Albion History

Albion United Reformed Church is a gothic style grade II* listed building erected in 1895.

Albion Church began its ‘Independent’ worship around the year 1780 in a house in Church Street, moving to a room in Oldham's factory, Peaceable Street (now Fleet Street) in 1793, but it failed after a few years. However, in 1815 an old room in Crickets Lane was used for worship. Amongst the worshippers was a Mary Smith who later married Dr. Robert Moffat whom she joined in South Africa and their daughter married David Livingstone.

 In April 1817 a Refuge Chapel was opened on Penny Meadow and the following year Jonathan Sutcliffe commenced his ministry lasting 33 years. Four years later a Sunday School was added which by 1863 was replaced by a new building on Penny Meadow, substantial financial contributions coming from Hugh Mason, a local Mill owner. By 1869 this had become a Day School under the headship of Abraham Park who remained for 50 years.

 

The school closed in 1926. The Refuge Chapel became too small for its increased parishioners and in 1834 purchased a number of nearby cottages which, when rebuilt was named Albion Chapel. It was here, in 1837, that the first Dissenting place of worship in the United Kingdom performed a wedding ceremony, the Act only just becoming law. By 1889 the Albion Chapel on Penny Meadow again became too small, its use being better served as an extension for the Day School, but a new site for the Chapel needed to be found.

 The Earl of Stamford who owned large areas of land in and around Ashton had refused an extension to Albion Chapel’s building on Penny Meadow stating “no dissenting chapel will ever be built on my land”. However, Albion’s magazine editor, a Mr. D.F. Howorth, was the proprietor of a long established private school which occupied an ideal site for the new Chapel just a few hundred yards away from the Parish Church and it was agreed to purchase this land and erect a new Chapel.

 

The architect chosen was Mr. John Brooke, who had been responsible for the restoration of Ashton Parish Church just a few years before.
 The Gothic design of John Brooke ARIBA is in every respect the rich man’s Dissent overtaking the Anglican – Albion was clear-eyed about it and the following decision was taken, “In speaking of the contemplated sanctuary, it is desirable to use the word ‘Church’ in place of ‘Chapel’ in all references thereto…as Nonconformists we ought not use a word, given to our place of worship, signifying a place that is inferior to the Parish Church”.

On completion the Church was said to be the most beautiful Congregational Church building in England, mainly of Gothic design with glorious stained glass designed by Sir. Edward Burne-Jones and installed by Wm. Morris. The entire structure is in stone, the inside, however is red sandstone. The Church is early perpendicular on the orthodox medieval cruciform plan of nave, aisles, transcepts, chancel, and seating a thousand. It is a restrained riot of stone screens, Dantzic oak wainscotting, teak and woodblock and encaustic tiled floors, hammerbeam roofs, tracery-filled and angel-finished, the angels in the choir clasping – as they do in Manchester Cathedral – harp and trumpet, cymbals and hand-organ. The Burne Jones windows show the virtues and graces of the Christian character. There is also a magnificent Lewis organ.