Advent Hunstone, woodcarver. Making Wigan’s churches beautiful

Advent Hunstone  (1858 – 1927), known as “Old Advent”, was an accomplished woodcarver from Tideswell in Derbyshire. He is celebrated there for his beautiful wood carving in the church of St. John The Baptist in the village, a fine church referred to as ‘The Cathedral of the Peak’. He carved the organ case, the lectern and the choir stalls in the church and an internet search tells us his carvings are to be found in several other Derbyshire churches. But we’ve found out that he was also busy here in Wigan.

We first became aware of him when we began to research St. Andrew’s Church in Springfield. The late Roy Taylor, organist at the church and music teacher at the Deanery High School, who wrote a history and guide to the church in 1962, tells us about the work Advent Hunstone did in that church.

He tells us that in 1909, Hunstone carved the eagle lectern on which he stamped his own name which is still clearly visible. He also carved the chancel screen, the choir stalls and the wooden reredos behind the altar. Fine statues of saints and mischievous ‘Lincoln Imps’ abound. We especially like the carving of St. Cecilia, patron saint of music, busily playing her organ while behind it, to bring it up to date, the organist of today has left his hat and coat hung up on a peg.

Much of Hunstone’s carving in St. Andrew’s was designed by Revd. William Wickham, vicar of the church from 1878 and famous for his mining photographs. Wickham sent his designs to Hunstone at his workshop in Tideswell where Hunstone carved them. We’re told that Wickham realised Hunstone wasn’t charging enough for his work.  ‘I am being well paid, for this work is teaching me the dignity of his craft’, was Hunstone’s reply.

So how did he come to do the work in St. Andrew’s, a world away from the Derbyshire Peak District? The plot thickened when we discovered his work in other churches in Wigan.  

The church of St. John the Evangelist, Hindley Green was consecrated in 1899 with, at first, temporary furnishings. A Great Bazaar in 1909 raised £900 to pay for choir stalls and a pulpit and, as at St. Andrew’s, these were carved by Advent Hunstone having again been designed by Revd. Wickham from St. Andrew’s.

Underneath, the vicar’s seat, the perching ledge called the misericord, shows a wonderful dragon under attack from an angry looking peasant. There’s a similar carving in St. Andrew’s. Depicted on the pulpit is a beautiful nativity scene and the open work carved on either side is so delicate. Later Hunstone carved the church’s War Memorial Tablet which was dedicated in 1920.

We have learnt that Hunstone also worked at Holy Trinity, Downall Green. When the new chancel was added to the church in 1915, he carved from oak the choir stalls, communion rails and the reredos behind the altar.  The parish magazine in 1914 said, ‘ We are deeply grateful to him for his beautiful work.”

Hunstone also worked, we’re told, in All Saints, Wigan Parish Church. But there’s a problem. We don’t know exactly what he carved. The 1901 book ‘A Ramble Round the Wigan Parish Church’ by W. J. True, the verger, tells us that Hunstone carved a double faldstool which was then between the lectern and the pulpit and is probably the one now under the tower. But Revd. J. O. Colling, in his 1957 guide, confidently says that the ‘return stalls’ (those behind the screen) were Hunstone’s work but says nothing about him being responsible for the double faldstool. Such are the problems, challenges and delights of this sort of history.

And finally, St. Michael’s in Swinley. The fine screen presented by the Ellis family.  Everyone wants it to be by Advent Hunstone but we have yet to find a source which will actually confirm it. We can’t find a signature like the one he conveniently carved on the lectern at St. Andrew’s. Frustrating but all part of the fun. Even more so as we’ve recently come across a beautiful drawing of the screen which must be the original design but, alas, without a signature.

So to speculate.

Advent Hunstone must somehow have come to Revd. Wickham’s attention and worked at St. Andrew’s. We think Wickham might have visited Derby to have a look at St. Anne’s Church on which the design of St. Andrew’s was closely based. Did he meet Hunstone then?

In 1881 Revd. Charles Buckmaster was Curate at All Saints, the Parish Church. He must have known Revd. Wickham at St. Andrew’s and have known about Hunstone’s work. So when Buckmaster became Vicar of All Saints, Hindley and oversaw the building of St. John’s, Hindley Green he naturally thought of Hunstone when new furnishings were required.

Old Advent’s work at Holy Trinity, Downall Green is later. By then, perhaps, he was simply well known in the Deanery and a recognised ‘go to’ man. We’ll never know. Recommendations and decisions about which craftsmen to use must have been made quietly and discreetly, maybe in the comfort of vicarage living rooms.

The Hunstone family continued to work in Wigan after Advent’s death carving more items for St. Andrew’s. There’s a crucifix by them in Blackburn Cathedral.

Did he do much more work in other churches in the North West which isn’t widely known? As yet, we simply don’t know.

But have a close look at his work. We think it’s pretty good.

With thanks to the Makerfield Rambler for his research about Holy Trinity, Downall Green.