Report - St Marys - Morley - Aug 21

[Bikin Glynn]

St Mary's Church Morley

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Apologies for the rather crap pics on this one!
This is the oldest documented site in Morley and mentioned in the Doomsday Book.
The existing Church built 1878 Grade II Listed. Graves in churchyard go back to 1699 and many of the graves are listed as well.

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Due to dwindling congregation and unable to fund the upkeep of the Church, it was closed in about 2007 and in 2008 was sold to an entrepreneur a former Leeds Magistrate Graham Butterworth who lives in Gibraltar.

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A planning application was made in February 2010 to turn the church into restaurant & 9 luxury hotel suites as well as a block of 30 more suites nearby.
On the 12th June 2010 in the early hours there was a devastating fire which gutted the church. No conclusion has been made by the Fire Service as to how this started and no-one has been arrested .

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The Church tower housed the Pancake Bell which originally came from Kirkstall Abbey in Leeds. The Bell had been rung on Shrove Tuesday since the 17th Century.
It was thought this had been lost in the fire but was later recovered at the base of the tower having crashed down through all the floors.

Thanks For Looking​

 

[HughieD]

Can't beat a bit of ecclesiastical urbex. Like that @Bikin Glynn

 

[Calamity Jane]

Pics aren't bad, nice wander. Lovely ruins

 

[Mikeymutt]

That's a lovely little place. I like places like that.

 

[Bikin Glynn]

That's a lovely little place. I like places like that.

yeah there seem to be plenty like it up that way. Id go back if I was back up there anytime

 

[Wally_urbex]

Nicely done mate

 

[Timmmy]

Ah very nice, i think i've actually been here years ago, before i doccumented/photograohed places if it's the one I'm thinking of. Does it have the little out house building round the back? Nice to see more places in my local area pop up on here.