HOME   ARCHIVE   GALLERY   SHOP   ABOUT US      
 

 
BATTLE TO SAVE SALFORD CHURCH OF THE ASCENSION AFTER HUGE FIRE
 

Star date: 13th February 2017

GRADE II LISTED CHURCH OF THE ASCENSION IN LOWER BROUGHTON GUTTED

After last night's huge fire that ripped through The Church of the Ascension in Lower Broughton, fire crews and building officers are this morning battling to save the Grade II listed building, which was built in 1869.

 Watch Manager, Andy Simister of Manchester Central Fire Station, told the Salford Star that he was hopeful what's left of the building could be saved... "With it being a listed building it is very valuable to the community and we want to cause as least damage to the building as possible while making it safe."

Full details here...

Fire at The Church of the Ascension Salford Fire at The Church of the Ascension Salford Fire at The Church of the Ascension Salford
Fire at The Church of the Ascension Salford Fire at The Church of the Ascension Salford Fire at The Church of the Ascension Salford
Fire at The Church of the Ascension Salford Fire at The Church of the Ascension Salford The Church of the Ascension Salford in 2011
The Church of the Ascension Salford Fire at The Church of the Ascension Salford Fire at The Church of the Ascension Salford
Fire at The Church of the Ascension Salford Fire at The Church of the Ascension Salford
click image to enlarge

Last night, a huge fire gutted Grade II listed The Church of the Ascension in Lower Broughton, as six fire engines and two aerial appliances battled to save the building, built in 1869.

This morning, fire crews were still at the scene damping down the interior of the church, while National Grid gas workers tried to isolate a live gas main still burning inside, and a council building control officer and demolition company assessed the structural damage.

"Our main concern is the high unsupported gable ends" Watch Manager, Andy Simister of Manchester Central Fire Station, told the Salford Star "Our main priority is public and fire officer safety but we're talking about making these gable ends safe. I understand that there's been hundreds of thousands of pounds spent on the roof and it's a crying shame that this has happened to it."

Asked if the building could be saved he said "Hopefully, yes..."

While the fire seems more likely to be an accident rather than arson, fire chiefs are not ruling anything out... "We've got our fire investigation team on site carrying out an investigation" Andy Simister explained "We're trying to come up with the cause."

The Church of the Ascension is one of the only original buildings left in Lower Broughton in the midst of the ongoing regeneration of the area that has seen every house around it flattened. It was the centre of the community and centre for Salford's first food bank (see here).

This morning Broughton Councillor Jim King said "I'm very sad to hear of the loss of Ascension Church, it will be much missed for its community work."

Update: 14th February: Demolition crews stand by and community JustGiving Fund launched - click here
Vic Radford wrote
at 14:37:21 on 19 January 2021
I lived in Duchess St and was involved with the church in 1953 to 1970! When I married and moved to Shaw In Oldham. I.went to Ascension School then Broughton Modern . Being in the boy scouts started by Bernard Wetherall then church choir & alter boy. Lost contact with all the community when I moved ( was a good friend of Erick Withers / Derek Carter : Jean Cambell) Lists of friends who I missed when I left but may remember me. My mob no 07734 289794. If any friend etc remembers me
?
Ascension Church warden wrote
at 16:12:58 on 14 April 2017
Please all see updates on face book (the church of the ascension lower Broughton) thanks
?
stuart Richardson wrote
at 09:29:05 on 06 March 2017
Very saddened to hear of this . A church is not just the building , it s the community . In time I hope another building will happen .
?
Phil Jones wrote
at 12:21:26 on 24 February 2017
I believe (want to believe) this is a terrible accident. My Mum and Dad got married here on 2 April 1959 and my mum is inconsolable. She went to the church school on Hough La, St Andrews and remembers regular visits to church with great fondness. I as a young boy remember this area before it was so casually swept away in the 1970's. What I do remember though was the basic "niceness" of most of the people who lived and worked in Salford 7. Judging by the comments made here there is still a great fondness for the area and it's much loved church. My Mum lived at 123 Meadow Rd (pre-1975) Is there anyone else who remembers the area and church then? I would love to hear from them and it would cheer my mum up to hear from someone who even perhaps remembers her. This church has to be saved there is too much history to lose to an accident or ill will.
?
Salford lad wrote
at 18:00:30 on 13 February 2017
Clearly the commmet Fromm councillor King shows that he has written off any future for the church assisted by the council. How about an interest free loan like the Reds got?
?
TSK wrote
at 16:32:24 on 13 February 2017
So sad...Must be rebuilt as the Church has shed loads of money....
?
Chris Bridgeman wrote
at 16:32:21 on 13 February 2017
If this is arson, you are no better than ISIS erasing history and ripping apart a community. This church did a lot of important social work, now you have one less facility, save the area and the church too. The people that did this have no place in a civilised society, and are the first to cry about there being nothing to do. Beautiful building and landscaping, people tried, the railings and the fact its a sacred place alone should have kept the perpetrators out.
?
jake collins wrote
at 15:05:11 on 13 February 2017
i loved this church i did a gardening project here with someone called tony we should see how many signatures we can get and see if we can save it because i would hate for it to get knocked down
?
Lee Craven MBE wrote
at 15:05:09 on 13 February 2017
Absolutely devastated by this news, my heart goes out to all the Congregation, Fr Wyatt and the local community, A beautiful building which stored in the community for many many years has now beentaken away, thoughts and prayers are with all those effected.
?
Craig barclay wrote
at 12:51:57 on 13 February 2017
I am a owner of one of the new houses at new broughton village. Part of the reason I purchased here is because of the park and the church. Good people may move away and sell up if the area goes down hill !!!!!! Save the church !!
?
Please enter your comment below:
 
