Christ Church, Todmorden

On June 29 1830, the cornerstone for Christ Church, Todmorden was laid amidst great celebrations. A large crowd of people had gathered to hear speeches from local dignitaries and watch the stone being laid. During the ceremony, a rope broke and the stone swung, injuring a spectator and the drummer of the band, William Midgley, breaking his leg. 

Building progressed rapidly and on April 15 1832, the church opened, with Rev. Joseph Cowell appointed vicar. Rev. Cowell had been the main driving force behind the construction of the new church, although he came to regret this. 

The church is a Commissioners Church which was funded by the 1820 Million Pound Act which came into force after a survey had shown that no new churches had been built since the reign of Queen Anne. £1 million (roughly equivalent to £50 million in 2013 terms) was allocated for new churches to be built in industrial areas for the middle and lower classes and the money was found from the indemnity money paid by the French after the Napoleonic Wars. A grant of £3379 was provided to fund the church. 

The church was designed by Lewis Vulliamy, who designed at least 14 Commissioners Churches as well as working on alterations to Rochester Cathedral in the 1840s. The church continued as the parish church of Todmorden until 1992 when St. Marys was re-dedicated and Christ Church closed. The church remained unused until 2003 when it passed into private hands, although during the period when it was unused it was vandalised.