Stalybridge New St George, Cheshire Genealogy

History
Until the 18th century the Manor of Staley formed part of the parish of St Michael and All Angels, Mottram. The first church to be built in Stalybridge was Old St George's church, Cocker hill which was consecrated by the Bishop of Chester on 25 July, 1776. The church collapsed on 15 May, 1778. After the Industrial revolution, the rising population and the settlement of people from various parts of the country meant that Stalybridge became a centre for a wide range of denominations and sects. The history of these churches in the town is complex, with some churches having occupied many different sites. The influence of the churches in the town remained strong well into the twentieth century and formed part of the basis of Stalybridge's sense of identity.

The first Methodist chapel was erected in 1802 on the corner of Chapel Street and Rassbottom Street.. The Baptist chapel, King Street was opened by the Particular (Ebenezer) Baptists. This chapel was subsequently occupied by the Congregational Church on 3 October, 1830. The Particular (Ebenezer) Baptists moved to a new chapel on Cross Leech Street on 28 October, 1828.

Due to the geography of the town parishes on either side of the river are in the counties of Cheshire (the historical county) and Lancashire.

It is neccessary to view the individual parish pages for the town to locate the history and records for each parish and the church history.

Churches and Chapels in the town
St George's is the parish church on the Lancashire side of the river in the Diocese of Manchester. It is known as New St George's and its foundation stone was laid on 24 June, 1840. On the Cheshire side, the parish church of Holy Trinity and Christ Church, Diocese of Chester, is situated in the town centre on Trinity Street, beside the former market hall. The foundation stone of the parish church of St Paul's, Staley was laid by Stapleton Stapleton-Cotton, 1st Viscount Combermere on 2 February, 1838. It is along with St James', Millbrook situated in the Diocese of Chester.

There are two Roman Catholic parishes - St Peter's, Stalybridge, the foundation stone of which was laid on 8 June, 1838 and St. Raphael's, Millbrook. Both parishes are situated in the Diocese of Shrewsbury.

The octagonal Stalybridge Methodist Church on High Street opened in 1966.

Stalybridge Congregational Church is to be found in a modern building on Baker Street. Its original building, which opened for worship in 1861 and was demolished around the turn of the 21st century, was situated between Melbourne Street and Trinity Street.

The Unitarian Church on Forester Drive was established in 1870 and is part of the East Cheshire Union of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches.

Stalybridge Revival Church, on Mount Street, formerly known as Stalybridge Evangelical Church, was established in 2009.