03/09/2026
Then & Now Thursday 📸 | St Cross Church
This week, we’re taking a look at St Cross Church — but did you know the church we see today wasn’t the first one?
⛪️ The first St Cross church
With the support and funding of Peter Legh, the first church was built using materials from his Norbury Booths estate, with local tenants helping with the construction. It was dedicated in 1858, shortly after Peter Legh’s death.
Sadly cracks developed in the walls from floor to roof, and the building eventually had to be replaced.
⛪️ The second St Cross church
Lord Egerton laid the foundation stone for the new church in July 1880, and it was consecrated on Holy Cross Day, 14th September 1881.
The new church took 10 years to build. The tower was added in 1887 as part of the celebrations for Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee.
And if you look closely at the first photograph, you’ll spot the old cottages on the right. These were demolished by George Acton in 1910 — another little piece of Knutsford that has disappeared over the years.
📸 1st & 2nd Photo - 2nd St Cross church
📸 3rd, 5th, 6th - the Church today
📸 4th photo - 1st St Cross church
🏛️ Love Knutsford’s history?
Heritage Open Days are here 11th - 20th September with lots of opportunities to discover more about our town’s fascinating past.
If you’re interested in the history of Knutsford, why not come along to the Knutsford Through Film & Postcards at Knutsford Council Offices?
📽️ Thursday 17th September | 10am–1pm
📽️ Friday 18th September | 1pm–3pm
Take a nostalgic journey through Knutsford with historic postcards and archive film, and see how much our town has changed over the years.
Have a look at Discoverknutsford.com to see what’s coming up.
Historical information supplied by Knutsford Heritage Centre
Heritage Open Days