A church 184 years old and its crypt that isn't a crypt. Where Mendelssohn played.
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 15 เม.ย. 2023
- In this video we visit St Lukes church on Cheetham hill road in Manchester. The church was built in 1839 making it 184 years old. It stands whats left of it abandoned in a terrible state of repair. The main part intact is the undercroft or what may have been a crypt but its more likely an undercroft. This used to be one of Manchesters richest churches. The composer Mendelssohn played here on its organ. He played here in 1847. It was reported in the Manchester Guardian. The old graveyard is a sight to see and we look at some of the old graves. We also find a connection between two names in this historic video about English manchester history.
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I think that Menedlssohn must have been more than just 'fatigued' on 24th April 1847, because on the 8th of November in the same year he died. According to Wikipedia, his final tour of Britain left him exhausted and ill. In May his sister Fanny died and he himself died of a series of strokes soon after. He was 38 years old.
Thank you for bringing us this additional information about Mendelssohn, I was aware that he died young but I did not know what of. Such a fine composer.
'not at all well on April 24th 1847....quietly composting on the 9th of November...'
They're decomposing composers.
There's nothing much anyone can do.
You can still hear Beethoven,
But Beethoven cannot hear you.
Martin, that introduction was pure magic! I could hear the excitement in your voice when you mentioned counting up your tips and Dad throwing in 50p. Pure gold! Even sitting in the car waiting for Dad to finish his pint with your crisps and a bottle of Coke might of seemed dull and boring at the time but I bet when you look back on it now you wouldn't have traded those times for anything. I remember similar times with my old Dad, delivering potatoes in the back of an old Bedford van and getting some delicious chips wrapped in newspaper as reward! Thanks for bringing back the memories Martin, you are a treasure!
Cheers Mark 👍
Yes, I enjoyed that too. I think a lot of people of a certain age will identify with this. It brought it back to mind so vividly.
When I heard you speak about your parents I thought about my own Dad and Mom. Men do cry. The memory of the finest people helps me to survive.❤
Think about my parents daily, I was lucky to have them.
Martin, would you care to do a walk around Southern Cemetery for a video find some of the famous people interred there, and a little bit of biography?
My mum and dad got married there just after the war thanks Martin another great video 👍
Great intro, lovely place, such a shame it's been left, the bombed out church in Liverpool is also named St Lukes and is used for many open air events, would be good to see this church used in the same way. 👍
Shame they can't sort grounds out make a picnic/memorial Gardens and remedial work by the heritage people
They could news the large stone graves as picnic tables.
@Bob Bobby bit weird but an idea
Great video Martin, I passed the remains of this church for many years and wondered about the history of it!. Also, my dad had a chippy on Cheetham Hill Road in the 70's, maybe that's where your pie and chips came from!
Great Martin ... Thanks for keeping this history alive.
The history we get told and the past are two very different things.
I remember express dairies on Elizabeth st chetham hill, I also used to deliver milk and did collecting on a Friday Evening in Whitefield/ besses oth barn, Heaton Park area. Your dad will have no doubt known Phil Peters who I helped from the age of 6 onwards back in the early 1970"s. Used to go back to the Dairy with him on many occasions. So a lot of memories of that came flooding back, he drove one of the 3 wheeler electric milk floats that would look alien today. You never know our paths may have crossed at the dairy as I guess we're very similar in age.
really enjoyed the brew time segment! great video all round! thanks boys
Another treasure Martin, thank you, I always look forward to your videos as you make them so interesting.
Great memories Martin. Thanks gentlemen.
Nice one martin always a pleasure to watch.thanks
Thanks Marin, another great video with lots of personal information as well.
Love it Martin, great summary of the history of the church and the people who frequented it.
That was really good, again Martin. Thanks!
Good Job Martin, I enjoy the work and research you put into to these vids, like a mini documentary.
