The Parish
St Mary's, which opened in 1898, is one of six churches in Alsager, which has a population of just under 13,000. There are two Anglican parishes, our own and Christ Church; they are roughly equal in size.
Since the closure of the Alsager campus of Manchester Metropolitan University, St Mary's is the largest building in the town, comfortably seating around 400 and with a total capacity of some 200 more. A modest re-ordering in 2002 replaced fixed seating with a flexible arrangement and introduced a nave altar. The building was re-wired and re-lit in 2008, when a new sound system was installed. What remains most striking is the light, generous interior designed well over 100 years ago in neo-perpendicular by J L Austin (the architect of St George's, Stockport). Its scale belies the modesty of the exterior, where Austin's aesthetic suffers but our budgeting benefits from our early benefactors' running out of money before being able to add a tower and steeple.
The parish contains two primary schools – Alsager Highfields and Excalibur, who both make regular use of the building and the clergy. There is a small industrial estate and a large factory – Twyfords. This is currently downsizing and shedding workers. A major development is planned for the site.
The housing is more or less equally split between council-built (for munitions workers brought here during the War); modest terraced and semi-detached (originally occupied by railway workers) and detached family homes built in the 1970's and 80's.
There is a scattering of substantial Victorian and Edwardian villas built for the owners and managers of pottery works in Stoke.
Medically, the town is served by two surgeries and a number of clinics, occupying a single building – our new Health Centre. Several members of our congregation work in a voluntary capacity on the patient panel and as part of the listening service.
St Mary's hosts most of the local civic services, including the Remembrance Sunday parade. We also host large funerals conducted by ministers of other denominations.
Parish Streets
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Ashenhurst Road Ashmeads Close & Mews Ashmore’s Lane Audley Road Avon Court (1-13 only) Bailey Court Bankside Court Barleycroft Barratt Road Belgrave Avenue Berkeley Avenue Birch Avenue Bladon Crescent Blenheim Court Caldy Road (barring 2-8, even nos) Cavendish Crescent (barring 1-9) Cedar Court (with Hawthorne Court) Centre Court Chestnut Drive Clowes Avenue Craig Walk Cresswellshawe Road Crewe Road (to Church Road) Cross Street Curzon Avenue Davies Close East Court Eaton Road Edwards Way Elm Grove Elsby Road Fairview Avenue Fields Close Fields Road Fieldway Foden Avenue Green Drive Greenfields Drive Grosvenor Avenue Grove Court Hazel Grove Heath View Holly Lane Ivy lane Jamieson Close Joseph Crescent Lawton Road Leaway |
Leicester Avenue (1-25 odds; 2-38 evens) Lester Close Lime Grove Linley Grove Linley Lane Linley Road Longview Avenue Lynton Place Maple Avenue Meadowcroft Meads Road Mere Court Mere Lake Road Moorhouse Avenue Nelson Grove Oak Avenue Orchard Court Percy James Close Pine Court Poolside Court Poplar Drive Rowan Close Russell Avenue Sandbach Rd North (up to 128 even nos & 133 odds) Sandbach Rd South (incl. Homeshire House) Shady Grove St Andrew’s Gardens Stanley Court Station Road (odd nos.) Sycamore Avenue Talke Road (incl. Brooke Villas) The Avenue The Butts The Fairway (barring 1-5, odd nos) The Plex The Rode Thomas Close Wayside Wesley Avenue West Grove Wilbrahams Way Willow Court Winston Avenue Woodland Court Woodside Avenue Wordsworth Way Yew Tree Court |