Historical Facts
When the nineteenth century opened there were three churches in Sheffield;
● The Mother Church St Peter (pre-reformation) now the Cathedral [See Details]
● St Paul's built 1721 by subscription
● St James's 1789 built by pew proprietary
with three ancient chapels;
Attercliffe (1630) Ecclesall (13th Century) Shrewsbury Hospital Chapel
Up to the year 1846 Sheffield was one huge Parish. In addition to the three churches mentioned, there were four large churches built under the Million Act, namely;
● St Georges (1825)
● Christ Church, Attercliffe (1826)
● St Philip's (1828)
● St Mary's Bramall Lane (1830)
However the Parish of Sheffield remained undivided until 1846. The Ecclesiastical Commissioners with sanction of the Privy Council determined that it should be divided into 25 Parishes.
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● Gillcar (St Silas) ● St George ● Hollis Croft (St Luke) ● Netherthorpe (St Stephen) ● Moorfield (St Jude) ● St James ● St Philip ● Crookes (St Thomas) ● Fulwood (Christ Church) ● Ecclesall (All Saints) ● St Mary ● Broomhall (St Marks) |
Several of the districts were Not provided with churches until some years later, services being held in mission rooms and schools. In 1855 the Archbishop of York (Dr Musgrove) constituted the Parish of Sheffield a separate Deanery.
This information has been condensed from the book 'Fifty Years of Sheffield Church Life', by Canon Wm. Odom.
See 'Parish Records Links' for more helpful information and 'Other Church of England & Non-Conformist Records for Sheffield' for a list of Parishes, Churches and the location of their records.
SHEFFIELD PARISH CHURCH (CATHEDRAL)
Photo courtesy of Ann Halford
"There has been a church on the site of the present day Cathedral since William de Lovetot, a Norman, from the time of Henry 1st (1100-1135). Before this, there may have been a small wooden church on this site where a Saxon Cross was erected in 825. The Cross was removed by the order of Elizabeth 1st and is currently in the British Museum.
During the Civil War the town was sacked and burnt and the Church and Castle were destroyed. The church was rebuilt and in 1280 was dedicated to SS Peter & Paul.
In 1556 Parish Registers were commenced where all baptisms, marriages and burials were recorded.
In 1650 the Puritans, who disliked music in churches, silenced the organ. The Church was now called the Trinity Church and continued to be called that right up to the beginning of the 1800's".
This is a condensed excerpt taken from "Old Sheffield Town" by J Edward Vickers.
The Parish Church became the Cathedral in 1914. [see photos]
More Sheffield History
Sheffield Indexers, Sheffield History
Sheffield Indexers collection of links to historical Sheffield including; Sheffield History, Laws & Acts, Living & Working Conditions, Historical Land & Buildings, Sheffield Flood and War Memories.
Sheffield Indexers, Other Historical Info
Sheffield Indexers collection of links to more articles of interest relating to Sheffield including; Sheffield Stories, Newspaper Articles, Editorials, General Interests, Sheffield Rhymes Etc, Cherished Sheffield Family Memories, Recipes of Olde Yorkshire, Old Sheffield Picture Post Cards and Yorkshire Expressions