Thank you Martin for your video. I stumbled upon a footnote in a presentation about Robert Whitehead (an English engineer) that he worked as an apprentice at Richard Ormerod & Sons company in 1839 - 1844.
Great story. Sad to see graveyards in that state. Thanks Martin, James and the crew. Wonderful history.
Think of all the stories that could be told by each headstone and crypt.
Martin, this vid made me think of your "The Grave Rober and The Ginnel" and "Stories from beyond the Grave" videos. Boy those were 5 years back, amazing.....
Would be nice if the cemetery could be cleaned a bit and maintained.
James, that's a big egg. And that's no "yolk"
Nice to see you today, along with James. Always great videos to watch. Thank you for the church and churchyard tours also. See you on the next. Cheers Martin and James! 😊😊
Felix Mendelssohn wrote a piece of music 🎵🎶 called The Rivulet. I was walking through the small Welsk village of Rhyddymn near Mold 20 years ago, when I saw an unusual sight. 10 Jewish men and a rabbi in traditional gear looking at a stone plaque. Off the went down the road heading for the small local river. The plaque stated Felix Mendelssohn had written that music after seeing that local river
Did you visit the mustard gas factory whilst you were there?
@@brianartillery I certainly did, and well before it was turned into a sudo museum. We got in under the wire. When I saw the group of traditional Jews, all I knew about was the mustard gas factory..... and I thought 🤔🤔
@@brianartillery Martin should visit the place and the river
I was staring at the remains of this church for many years now, going in front of it every second week now. Thanks for this video, you made a great explore and history lesson again.
Thanks for bringing these places out of darkness and oblivion. Your videos are always super interesting, entertaining and educational (I had no idea what kind of tea is preferred by guard dogs). Great video!
That was a really special video with its personal connection to you Martin and thanks for sharing those memories from your childhood. “Hi” and “thanks” to all of you guys too for that interesting tour. Very sad to see the demise of this once proud church and as you went around it I wondered what ha happened to its windows and, if they were stained glass, if they’d been saved. I hope they weren’t vandalised or stolen. Lovely little brew interlude in James’ kitchen and James your wee dog is adorable. All lovely and thank you!
So nice to see that there are others like me who love graveyards, especially old ones.
I just love to wander round them and read all the headstones. When people who are visiting loved ones graves and see me walking around the graveyard they tend to just stare at me as if I'm a weirdo or crazy 😄 even my other half thinks its weird that I like them !
I just find them so interesting and tranquil and can spend hours there !
Just found your channel, second video I've watched, looking forward to watching more as you seem like really nice down to earth guys so have subscribed 😊👍
Thanks very much Carol 👍
Much better that the deceased be noted and honoured in recognition that just forgotten and disregarded.
I often find myself drawn to particular graves and then go looking for details of the name(s) displayed and frequently find obituaries and probate records, they seem to outnumber the simple two or three line death announcements found in newspapers.
@@glenjones6980 That's what I do too Glen 😊 I come home and Google details but sadly I've only ever found anything substantial a few times. If you know any good websites where you've found good information please let me know as I absolutely love to look up the history of people's lives. I also go out walking in the countryside a lot, I am drawn to overgrown ground, off the pathways, where people rarely tread and often find remains of buildings, so I come home and try to find out what it was etc.
I'm just fascinated by *anything* old, my favourite TV show is Antiques Roadshow, and I love Time Team etc too. I've just found Martin's channel and I love it 😊
@carol3073 @glenjones6980 I do the same. I walk around and wonder about the lives of the people named on the graves. It makes you appreciate being alive 👍
Another history video keep making the videos. Martin and the team 👍
Is it possible that the bricked up arch was a crypt that the family paid to have bricked up before the church was decommissioned?
Another great episode, very interesting, especially the intro about your milk run-more local history! Many thanks
Great video as ever guys...sad to see such a beautiful building is such a mess...back in the time...they seemed to die at young ages with those graves you showed us....and timmy your adorable hope we will be seeing you out this james and martin...my Sunday is complete now I have watched your video...luv you guys
Thanks brilliant as always , timmy the dog is lovely 😍💕
Lovely vid. Thanks guys!
