Village loses much-loved vicar

SADDLEWORTH’S most isolated village is mourning the death of its much-loved and longest serving vicar.

The Rev Sydney Leigh Clayton (77), who died on March 2, was the last incumbent of Christ Church, Denshaw. Though he had been offered high church office, he preferred to remain “a village parson”.

Mr Clayton was appointed in 1976 and inducted at Denshaw in 1977, serving as vicar until 2009 when ill health forced him to retire. Christ Church remained without a vicar until joining the Saddleworth team earlier this year.

A hugely respected cleric, Sydney was a friend to everyone in the village and has been greatly missed since his retirement.

He was educated at Manchester Grammar School and won a scholarship to Pembroke College Oxford to study classics. He gained an MA there and was later awarded a Bachelor of Divinity degree by the University of London. He trained for the ministry at Lincoln Theological College and was ordained Deacon in 1965 and priest in 1966.

During his time at Denshaw he was chairman of managers at Christ Church Primary School and subsequently chair of governors. He taught RE in the school for many years.

In addition to being Vicar of Denshaw, he was an examiner to Oxford and London universities and an Ofsted inspector for diocese church schools.

Parish Councillor Alan Roughley said: “Sydney was an institution. Very much his own man, he turned down an appointment to be chaplain to a senior member of the Royal Family later in his career. The village became his life. We will not see his like again. I’m grateful to have known him.

Sydney’s funeral service will be at Christ Church, Denshaw, tomorrow at 1pm, followed by interment in Denshaw churchyard.