Another of the expanding Church Micro series...
Brookfield is a fine Grade II Listed Victorian Gothic Church, opened in 1871, built by Thomas Worthington, and commissioned by Richard Peacock of the powerful local Peacock and Beyer engineering and locomotive building firm. Known in its time as the "Unitarian Cathedral", it has a peel of eight bells in its tall steeple - all named for members of Peacock family.
Before its construction, in times of religious dissension and persecution, worshippers met secretly in an upstairs room of a house nearby at the junction of Abbey Hey Lane and Cross Lane.
Thereafter, in more tolerant times, a chapel was built in Gorton Vale which served worshippers from the surrounding districts of Denton, Reddish, Gorton, Openshaw and Levenshulme. Several memorial plaques from this now long gone chapel were transferred into the new church at Brookfield. The massive eight bells, originally suspended on oak beams, were too much for the steeple, which was in danger of serious damage, and in the early 20th century they were re-hung on steel beams. The largest of the bells weighs just under three-quarters of a ton and the smallest one weighs about 4 hundredweight. A notable London fresco and mural painter was commissioned to do the murals.
It took some time before a final name was was chosen for the church - at one point it was thought that Brook Meadow Church would be appropriate, but it was later changed to Brookfield, the name by which it is known today.
The cache is a small plastic box containing a few swaps (big enough for TB's) - hidden along the footpath near the church, next to Gore Brook.
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For full information on how you can expand the Church Micro series by sadexploration please read the Place your own Church Micro page before you contact him at churchmicro.co.uk
See also the Church Micro Statistics and Home pages for further information about the series.
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