St Nathaniel’s Platt Bridge is a proud, red brick church and its tower, even without its original pinnacles, is still a landmark, clearly visible from the train from Warrington. The church was consecrated in 1905. Around the same time churches in nearby Bickershaw and Hindley Green were also built so Wigan was obviously expanding to the south east. St. Nathaniel’s was designed by the Surveyor of Buildings in Liverpool Diocese, Mr. G. Bradbury.
The history of the church in Platt Bridge goes back to the 1870s when weekly services were held in a cottage in Moss Lane probably led by a curate from St. Peter’s Hindley. The congregation soon moved into the schoolrooms as the cottage wasn’t big enough. In 1894 an iron church, a ‘tin tabernacle’ was built. It was a well built and well ventilated building with heating provided by hot water pipes and had, we’re told, a warm and welcoming interior.
By 1900, though, the parishioners wanted a more permanent, suitable building and inevitably a committee was formed. The parishioners raised a lot of money (tea parties and complicated subscription schemes) and more funds were forthcoming from James Carlton, son of Nathaniel who owned Eckersley Mills in Poolstock. The Eckersley family had strong links to Hindley going back generations and James Carlton took an active interest in the area giving money for schools, libraries as well as churches. He laid the Foundation Stone, which is still visible today. It took two years for the church to be built. The builders were Isaac Dilworth of Liverpool and the church cost £8,700.
On the day of consecration people were advised to get there early as there was only room for 600 people and a special service for the children was arranged for the afternoon. We can only imagine how the parishioners felt when they first went into the brand new, grand, lofty, red brick building. Quite a change from the iron church which had served the people so well for 11 years.
We know much about the life of the parish because the church has kept a complete set of parish magazines. The first vicar writes about the Sunday School Treats and early Walking Days in great detail. We find out about choir outings. The 1903 day out, starting with a departure by train at 6.45am, went to Haddon Hall, Chatsworth and Matlock where the party had rowing boat races on the river. They led a sing song on the train home.
Revd. Arthur Dean was vicar at St. Nathaniel’s from 1923 to 1956 and we can see from the parish magazines how committed and involved he was. Platt Bridge people of a certain age remember his sudden death at the very end of walking day and his ashes were interred in St. Nathaniel’s, the church he loved.
Window given in memory of Nathaniel Eckersley by the Men’s Society
War memorial
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