Great video, as always, Martin. One thing: how did such a grand building get in such a sorry state? A fire? The Luftwaffe? I wonder if the great Fred Dibnah was familiar with that tower and steeple?
Nice to hear your happy memories of your dad, too.
Nice one.
Partially demolished in the 70s because of dry rot in some timbers according to a website I found. They used to demolish just about anything in the 70s for laughs.
Neglect and indifference destroy more history than willful intents
"such a sorry state?"
It was a bit of thing to demolish the back ends of churches in the Manchester area but leave the front and tower standing so the skyline is sort of the same.
@@emm_arr I agree, The Stowell Spire is a good example in Salford.
Great video Martin 😊 Thank you
Richard Richardson Harding, whose grave Martin looked at, was the fourth son of John Harding of Red Hill in Cumbria, and died aged 40 (“in the prime of life, much lamented”). He lived at 32 Cottenham Street which I think is not far from the route of the Cornbook (another of Martin’s videos explores the Cornbrook which is now almost completely in a culvert underground).
So sad that churches are no longer used as they once were.
Thank you for taking the time to film, find out information and sharing these places.
Love Timmy, and James for allowing him to share his cuppa with him. I always say "Everything tastes better with dog hair in it!" .
Been subbed for a while, found you via friends Model Maker Mick/Manchester mudlarks. I find your videos fascinating…the research, memories and videography completely compelling. I also rate Yorkshire tea #1. 🙂
Great video, even my country of Australia got a mention. The graves at the end were a nice way to end the video! Always enjoy your videos Martin!
Really enjoyed that visit thankyou for taking us. Love your little dog James. Glad he likes a cuppa to share with you. Lol take care
I do love your videos, I’m a Brit now living in Australia. You bring some lovely normality to this crazy world.
The Undercroft reminds me of the undercroft in my hometown church. The First Presbyterian Church in Gilbertsville NY. Built in 1888. Excellent video!
Hi Martin, that was a great intro, thanks very much for sharing it👏👏.
Enjoyed seeing and reading the gravestones you certainly managed to find a link to one of them, well done!! My Uncle published a book entitled Epitaphs it's a collection of the unusual ones found all over the world, some funny, some sad all interesting to read.
Let's hope the remains of the church can be stabilized some if those columns looked very dodgy.
Great video as always, good luck from Spain!!
Martin those upside down arches in the undercroft are structural as they prevented subsidence
Absolutely fascinating Martin! Keep up the good work.
Thank you 👍
Would have been spectacular to see the church during its glory days. You guys are always fun to watch! Take care. 👏👍
Great videos, I'm from the US, but I appreciate you gentlemen keeping history alive. Thanks.
Fantastic video thanks Martin. I’m so surprised the graveyard is in such disrepair. They need to gather volunteers to clean it up. Loved that thanks and thanks for taking me along. Please take care
Great video Martin, really intriguing all those grave stones have a hidden story.
I was getting into your reminiscing at the beginning of the vid, you see the pics but never get the personal content, thanks for that short insight👍👍 Overgrown graveyards give me the creeps, we'll done!!!!
...and I continued, asking it when it blew down in 1960s... Here is the answer... St Luke's Church on Cheetham Hill Road in Manchester lost its spire in 1967. The spire was damaged in a storm in 1966 and it was decided to demolish it rather than repair it. The church was built in 1839 and it is a Grade II listed building. The spire was 150 feet tall and it was a landmark in the Cheetham Hill area. Its loss was a significant event for the community.
How about the rest of the building? Which came first; destruction or disuse?
@@zamistro I expect it was the start of the decline. I did think that the masonry inside the church may have been the remains of the spire but haven't been able to find any info.
Such a charming intro.... warmed me cockles!
