We were Parrs Wood Road (1928-1980)

Parrs Wood Road Congregational Church opened on 24 October 1931 with the intention of functioning as a temporary church until a new building could be erected alongside. It was then to serve as a church hall and Sunday School. The planned church never materialised, so this building has continued to serve as the church and is now known as Christ Church URC. It is situated on Parrs Wood Road just to the north of Fog Lane. Architect John Swarbrick was commissioned to build the original planned church also, but if so, no plans or sketches have been found.  Given Swarbrick’s interest in the provision and disposition of light, he employed some interesting effects in this building. The ceilings are in the form of vaults springing from red sand-faced brick walls, and these are penetrated by tall clerestory windows. Much of the artificial lighting was concealed, with hidden floodlights illuminating the choir.

 

 

 

Christ Church, Parrs Wood Road, Manchester

The Congregational Church joined with the Presbyterian Church in 1972 to become the URC and the church changed its name to Parrs Wood Road URC. At Easter 1980 it lost its independent status and became part of Christ Church URC. On the closure of Green End there was another name change to Christ Church South Manchester

In 2004 a founder member of the congregation, Bernard Cowley, wrote a pamphlet about the history of Parrs Wood Road, from which the photographs above are taken

N.B. There's a lot more of the story to tell, which will be added when time permits.

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