was around 1963 (based on parish records of christenings, weddings and burials). the population had decreased following ww2 and fewer people went to church regularly so that church stopped being used and was deconsecrated. It was burnt down in the late 1970's, around 1978-1979 I think. The firefighters went on strike that winter and then the church was set fire to. As most of it was wood, it was destroyed although i think the font remains. It used to be possible to see the other side from one of the surrounding roads although i'm not sure if this is still the case. It is now a grade 2 listed building. I was also intrigued by this church, particularly because there were a lot of different rumours about it. Stockport Central Library does have copies of the floor plan and a picture of the church, (although not a good one sadly) and the newspaper reports after the fire. We had to ask though because we were struggling to find anything. Hope this helps.

Hi, Thanks for the info.....When I look at a pic of the church, I just think of all the good memories we had there, growing up.....and to see it now....Last year I did contact a library online and they told me that St. Mary's in Stockport, has all the info, unfortunately living in Canada, I can't do much....Probably next year I will be coming over and will go there and see what they have....Thank you and have a great day....charmaine

Hi, I am also desperately looking for any info especially pictures of the church and school building as after trawling the net myself for a few years i have found nothing bar one photo of the spire. I was a pupil at the school behind the church (christ church c of e primary school) and also lived in a house on the corner of church rd a stones throw away. One of my first memories as a child was of waking up early one morning (1979?) and going out on to the street with my dad to see the army green godess's losing the battle against the fire that destroyed the most part of the church. The school was open for some years after and as a pupil one of the favorite places to play was the church yard which we used to access through a gap in the fence between the school and church. I have many memories of this rather strange church school building but no matter how hard i look for photo's or info on the place, i find nothing. I found this thread whilst again looking for any trace of it, so its a long shot for me also but i would greatly appreciate any info available.

A few things about the church: It was still i believe in use untill the mid 70's as a relative of mine was i'm told married there around that time. The spire I'm told was saved and listed at the request of either the queen or queen mother (can't remember which) whilst on a visit to the area after driving past it on the stockport to manchester rd (wellington rd nth). Love to hear from anyone with info, thanks

Hi Mancunian007



What year were you a pupil? I was a pupil at that school from 1974-1976 before my parents moved to Heaton Mersey.



I was up in Stockport in November 2006 after some 24 years of being Londoner and drove round to where the main entrance of the school used to be on Parsonage Street. Shock horror-the school site is now a development of apartments or houses known as mulberry mews. The park down at the bottom of Church Street is still there.



I used to be friends with a boy called Barry (cant remember his surname) who used to live on the park side of Church Road. The headmaster of the school used to be a Mr Granger I think - I've got a very hazy recollection of it.



Fran



The church was certainly in use in the mid 1970's.



I hope that helps.

Hi, Thanks for your reply (the first yet), as i said in my rambling post before I have spent so much time and energy (and money) trying for photos and relevant memories on cc school but so far nothing anyw n here on this info highway. A visit four years ago was also dissapointing (those i remembered had moved & murphys law those that were there were out). Do You know of any photo's I could view/download of this lovely building (inside or out/ in the background etc, anything), would bring back so many memories & add depth and shading to those I have so to speak.

I was a pupil (an early starter at 3 and a half) from the end of 81 and stayed only a few years due to an unfortunate chain of events that began at my first hour at cc when after arriving late (thanks dad (lol)) filled with the fear of my first glimpse of solid authority outside my home and trying not to cry (and failing badly) I was firmly directed to a small desk in the centre of the room (first classroom by the cloakroom gr floor, massive room); I would have preferred a seat at the back. Having allready shed noisy tears The teacher had noted my pessence in the traditional way so as I sat, quet for now, keenly listening to my teacher who was daubing our lesson on the b board and talking with back to the class. Along between the desks came a vision of a girl, well dressed with blonde hair and pigtails to boot (the classic "butter wouldn't melt" look), as she drew closer i noted (too slowly) she carried with her a v sharp pencil which she then in a skilled manor more suited to a soldier profficiant in the art of the bayonett than an innocent girl stabbed me in the elbow and in no time was back at her seat bussily looking at paper. when teacher turned round to see what all the noise was about and indeed who dared to make a noise atall. I am now the first child in the entire year to have made a noise, falsly accused an innocent angel of assult and lied to a teacher, all on my first day. So noted as the first "trouble maker" in the year most future trouble must of course have been down to me, setting in motion the most unfortunate, bizare and at times unbelievable cycle of events that saw my leaving of christ church and into a pinball game of special ed around the county. Strangely these mad memories from an early age are my clearest and fondest. On my visit I too was shocked and sadened to see that such a wonderfull piece of history and architectural heratige, not to mentioin another chunk of our educational system had been torn down and replaced with the uglyest most smug looking little crowd of houses i had ever seen, looking down on the terraces with an unmistakable air of superriority from thier elevated position atop the ruins.

As for the head you recall: You are correct; A Mr granger was still the head when I arived and I remember him well & fondly as a man with always the time to talk rather than shout/bang the (outlawed but still present school cane. his sucessor enjoyed fear in a boys eyes and used the cane frequently no further than an inch from the seated thigh, what a change he was grr). Mr granger was a dear man and an authority I did not mind respecting, nice to hear someone else that remembers him. As for a barry, probably before my time, though you may know a lad called sammy who had an older brother and a junior sister living on the park side, who also attended christ church.

Thanks again for your reply, if you hear of anything photo related of christ church school please get in touch, kind regards, mancunian 007

P.S i still have embedded in my elbow that bit of pencill (so trudy, if you pass this, love to hear from you)

Hello - just read quickly thru your queries about Heaton Norris. I'v been getting the

Stockport heritage magazine for a number of years so i'll take a look and see if they

hv any information or photos.

regards Maria ( i was brought up in Heaton Moor)

Hi, Thank You for your reply, I'd really appreciate you keeping a look out on this so thanks ever so much. Excuse my long rambling post, should probably write a book, there's certainly enough more. Realy miss the sk area, including the heaton moor/chapel area but my better half prefers the country side. I had close family on brackley rd heaton chapel and a good friend near the heaton moor stn, nice area with great architecture and history.

Do You know if the old building that was (may still be) thornfield school on mauldeth rd is still there, another place I seem unable to find pics of, or anything else for that matter, anyhow thanks again, kind regards, m