Thank you for bringing us this very interesting and informative video presentation which is very much appreciated. Notwithstanding the condition of the church building, the grave stones are in excellent condition and very easy to read compared to others of a similar age. The slate one was a particularly nice touch. One wonders when the church started going downhill, as it were, it almost looks as though it was bombed, was it all merely due to the elements? You have done a great service in preserving at least a part of the building and indeed the lives of a few of the members of St. Luke's in an audio visual form. The gravestones of the era certainly contained a lot more biographical information than current one's do.
The church was originally a very well constructed building it seemed Martin, and of grand architecture. How a building like this could become into neglect like this, and lot of the gravestones all over the place, too. The undercroft is amazing how it was constructed, so solid. Anyhow, it's another one of those great Manchester videos that you do - exceptional, and so, many thanks.
It is such a shame a historic church has fallen into such a state of decay. Being listed does not mean that it will ever be restored. History was made here with Mendelssohn playing the church's organ. Such is the respect that most do not ever give the respect the objects of the past deserve. Martin, more people need to understand the past as you do and then maybe the future might be brighter than it is today.
I have so much respect for what you do. And that is why I watch what you produce. Thank you.
Excellent effort Martin!
They have some work to do for sure!
That Enormous Egg was a sign to egg you on to further explorations!
I reckon it had nice acoustics at one point in time if Mendelssohn performed there...
Thanks you, Martin, for nice video see you next time
Excellent video Martin very interesting indeed. Love your doggie James .
I really enjoyed that thanks, I enjoy looking at gravestones, we have tons in London dotted here and there or even public spaces with the old stones still there or placed on the sides. Shame the families are long gone and forgotten of those of resting places. It’s a shame that there’s such neglect to those places here. I’ve seen in other countries where families tend their ancestors graves and regularly visit which is nice. My ex missus, regularly places flowers, does a bit of tidying up to her to a good few of her relatives’ graves as she’s traced them back to the Norman era dotted all over East Anglia.
Hope James’ puppy don’t make him I’ll lol, I scrunched my face up when I saw him share his tea lol
My dad was a milk man with express dairy's at Elisabeth st in cheetham hill dairy between early 70s till around 1982 as I can remember and I used to go on his round with him in Langley and Middleton.
Yeah we worked out of Elizabeth street
Also did the milk round with my dad back in the 70's round Belfast, Was somewhat lively as you can imagine ! Brilliant content as ever 👍
Well done Martin keep up the good work follow all your vide would ov loved to met you in person live round the corner
Enjoyed hearing a little bit of your good childhood memories!
Thanks Martin!!!!!good 👍👍👍
Love this explore, great you managed to find some of the history of the people there too. Sad to see people's final resting places, left to neglect and ruin. The bombed out church in Liverpool that James went to is also called St Lukes and is in the city centre. Bombed in WW2, it stands as a memorial to the Blitz (Liverpool being the most heavily bombed city outside London). My family lived through it, could tell you some stories.... anyway the remains of the church are used for art events etc. And I wouldn't worry about James catching anything from Timmy's tea, I'd be more worried about Timmy catching something from James! 😂
Fantastic vid, Martin. My late Mum was originally from Kennet House Flats, Smedly Lane, then moved on to Monsall Estate. I know she would of loved to of watched this vid, if she was still with us. Thank you for sharing
Kennet house, that was famous wasnt it, built like a ship ?
@@MartinZero Yes it was, nick named due to the tiered architecture. It was on the corner junction at the end of Smedley Lane & Hazelbottom Road. I’ve heard many stories and believed it was a really close knit & happy community of residents too.
Great intro Martin. I grew up in the 70/80s in Cheetham Hill on Salford Brow flats which became Elvate crescent. Played in the grounds of St Albans church which was knocked down for housing.
