Website launched to celebrate Middleton’s heritage

Arts and Craft Church website

A website celebrating Middleton’s heritage has been launched.

The website has been set up by Middleton’s heritage enthusiasts to celebrate Edgar Wood’s Long Street Methodist Church and School.

Lee Wolf, from the Middleton Archaeological Society, said: “The site currently focuses on Edgar Wood and the heritage of Middleton that inspired him. He was Middleton born and bred and there are lots of Edgar Wood buildings in Middleton so we wanted to bring attention to those buildings.”

On the site, called The Arts and Craft Church, users can find relevant information regarding the Arts and Craft Church.

The church was built by Edgar Wood for the Methodists, who still worship there. It is nationally famous and one of many arts and crafts buildings.

Lee added: “We are hoping to get the arts and craft school listed as part of the Middleton heritage register. That is one of the aims.”

Edgar Wood also designed his own house on Rochdale Road, Elm Wood School and the former Milton Street Nursery - once the Middleton Labour Party headquarters.

The site has been launched in time for Golden Cluster month – a festival celebrating Middleton’s golden cluster of historic buildings.

“The church is open for visitors during Golden Cluster month so it seemed like the right time to launch the website with all of the information we have about the building,” said Lee.

The site will eventually contain more information about the heritage of Middleton and other buildings.

Lee added: “The bigger plan is to add more and more as we go along and really discuss Middleton’s heritage and the character of Middleton.”

The site can be found at: http://artsandcraftschurch.org