The Reredos
The reredos is unusual in design and detail. It is a copy, in oak, of the sedilia at Furness Abbey, and was erected in 1886 "To the Glory of God and in memory of James Fraser, D.D., Lord Bishop of Manchester, 1870-1885," as recorded on brass tablets. Bishop Fraser was the second Bishop of Manchester.
Along the top are carved and guilded the signs of the Passion-
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| Judas's bag |
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| Whipping post |
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| Torches |
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| Reeds |
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| Crown of thorns |
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| Coil of rope |
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| Cross surmounted by crown |
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| Ladder and spear |
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| Sponge |
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| Raiment |
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| Robe |
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| Dice |
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| Hammer and nails |
In the centre is a pelican. This bird has been regarded as a symbol of Christ since the early days of the Church. It was thought that it fed its young from blood taken from its own breast. It is often shown with beak stained red, and breast bare- as can be seen on the sedilia in the south wall of the sanctuary. On the pillars of the reredos are small carvings of various forms of the Cross and the initial I.H.S. (an abbreviation of the Greek word for Jesus).
The ornate Altar Cross, as illustrated on the contents page of the 1986 guide, was stolen (between 1986 and 1993) and has been replaced with this simpler cross. Note there is no cross in the first picture.
