Church of St Mary in the Baum, Rochdale

The first church on the present site was a chapel of ease opened in 1742. The name supposedly derives from the fields of Melissa plant which grew on the site. The land and much of the funding was supplied by Samuel Chetham, of Turton Tower and Castleton Hall and High Sheriff of Lancashire in 1738. The church was extended in the 19th century but by the 20th was in a state of disrepair. The parish authorities determined that repairing the structure would be more expensive than the construction of a new building and commissioned Ninian Comper to design a new church. Respecting the parishioners’ affection for the original chapel, Comper incorporated elements from it into the new structure…

The site of the church was restricted, to which Comper responded with an unusual floor plan. The nave and chancel are both placed on the south side, to take advantage of the light, while two aisles run along the north side. The architectural style is also rare; the brief required Comper to respect and reflect the design of the original chapel. The body of the church is his trademark Perpendicular Gothic, while the exterior aisle wall is Neoclassical. The church is built of red brick, with ashlar dressings. Also by Comper are two Christ Pantocrators, images of a beardless adult Jesus unusual in Christian iconography. The church is a Grade I listed building.