 
 
Forever manchester
Salford Star
advertisement
 
Contact us
e-mail: info@salfordstar.com
phone: 07957 982960
Facebook       Twitter
 
 
Recent comments
article: PAUL HOUGHTON BRINGING MOSAICS AND TAPE ART TO SALFORD
Hi Paul I hope you are well, please can you tell me how much it would be to have the George Best Mosaic made? Indeed if you are st... [more]
article: CUSSONS SOAP AND KERSAL MOOR SALFORD – A VERY CLEAN STORY
I am Marjorie Goodwin's grandson. I still have that battered tobacco tin. I don't know what happened to the silver one! ... [more]
article: SALFORD PRECINCT SHOPPERS STUNG BY PARKING `RACKET’
I parked here with a disability badge and my back tyre was slightly over line as I suffer with coordination and it says if I appea... [more]
article: SALFORD LOST STREETS
4 North Johnson Street, Salford. My Great Grandfather was the son of Household James Rowlands 68. x2. His wife Frances Rowlands... [more]
article: John Cooper Clarke On Life In Higher Broughton.
lived for many years as a kid in Murray st. Hilda who was mum to John would visit my grandmother and would tell us about what john... [more]
 
 
 
 
 
Days
Hours
Minutes
Seconds
  

THE SALFORD STAR COUNTDOWN TO NEXT REFERENDUM ON GETTING RID OF THE MAYORAL SYSTEM IN SALFORD:
26TH JANUARY 2022
 
 

Donate

Help the Salford Star...

all donations welcome

 
 

More articles...

SALFORD STAR CLOSES AFTER 15 YEARS WITH ATTITUDE AND LOVE XXX

Star date: 17th May 2021

SALFORD STAR – 15 YEARS OF ATTITUDE AND LOVE XXX

The Salford Star closes tonight after 15 years of giving the community a voice, holding power to account and bigging up all the great things that have happened in the city.

Thousands of people in Salford have been involved in one way or another with the Star and we'd like to thank them all. Salford is a very special city and, hopefully, we've given it a very special community publication.

For the final curtain click here... 

SALFORD STAR CLOSURE: HOW SALFORD COUNCIL TRIED TO BLOCK AND DISCREDIT THE STAR

Star date: 17th May 2021

THREATS, LIES, FEAR AND LOATHING IN SALFORD...

Today, the Salford Star shuts down but we write this article as a warning to others who may follow on the pitfalls of founding a genuine publication that aims to give the community a voice and hold public bodies up to account. 

They will try to discredit you, block information and shut you down. Here the Salford Star editor, Stephen Kingston, looks at how democracy perished badly under the Salford mayoral system.

Full details here...

SALFORD HAS 7 NEW CORONAVIRUS CASES AS RESTRICTIONS ARE EASED

Star date: 17th May 2021

A WHIFF OF FREEDOM AS RESTRICTIONS ARE EASED

Salford has 7 new coronavirus cases, down from the previous day's 14, while the seven day rate per 100,000 population now stands at 30.1, down from 30.9. There have been no new virus-related deaths announced by Salford Royal Hospital.

Today sees restrictions eased and the first whiff of freedom in over a year. It's also the final coronavirus bulletin from the Salford Star which is closing. Here we look back over 14 months of the pandemic and the absolute communication failings of Salford City Council and its City Mayor.

Full details here...

SALFORD STAR CLOSURE: HOW SALFORD COUNCIL TRIED TO STOP THE STAR

Star date: 16th May 2021

THEY WILL TRY TO DISCREDIT YOU...TO BLOCK YOU, TO SHUT YOU DOWN

We are almost at the final closure of the Salford Star but we write this article as a warning to others who may follow on the pitfalls of founding a genuine publication that aims to give the community a voice and hold public bodies up to account. 

They will try to discredit you, block information and shut you down. In South America they just blow up the offices of journalists that don't play the game. Here they just financially assassinate you...

Full details here...

SALFORD STAR CLOSURE – GUY GRIFFITHS ON THE HUMAN COST OF PATHFINDER DEMOLITIONS

Star date: 16th May 2021

THE HUMAN COST OF REGENERATION

The Griffiths brothers of Higher Broughton are kind of infamous as the only people to be forcefully evicted from their house as part of the Pathfinder 'housing market renewal' project during the first decade of the 21st Century.

Here, Guy Griffiths, now living in 'sunny' north Wales and one of the main inspirations for the Salford Star's creation, writes the second part his own personal view of the Government project that devastated communities throughout Central Salford.

Full details here...

 


written and produced by Salfordians for Salfordians
with attitude and love xxx