Church of St Mary the Virgin, Bury
| Church of St Mary the Virgin, Bury | |
|---|---|
|
Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin, Bury | |
  Church of St Mary the Virgin, Bury Location in Greater Manchester | |
| Coordinates: 53°35′38″N 2°17′50″W / 53.5940°N 2.2971°W | |
| OS grid reference | SD 80433 10863 |
| Location |
The Rock, Bury, Greater Manchester |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | Bury Parish Church |
| History | |
| Dedication | Virgin Mary |
| Architecture | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II |
| Designated | 10 November 1951 |
| Architect(s) |
J. S. Crowther (1870 alterations) |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Clergy | |
| Rector | Revd. Dr John Findon |
The Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin is located in the town centre of Bury, Greater Manchester, England. It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade II listed building.[1]
History
Church records suggest that the first church was built on the site in 971 A.D. when parishes were first formed by King Edgar of England, although this is likely to have been a wood and thatch structure. Churches of this type of construction are thought to have been used until a church in the gothic style was completed in 1585. Between 1773 and 1780 the main body of this church was demolished and rebuilt leaving only the spire from the original church. The spire was replaced in 1842 but by 1870 the wood in the rest of the church had rotted and a new building was needed. The new church designed by the architect J. S. Crowther, leaving the 1842 spire in place, was officially opened on the Feast of the Annunciation on 2 February 1876.[2]
In July 2013 a military funeral for murdered British soldier Lee Rigby took place at the church, attended by thousand of mourners including Prime Minister David Cameron.[3]
Music
The tradition of the choir at Bury Parish Church remains as integral as it was when it first began. The choir consists of a strong adult section accompanied by an ever expanding junior choir which is trained in weekly music theory as well as for the various national choral awards. The choir has travelled the country with recent tours to Windsor Castle, Worcester Cathedral, Edinburgh Cathedral and Bristol Cathedral. A visit to Canterbury Cathedral is planned for 2013. The choristers perform bi-annually in "Come and Sing" performances of Handel's Messiah and Mozart's Requiem, with soloists chosen from the choir members. Recently the choir was heralded as 'best looking choristers in the country,' with special mention made of the meticulousness of the soprano and alto sections.
See also
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to St. Mary the Virgin (Bury). |