Saint Edmund's in macro

Saint Edmund's in macro, originally uploaded by fotofacade.

You can view each of the macro's individually here

When I first went into Saint Edmund's I really had a dilemma as to what to photograph,as my time there was limited. As it happens I have managed to spend a number of days there. The more time I spent there, the more that I realised how the church is packed jam full of detail. Detail which has been added over it's 140 odd year existence. The church is a rich tapestry of the locale's life and the sheer exuberant indulgence of a family who played a major part in the history of Rochdale - the Royd's.

The detail fixed and unfixed, attached and unattached forms the soul of the building. It tells the story of how its incumbents worshipped, lived, loved, worked and died. It is its Genius Loci.

I have to admit at some times, when on my own, in the quiet of the church I have found it all a little overwhelming. Coming across things such as a hidden memorial; or the carved graffiti in the organ cupboard; or the sheer empathy with the story of Adam and Eve in the painted glass - is enormously enriching.

The experience I have had reminds me of the words of Emily Bronte

"I've dreamt in my life dreams
that have stayed with me ever after,
and changed my ideas;
they've gone through and through me,
like wine through water,
and altered the colour of my mind"

Such an effect on me, has had Saint Edmund's.


Key: (from left top left to right)

1. Stop key to organ
2. Lace detail to table in Children's section
3. Key to organ cupboard
4. Holy Bible with Masonic symbol on Royd's brass memorial in the Chancel
5. Flower detail on aumbry opening in Chancel
6. Christ detail on crucifix on main altar in Chancel
7. Marble detail on column between Chancel and Royd's Chapel
8. Pomegranate symbol found on Masonic Lecturn
9. Snake symbol found on Masonic Lecturn
10. Hand detail from depiction of the four evangelists on the marble font
11. Text detail found on the baptismal jug on the font
12. Stencil print on the Reredos
13. Text detail found on the aumbry opening in the Chancel
14. Beading detail found on the altar rail
15. Flower detail found on the carved wooden pulpit
16. Text detail found on the Royd's brass memorial in the Chancel