I remember driving my van trying to find Salford Brow
Thanks Martin, this was a great video and the fact that you were in your Dads car with a bag of crisps brings it all back to me when my Dad used to take me to watch Bury at Gigg Lane and he'd park his car at the "Help me through" pub while he had a pint on the way there. It's a shame that the beautiful old church is now derelict like a lot of Christian houses of worship have been abandoned then lots of structures have been built that look like Aladins Lamps. Take care and all the best. Stevie
Lovely memories at the beginning. Strange how the headstones are not weather worn or damaged and yet the church is in bits. Like James I love old graveyards.
Thanks guys for another good one. Can't say I've ever noticed that church before when driving along Cheetham Hill Road. I probably will do now however, as I'll be looking out for it.
My first thoughts of John Watson going to Australia after his wife had died made me wonder, was he sent there on criminal transportation for some underhand goings on regards Mary.? It does seem however that Melbourne did have a lot of iron house structures at that time and he probably did go there as an iron house businessman. I'm not sure why I was so cynical but transportation was still active until the mid-to late 1800's I think so .that was the first thing that sprung to mind .....!!
I have to say that the necrophilia mention made me almost spit my drink out in surprise !!!
James drinking out of that cup straight after Timmy the dog had been lapping away at it too! Really? Yuk. I'm not one for sharing my drinking/food utensils with the canine species personally so it was another surprise!
Very interesting. Thank you.
What an amazing place. You guys never make a bad video. What a shame that no one is caring to consolidate the church. The undercroft area is awesome. 👍🇬🇧
Hi Martin
Great video ta just a quickie I was also a milkman at Hiller Street Express diaries. I was only there a short time as Elizabeth street opened in the early 70s. My round also was in Cheetham Hill round 23. I delivery to a cafe on Cheetham Hill Rd.
The supervisor at Elizabeth Street call me the dawn patrol as I used to be at the dairy at 4.45 am and was finished and back home by 9.30am.
I remember the church and served a lot of Jewish customers remember changing many light bulbs in the Jewish Sabbath happy days
Cheers keep the faith Dorset Andy 🐝🐝
Cheers Andy. Yes we worked out of Elizabeth street 👍
"Auditors" was used in an older currency:
[The word auditor can mean (as its etymology would suggest) a person who hears or listens. ]
I'm fascinated by this episode, as it is so reminiscent on my youth in London as a child.
I lived close to St Luke's and we used to play in the grave yard at nights. Under the church there was a crypt. I went in there around 1962 when the gate was left open one night. As you walked in the crypt there was a narrow corridor with tombs on three or four levels on either side. Each tomb was just wide enough for a coffin to be slipped in. They were closed up with a small stone with the details of the occupant carved into them. From your video, I can see that the tombs have been removed and the corridor demolished. I did not venture to far into the place because it was very scary. So there may have been more corridors. I remember it well.
Martin, in the 70s my dad had a weekend job driving taxi's in Macclesfield. I used to be with him every Saturday and the customers used to give me all the tips. Great days mate. Thanks for the memory. 👍👍
You might be interested in the General Cemetery in Sheffield. Also Wardsend which is split by a railway line.
Hi martin. I used yo live across the road on the corner of Bellott street and Cheetham hill road in the 60s . The house we lived in is no longer there. it was 409 Cheetham hill road. thank's for the upload. Mike
thanks for the video Martin, I went past this church many a time as a kid on my way to school. One thing that came to me was all the building were black with soot in those days, it came as a surprise to me when they were cleaned and lovely limestone and sandstone was revealed. I notice from the older pics ( 1959) that this church was also black with soot, but at some time later it was cleaned. I also wonder what happened to Glass in the widows
Excellent video Martin, I love these fascinating explores.
Although, Surprise Surprise, another Grade 2 Listed Building being left to basically fall down so the land can be sold off for a housing development.
The irony though, that the one thing keeping that building up is the Crypt underneath it!
