Rotherham Minster

Rotherham Minster was formerly known as Rotherham All Saints' Parish Church and is "one of the finest examples of medieval perpendicular architecture in the country"

The minster is the third church to stand on this site. There was almost certainly a church here before 937 AD, and the Domesday Book tells us that by 1086, Rotherham was an established settlement with its own mill, church and priest.

We don't know what the original Saxon church looked like, but it was probably small and built mainly of wood. The Norman church, built in the late 11th century, was a much larger building. It had a nave, chancel, north and south transepts and a short central tower. Local red sandstone known as 'Rotherham Red' was used.

In the 14th century 'perpendicular' architecture became fashionable and the church was slowly modernised. In 1409 work started with the tower.

The 180ft spire topped with its 7ft gilded weathervane rose above the town and has done for over 500 years.

Work continued and, with the addition of the clergy vestry in 1540, the church was complete.

A full restoration of the church began in 1873, under the direction of the architect, Sir Gilbert Scott. The galleries were removed, the stonework cleaned and repaired and the oak roofs cleaned, polished and, in some places, replaced. We are lucky that Sir Gilbert Scott recognised the historical importance of the 15th century chancel stalls. They include two carved misericords and remain the oldest example of carved woodwork in the church.

Figurines grace the chancel bench ends. They are called 'poppy heads' and portray characters associated with the nativity.

The role of the minster is similar to that of any other parish church, serving the spiritual needs of those who live within the parish boundary, greeting the newborn, celebrating marriages and saying farewell to the departed.

Points of interest

In addition to the stunning architecture and design, there are a number of smaller features which you should not miss on a visit to the minster:

The Green Man

If you look closely at the carvings you will find that hidden amongst the leaves and greenery there are faces! This 'Green Man' is common in medieval churches but, whereas in many churches you will only find one such carving, here we have over 30! It is usually considered to be an image of the wood spirits worshipped by the pre-christian britons, but its significance in a christian church is largely unknown.

Saxon coffin

Hidden away in the back corner is the lid of a Saxon Knight's coffin. If you look carefully you can see that it is inscribed with the outline of a sword.

Famous links

The minster has a number of links with famous britons, besides Thomas Rotherham of course. The family of Jonathan Swyft (author of Gulliver's Travels) were buried here and are commemorated by an ornate brass plaque. Anthony Trollope married a local girl in the church. The marriage register can be viewed at Sheffield archives.

How to find it