Memorial gate is fitting send-off

DIGGING IN: Left to right:Alan Doherty (architect), the Rev Sydney Clayton and John Saxon (contractor).

A POPULAR village vicar who retired earlier this year has dedicated the building of a lychgate to the memory of his parents and a younger brother.

Parishioners at Christ Church, Denshaw, wanted to mark the Rev Sydney Clayton’s 33 years as their vicar with the new lychgate.

And after cutting the first sod for the new project, Mr Clayton said: “I am delighted to see the start of building of the lychgate. It will be dedicated to the memory of my parents and brother.

“I am very touched that my parishioners decided to build this gate in recognition of the time I spent here as vicar. It has been an honour to have been the vicar of Denshaw for all this time.

“This is a lovely village and the local people have been very supportive of me and the work of the church.”

In May, Saddleworth Parish councillors overturned a move to reject the building of the gate at the pedestrian entrance on church ground fronting the road.

Initially, Councillor Mike Buckley, chair of the parish council’s conservation area advisory committee and Oldham Council’s heritage champion, argued the gate would intrude into important parts of the setting of the Grade 2 listed building and war memorial.

But Councillor Derek Heffernan and Councillor John Hudson totally disagreed.

Councillor Hudson said: “Mr Clayton has been an outstanding member of the Saddleworth community. He’s a real vicar – not one of those pretend folk.

“The lychgate offers a means of shelter. The trees are artistic licence,” he said. “We could have a picturesque place and allow villagers to have something they wanted.”

Councillor Ken Hulme said: “At a time when churches are struggling and merging, this shows the community is maintained and talking about improving and developing the church.”

The lychgate will carry a memorial to Mr Clayton’s parents, Sydney Cecil (died May 14, 1983) and Florence Clare (d. August 28, 1970) of Meadowsweet, High Crompton, and his younger brother, Ellis, Anthony (d. Nov 6, 1944).