The Church of St Oswald’s, which has been described as ‘a gem of Arts and Crafts architecture’, was built in 1907 and consecrated on 22nd October 1908.
St Oswald’s is the Church of England Parish Church of Bollington, hosting civic services, and national services marking royal occasions. It is Bollington’s Church where everyone who lives in Bollington can have weddings, funerals and christenings. It is a place filled with love where many memories are made and treasured.
St Oswald’s is a well-loved, well-used, warm and welcoming building. Historically it has never had pews, today it has comfy chairs in a wonderful, flexible, colourful, light and airy space. Located next to Bollington Cross School, whose children come in regularly, St Oswald’s is a happy place where children’s voices are heard.
The building has a sound system, hearing loop, modern kitchen and toilets and good level access where disability scooters can drive straight in and always have space.
Outside, the large mosaic on the wall was completed in 2014, 850 people from across the parish helped to create it, overseen by a local artist. The car park belongs to the school, but is available for church use on a Sunday and in holidays.
Historically, St Oswald’s (1908) was the newest building of the three C of E churches in Bollington Parish, with St John-the-Baptist’s on Church St consecrated first in June 1834 and Holy Trinity Mission Church in Kerridge dedicated in January 1898.
However, Bollington’s attendance at church was not as great as had been hoped and eventually St John’s closed in 2003 and Holy Trinity Kerridge closed in 2009. When both St John’s and Holy Trinity buildings became redundant they were de-consecrated and sold for residential use.
Bollington has it’s own vicarage, a spacious modern house beautifully located in the heart of Bollington next to the River Dean.
The parish graveyard on Church St (other than a part alongside Church St) still belongs to the Parish Church. There is no space for new graves, although further burials in existing graves still take place. There is lots of space for the burial of ashes which happen regularly. The good maintenance of the graveyard is funded as a gift to the community by the congregation at St Oswald’s.
(A book about the history of the building is on sale at the back of the church.)