THE PEVSNER architectural guides call it 'the grandest surviving Baptist church in south east Lancashire'.
The group has paid £750,000 for the 7,378 sq ft building. INC now intend to use the building as a place of worship but also as spiritual study centre, residential accommodation and ancillary offices.
Located on Edge Lane, Stretford, it was opened by textile magnate John Rylands, as the Union Church for Congregationalists in 1867, designed by an unknown architect.
The church was built by the very devout Rylands as his personal place of worship close to his house – the latter now almost completely demolished - in Longford Park.
Rylands was not only devout but philanthropy personified, providing Stretford with a baths, a library, town hall and coffee-house. He won an award from the Italian king for help alleviating poverty in that country and even provided funds for charities helping ‘ministers of slender means’ and ‘aged gentlewomen’.
His third wife spent even more of this money after his death giving Manchester the astonishing gift of John Rylands Library on Deansgate.
After spending time as an office, the gorgeous church with its giant order Corinthian columns and broken pediment, is returning to its original use. It’s been bought by Iglesia ni Cristo (INC), the Phillipines-based Church of Christ.
The group has paid £750,000 for the 7,378 sq ft building. INC now intend to use the building as a place of worship but also as spiritual study centre, residential accommodation and ancillary offices.
Whether Rylands would have approved of the fanatical and controversial INC is another matter, particularly the claim of founder Felix Manalo that he was the last messenger, sent by God to re-establish the Christian Church to its original purity - although, of course, Manalo is not alone in history amongst religious teachers in this.
