On Broad Street, in the heart of Salford, is the historic St Thomas’ Church, Pendleton – locally known as Pendleton church – constructed between 1829 and 1831.
The church, one of two has been a key location in the area for nearly 200 years, hosting both religious and community events for Salfordians.
What most don’t know, however, is that nearly two centuries of Salford history lies directly beneath the church- the Pendleton Church Crypt.
The crypt was opened alongside the church in 1832, with the underground tombs echoing this- long, dusty corridors lined with graves of Victorian Salfordians, including James Bevan Smith, Esquire of South Bank, who died in 1853; Samuel Walker, Esquire of Prospect Hill, who died in 1856, and various unnamed tombs, sealed behind brick.
One of the sites in the crypt is that of a family: the Esquire of Belmont, Samuel Nichols, along with his wife, and the remains of their granddaughter Anne, who died as an infant in 1867.
The founder and long term benefactor of St John’s Evangelist Church in Pendlebury, Anna Margaret Heywood’s memorial plaque was also found in the crypt, despite her place of burial being in her own parish.
These tombs are accompanied by various artifacts from the church’s history- including numerous gravestones, spanning the crypt’s two centuries of usage, lined against the walls of the crypt, and a plaque from the second world war, detailing the names of Salford residents who served and lost their lives.
Older church equipment is scattered around the church’s underground, spanning from the church’s construction to the present day, as the crypt is still in use today- although not for its original purpose. “Pengy church,” as it is known among the parish, holds mass every Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday at 9:30am, and has a variety of upcoming Christmas Events:
Sunday 22nd December at 16:00: Carol Service at St Thomas’
Christmas Eve at 15:30: Crib Service at St Thomas’
Christmas (Eve) at 23:30: Midnight Mass at St Thomas’
Christmas morning at 10:30: Eucharist at St Thomas’
Click here to see the crypt
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