I hate seeing graveyards left to get in this state, regardless of whether the Church is active or not. Wouldn't it be great for a few landscapers/volunteers to get together and clean this place up, as I'm sure the neighbours would appreciate it, and it would be less of an attraction for the few less desirable people among us
Thank you for sharing your childhood memories Martin, I've got the same sort of memories as you Sat in a car with Crisps and a bottle of Shandy also a very sad and interesting video , Thank you.
Very interesting video, Martin. Interesting the connection with Mendelssohn. That piece of music by Mendelssohn that you played at the beginning, was "Spring Song" one of his" songs without words". It was originally going to be called" "Camberwell Green" as he composed it whilst staying in a house on Denmark Hill, close to where I was born in Kings College Hospital , SE London, in fact there was a plaque explaining that in Ruskin Park , nearby, now lost
Always wanted to explore these ruins myself. Thank you so much for this video.
Good video this Martin I used to live in cheetham hill myself on keer house they made into houses now I've often walked past st Luke's church shame it's been abandoned like that interesting to see the grave stones & the dates on them brill video m8 👍
Got bloody mugged on a street just off Smedley Lane in the 90’s, about 96/97.
Had an old derelict Church we used to mess around in as kids next to Smithfield Market in the 80’s, used to use the old oil lit roadworks lamps as lights that we’d nick on the way, only took one or two, there was only the ground floor, basement and crypt left.
Brilliant again thank you
Great video yet again that old Church is way past repair. I particularly like your introduction telling the story of collecting the milk money tied in lovely with the black and white photos.
Another great video, Martin and gang!👍 Maybe I'm a bit weird but I do find crumbling old churches and neglected graveyards places of tranquility and having a certain beauty (provided, of course that they haven't been heavily vandalised or used as a dumping ground). If the structure could be made safe and the graveyard prevented from being overtaken by brambles, with the correct floodlighting, it could be made into a public space where people could go and sit for a bit of thoughtful reflection or just to chill and relax. Then again, where would the money come from 🤔
Evening Martin. Cracking video. Yes I agree, it seems abit unlikely it to be a Crypt, what with those tiny narrow steps to have to carry deceased down 😢, but you never know.
Another great vlog, amazing historical building, wish the herotage people would do something about it
Kidalkin pub looked like a place from my dreams, kind of looking at that time I always imagine it probably was a bit less crowded and maybe a bit more cleaner? Anyway, another great episode. But what happened to the church I wonder, in 1959 you still had a picture of it? Did it burn down or something? Or was it a different church in the picture. While some might find it weird, graveyard tourism is a thing, the old gravestones not just tell a bit about history, they also are beautiful. These days people seldom have something spectacular like the old gravestones with interesting inscriptions. As long as you walk respectfully there is no harm in it. Sadly this place looks long gone. What a shame.
Great video, aww I love Timmy and he reminds me of Sweep 🐶
Really enjoyed this video, so interesting.
Do you ever get much grief off people/security wondering what you are up to?
Also, Timmy 😍 More of him please!
that place, cleaned up, and back-lit, amongst the ruins, would make a spectacular evening wedding venue....
Hi thanks for an informative video more of this variety keep up so with your wonderful videos have a good life 😊😊😊👍👍👻
Aye... a new one.... Timmy Oh yes... Wonderful video Martin, and Jamie......
Very interesting to see the skeleton of this old structure. I was particularly intrigued by the large circular designs in the undercroft brickwork. Especially at 15:40, when we see that a wall has been built perpendicular to it. You mentioned they might be portals of some kind. Very odd. I appreciated your introduction to the video. Also the segment when James shows off his egg. They add a personal feeling to the whole thing.
I'm thinking they are structural. The circle is composed of two arches and together they distribute the massive load of bricks above. There's no need for timbers or steel for support above the recesses/air shafts.
@@michaelszczygiel2069 That totally makes sense. Thanks!
That slate grave was beautiful.
I’m sure there was sign a few years back warning about the Knotweed so I presume that’s had a big affect on its state.,good video,..never hear that much about cheetham hill but it has such an interesting past and as this video proves!!love it👍
Thanks for this