An urgent appeal has gone out for volunteers to help save a historic 18th century church in the Longdendale Valley.

The remote Grade 2 Listed St James’ Church, off the Woodhead Pass (A628) between Crowden and Woodhead, was rebuilt almost 300 years ago in 1724. The original Church at Woodhead on the same site, or slightly further up the valley, was built in 1487 by Sir Edmund Sha who was born in Mottram and became a wealthy goldsmith and jeweller to Edward 1V. In his will he bequeathed money to build a grammar school at Stockport and “two honest preestes --- to syng mass and saye ---divine service in the Chapel that I have made” at Woodhead.

Between 1905 and 1924 renovations were made to the Church. A new “harmonium “ was installed, new pews were added and the doors of the original closed pews were used to line the interior walls. In 1906, a local Woodhead resident documented in his diary that some Church services had to be held at Woodhead station waiting room as the congregation was overflowing from the Church. An outer porch was added in 1924 by Ben Crossland of Tintwistle as a memorial to the men of Crowden and Woodhead who gave their lives in the First World War.

The Church would have welcomed the traders who used the packhorse route bringing salt from Cheshire to Yorkshire – The Church stands at the side of this “salt path”.

It would also have been a focus for all the workers constructing the Longdendalerailway and reservoirs. When there was an outbreak of cholera during the reservoir construction victims were buried at Woodhead, as at Tintwistle Church, in unmarked graves.

The building is now in urgent need of maintenance to preserve its unique heritage in the Longdendale valley.

A new board of Trustees has been set up with the aim of restoring and renovating the historic church. Repair of the bell tower to ensure that the Church is weatherproof is well under way thanks to the expert volunteer work of Denis Jackson.

However, a spokesperson for the Trustees told The Review: “St James Church will, incredibly, be 300 years old next year, so it will be fitting if all the urgent repairs could be carried out and it can mark this amazing history with a bright future. We are seeking to recruit more volunteers, be they skilled tradespeople who could devote their time and skills or High Peak residents who can turn their hand to a range of jobs at the church. If anyone could help with funding we would like to hear from them.”

“Eventually, we’d like to resurrect the formal charity status for St James. We will be organising events which include visits to the church, concerts and services ”

If anyone can help financially or by becoming a volunteer, please email Meriel at meriel.buglass@tiscali.co.uk or Mary at maryfitton@ymail.com or  contact St James Church/Woodhead and Crowden on Facebook.