Celebrating 180 Years of Pugin's Gem
St Giles Catholic Church in Cheadle (Pugin's Gem), celebrated the 180th anniversary in style with a flower festival. Organisers Liz and Janet, along with Father Eric and local historian John Smith, chatted with us during our splendid visit.
All the flowers in the festival were designed in white to complement the beauty of the church itself, which is drenched in color, texture, and pattern at every turn. It is incredibly beautiful, and keeping the color palette simple showcased the beauty of the building.
At the festival, a quarter peal of the bells sounded the celebration, and specially created boards told visitors about the church and its history. One of particular interest was all about the work they have been doing on the building currently, including the windows and the bells. The work on the stained glass has been recently completed at a whopping £39,000, with the William Wailes of Newcastle-on-Tyne window having to be removed for restoration and now fully restored. There was a lot to see at St. Giles Church over the festival, and guides were on hand to answer visitors' questions.
All the windows, statues, and three altars were decorated. Liz and Janet said they've been fortunate that a lot of people have come forward to help, including some of the students from the nearby Painsley Catholic College who came to help them clean up, ready for opening. Cheadle Flower Club also helped with the creation, along with ladies from the church. Janet and Liz were grateful that so many people have wanted to help.
Visitors could also enjoy tea and cake at the back of the church.The festival took place on 4th: 10am-6pm, 5th: 10am-4pm, 6th: 12 noon - 5pm.
St. Giles is open every day all day for prayer and reflection.
Celebrating 180 Years of Pugin's Gem
