Windows at All Saints'

All Saints' church and several of its stained-glass windows owe their existence to the Wilbraham family of Rode Hall, which is situated a few hundred yards to the west of the church, For many years, the Wilbraham family, worshipped at Astbury church as had the Rodes who had lived before them at Rode Hall. A record of their lives prior to 1864 can be read on the walls of that church. They begin in 1770 with Randle Wilbraham II, the eminent barrister who built the larger portion of Rode Hall and also Mow Cop 'castle'. It was always in the mind of Randle III (1773 - 1861) to provide Odd Rode with its own place of worship. In 1840 he began by buying Dobb 's Chapel then known as St. Thomas' Chapel, which had been built in about 1808 alongside the house in Station Road still known as The Old Parsonage. However, Randle III obviously felt that a much larger church was required and in 1861 he commissioned George Gilbert Scott to design a new church for Rode. All Saints' Church is the result. 'Old Randle', as Randle Wilbraham III was affectionately known, has All Saints' Church as his memorial since it was he who conceived it. Unfortunately he died in the year that construction started, and it was actually built and paid for by his son, Randle Wilbraham IV (young Randle'). 'Old Randle and Sibella's (his wife) memorial is the magnificent reredos situated directly beneath the east window and representing the Last Supper as visualised by Leonardo da Vinci. The memorial to Randle Wilbraham IV is the east window itself. This beautiful and well-loved church is fortunate in having a number of stained glass windows, each of which depicts a scene or story from the Bible.

 

Powered by Church Edit