Hide
St Chad, Rochdale, Church of England
hide
Hide

Hide
St Chad,
Sparrow Hill,
Rochdale
Lancashire
Hide
It was founded before 1170.
The mother church of the parish is of great antiquity, and stands on a commanding eminence, the ascent to which is by a flight of 124 steps. The church was erected in the 12th century, and has undergone various changes, alterations, and renovations. The local legend is, that the site of the church was, in point of fact, the place chosen by spirits and fairies for the purpose. On several occasions, as the story relates, the materials brought together for the erection of the church, on an entirely different site, were removed from the place originally selected to the hill or eminence on which St. Chad's stands. That this removal was the work of superhuman agency, was the firm belief of our forefathers in those far-distant days; and we should be sorry to do or say anything which could in the remotest manner interfere with this time-hallowed belief, which has been handed down to us, and which, with vast numbers among us, is received with the greatest deference and respect.The site ultimately adopted, under such supernatural pressure, led, of course, to the formation of the celebrated church steps; to ascend which is always considered a necessary piece of work to be performed by all visitors to our good old town. To come to Rochdale and not mount the steps is considered a breach of good manners, as well as a serious deprivation of a very agreeable exercise. The steps, in fact, are among our most cherished possessions; and they form a most important thoroughfare, with which it would be very unwise to intermeddle to the great prejudice of the inhabitants. [more follows on the churchyard, events associated with the church, its rectors and vicars]
'Rochdale Past and Present, a History and Guide' by William Robertson, 2nd edition, Rochdale: Schofield and Hoblyn, 1876 (pages 97-105)
This site provides historical information about churches, other places of worship and cemeteries. It has no connection with the churches themselves. For current information you should contact them directly.
Copies of Original Registers
Baptisms
- 1582-1641 held by Lancashire Record Office Searchroom - Printed
- 1582-1641 held by Lancashire Record Office Searchroom - Printed
Marriages
- 1582-1641 held by Lancashire Record Office Searchroom - Printed
- 1582-1641 held by Lancashire Record Office Searchroom - Printed
Burials
- 1582-1641 held by Lancashire Record Office Searchroom - Printed
- 1582-1641 held by Lancashire Record Office Searchroom - Printed
Copies of Bishop's Transcripts
Baptisms
- 1599-1639 held by Lancashire Record Office DRM 2/273-292 - Microfilm
- 1599-1639 held by Lancashire Record Office DRM 2/273-292 - Microfilm
- 1661-1839 held by Lancashire Record Office DRM 2/273-292 - Microfilm
- 1661-1839 held by Lancashire Record Office DRM 2/273-292 - Microfilm
Marriages
- 1599-1639 held by Lancashire Record Office DRM 2/273-292 - Microfilm
- 1599-1639 held by Lancashire Record Office DRM 2/273-292 - Microfilm
- 1661-1836 held by Lancashire Record Office DRM 2/273-292 - Microfilm
- 1661-1836 held by Lancashire Record Office DRM 2/273-292 - Microfilm
Burials
- 1599-1639 held by Lancashire Record Office DRM 2/273-292 - Microfilm
- 1599-1639 held by Lancashire Record Office DRM 2/273-292 - Microfilm
- 1661-1839 held by Lancashire Record Office DRM 2/273-292 - Microfilm
- 1661-1839 held by Lancashire Record Office DRM 2/273-292 - Microfilm
Register Transcripts
Baptisms
- 1582-1616 Lancashire Parish Register Society held by Lancashire Record Office LPRS (M) 20 - Microfiche
- 1582-1616 available from Lancashire Parish Register Society volume M20 - CD
- 1582-1616 Lancashire Parish Register Society held by Lancashire Record Office LPRS (M) 20 - Microfiche
- 1582-1616 available from Lancashire Parish Register Society volume M20 - CD
- 1617-1641 available from Lancashire Parish Register Society volume M28 - CD
- 1617-1641 available from Lancashire Parish Register Society volume M28 - CD
- 1642-1700 Lancashire Parish Register Society held by Lancashire Record Office LPRS 58 62 - Printed
- 1642-1700 available from Lancashire Parish Register Society volume 58 - CD
- 1642-1700 Lancashire Parish Register Society held by Lancashire Record Office LPRS 58 62 - Printed
- 1642-1700 available from Lancashire Parish Register Society volume 58 - CD
- 1894-1899 held by Lancashire Record Office Searchroom - Microfiche
- 1894-1899 held by Lancashire Record Office Searchroom - Microfiche
Marriages
- 1582-1616 Lancashire Parish Register Society held by Lancashire Record Office LPRS (M) 20 - Microfiche
- 1582-1616 available from Lancashire Parish Register Society volume M20 - CD
- 1582-1616 Lancashire Parish Register Society held by Lancashire Record Office LPRS (M) 20 - Microfiche
- 1582-1616 available from Lancashire Parish Register Society volume M20 - CD
- 1617-1641 available from Lancashire Parish Register Society volume M28 - CD
- 1617-1641 available from Lancashire Parish Register Society volume M28 - CD
- 1642-1700 available from Lancashire Parish Register Society volume 58 - CD
- 1642-1700 available from Lancashire Parish Register Society volume 58 - CD
- 1642-1801 Lancashire Parish Register Society held by Lancashire Record Office LPRS 58 62 - Printed
- 1642-1801 Lancashire Parish Register Society held by Lancashire Record Office LPRS 58 62 - Printed
- 1701-1801 available from Lancashire Parish Register Society volume 62 - CD
- 1701-1801 available from Lancashire Parish Register Society volume 62 - CD
Burials
- 1582-1616 Lancashire Parish Register Society held by Lancashire Record Office LPRS (M) 20 - Microfiche
- 1582-1616 available from Lancashire Parish Register Society volume M20 - CD
- 1582-1616 Lancashire Parish Register Society held by Lancashire Record Office LPRS (M) 20 - Microfiche
- 1582-1616 available from Lancashire Parish Register Society volume M20 - CD
- 1617-1641 available from Lancashire Parish Register Society volume M28 - CD
- 1617-1641 available from Lancashire Parish Register Society volume M28 - CD
- 1642-1700 Lancashire Parish Register Society held by Lancashire Record Office LPRS 58 62 - Printed
- 1642-1700 available from Lancashire Parish Register Society volume 58 - CD
- 1642-1700 Lancashire Parish Register Society held by Lancashire Record Office LPRS 58 62 - Printed
- 1642-1700 available from Lancashire Parish Register Society volume 58 - CD
Indexes
Marriages
- 1583-1801 Boyd's Marriage Index held by Lancashire Record Office Boyd - Microfiche
- 1583-1801 Boyd's Marriage Index held by Lancashire Record Office Boyd - Microfiche
- 1813-1837 held by Lancashire Record Office Searchroom - Microfiche
- 1813-1837 held by Lancashire Record Office Searchroom - Microfiche
- 1894-1906 held by Lancashire Record Office Searchroom - Microfiche
- 1894-1906 held by Lancashire Record Office Searchroom - Microfiche
- OpenStreetMap
- Google Maps
- StreetMap (Current Ordnance Survey maps)
- Bing (was Multimap)
- OldMaps (Old Ordnance Survey maps.)
- Old Maps Online (Other old maps.)
- National Library of Scotland (Old Ordnance Survey maps)
- Vision of Britain (Click "Historical units & statistics" for administrative areas.)
- English Jurisdictions in 1851 (Unfortunately the LDS have removed the facility to enable us to specify a starting location, you will need to search yourself on their map.)
- Magic (Geographic information) (Click + on map if it doesn't show)
- GeoHack (Links to on-line maps and location specific services.)