Historic Church Tours 2018 - Wonders of the North West - BOOKINGS CLOSED

Discover some of our biggest projects and most intimate churches in the North West of England.

BOOKINGS FOR THIS TOUR HAVE NOW CLOSED

Day 1: Our overnight tour of the North West begins at St Edmunds, Falinge. An extraordinary church tucked away in a quiet area of Greater Manchester, Pevsner describes it as “Rochdale’s Temple to Freemasonry”. Masonic symbolism features heavily in the architecture and location of the church; will you be able to decipher it all?

All Souls', Bolton, our next stop on tour, is a success story of our regeneration work. A Victorian masterpiece returned to the community, its west tower soars over the nearby terraced houses, projecting a Cathedral-like quality.

Another of our regeneration successes awaits for us immediately afterwards. Christ Church, Waterloo, has, for over a century guided sailors into the Mersey estuary with its pink sandstone tower. Since its reopening in 2016, the church is now a vibrant community-led events venue. We conclude our first day at the Albert Docks with plenty of opportunity to rest and relax after a busy day’s exploring.

Day 2: St Mary’s, Thornton Le Moors, is our first visit of Day 2. The church dates from the 14th century and it is believed that it sits on the site of a previous pre-Conquest place of worship.

The ancient church of St Werbrugh, Warburton, is a particularly special church in our collection as it is one of only 27 timber-framed churches remaining in England. Despite being so close to the Manchester Ship Canel and M6, this 1,000-year-old church is still very much a secluded place of peace.

The nearby church of St George’s, Greater Manchester, is an unexpected discovery and an oasis of calm among its modern surroundings. A simple oblong building with a small apse, St George’s offers a fitting conclusion to our exploration of some of our finest North West churches.

Meeting point and timings: Meet at Manchester Piccadilly train station at 10.00 on Day 1, returning to the train station by 17.00 on Day 2.

What is included: Overnight tours include lunch on both days, entrance fees to non-CCT sites where appropriate, travel to and from the named station to each of the listed sites as well as breakfast, dinner and overnight accommodation.

How to book: The easiest way to book is online, simply click on the ‘Book Now’ button above and complete the online booking process. Alternatively, download and print a booking form, returning it to us at ‘The Churches Conservation Trust, Society House, 8 All Saints Street, London, N1 9RL’, or call us on 0800 206 1463 (Mon-Fri; 09.30-17.00).

Once your booking has been processed, you will be sent a booking confirmation. Your tour itinerary, which will provide you with more detailed tour information including approximate timings of the day, will be sent to you 7-10 days before the start of the tour.

Please note: On all of our tours there is at the very least a fair amount of walking, quite often over worn and uneven surfaces. They are not suitable for anyone with difficulties with everyday walking and stair climbing. All tour details are correct at the time of publication. In the event that details are changed, guests will be notified as soon as possible.

If you have any concerns or questions relating to the tour then please call us on 0800 206 1463 or email us at [email protected].