Ramsden Road Wesleyan Methodist Chapel
sits at the north-west corner of the junction between Wardle's
Ramsden Road and Chapel Street, behind the town square and bus stop.
Its foundation stone was laid in 1873 and the building opened for
use in 1874. Upon the acquisition of land for Watergrove reservoir,
the amalgamation of Watergrove Chapel occurred in 1933, when the
chapel became Wardle Methodist Church. Today it is titled
Wardle Village Church.
The former Church of St James, Wardle,
stands on the southern side of Ramsden Road, just sixty metres or so
south-east of the Chapel Street turning. It opened in this
previously isolated village in 1858, consecrated by the lord bishop
of Manchester. Known locally as 'the white church on the hill', it
was forced to close in 1993. Its parishioners moved to the Methodist
building (see above) to worship there under an agreement which
formed Wardle Village Church.
Christ Church, Healey, is at the southern
end of Gandy Lane, overlooking Healey Avenue. Healey was formed into
a new parish along with several other districts in 1846. The church
building's foundation stone was laid on Thursday 12 July 1849 by
Jacob Tweedale of Healey Hall. The building was consecrated on 16
October 1850, by the Right Reverend Prince Lee, lord bishop of
Manchester, assisted by the first vicar to serve here, Reverend
Robert Minnitt.
All photos on this page kindly contributed by
Douglas Law via the 'History Files: Churches of the British Isles'
Flickr group.
