Rotherham Parish Church

Rotherham Parish Church. . , The Parish Church of All Saints, Rotherham is the third to stand on this site. There was almost certainly a Church here before 937 AD, and the Doomsday Book tells us that by 1086 Rotherham was already an established settlement with its own mill, church and priest., We have little information about the appearance of the original Saxon Church. Many were small, relatively plain, structures built primarily of wood., The Norman Church, built in the late 11th Century, was a much larger building. It had a nave, chancel, north and south transepts and a short central tower. Local red sandstone known as "Rotherham Red' was used for the bulk of the construction with limestone from Roche, near Maltby, used for details., In the middle of the 14th Century a style of architecture known as 'Perpendicular' came to the fore and the Church began to take on its present form. In 1409 work started with the reconstruction of the tower. The 180ft spire topped with its 7ft. gilded weathervane still rises above the town centre as it has done for over 500 years. Construction and reconstruction work continued and with the addition of the Clergy Vestry in 1540 the Church was complete. Rotherham Parish Church is now considered to be one of the finest examples of medieval Perpendicular architecture in England., A full restoration of the Church began in 1873, under the direction of the architect Sir Gilbert Scott. The galleries were removed, the stonework cleaned and repaired and the oak roofs cleaned, polished and, in some places, replaced. Sir Gilbert Scott recognised the historical importance of, and retained, the 15th Century Chancel stalls. They remain the oldest example of carved woodwork in the Church., Though grand in design and execution the role of All Saints is similar to that of any other Parish Church of the Church of England. That is, to serve the spiritual needs of those who live within the Parish boundaries, to assist them in greeting the arrival of their newborn, to celebrate their marriages and say farewell to their departed. The Parish Church and the Chapel on the Bridge are both licensed for weddings. The Church is also à friendly and familiar meeting place for many people throughout the week., Inside the Church you will find a permanent exhibition charting in detail the history of this magnificent building. The Church holds a special place in the hearts of people across Rotherham. We welcome you and hope that you cherish and respect its place in the town as others have done through the centuries., Churchyard, Monuments, and Memorials , There is evidence of Christian burial on this site since Saxon times. Burials have taken place inside and outside the church, although many monuments outside have been moved from their original location. The churchyard was closed for burials in 1854., The tombstones on the North side of the Church were removed in 1932 when All Saints' Square was created. The rest were removed when lawns were laid down in preparation for the Festival of Britain in 1951. Those who were laid to rest on the South side of the Parish Church remain there, as do those who were interred in the family vaults and tombs within the building itself.