small simple edifice, suited to the manners and the means of the inhabitants. The simplicity of the design and execution, the entire want of ornaments, the pointed arch, and strong octagonal pillar, the absence of capital, the plain and unusual base, which characterised the ancient parts of the late church, proved it to be an early specimen of the simple and unadorned Gothic, with a mixture of Saxon - an opinion which was confirmed by the pointed windows and simple mullion, devoid of ramification. All these circumstances point to about the reign of John, as the probable era of its erection, when the Saxon Gothic prevailed, and when feudal lords and their dependents built and endowed at pleasure.

In the course of two hundred and seventy years, the church or chapel having probably become dilapidated, Sir Ralph Langley, of Edgecroft, or Agecroft, Rector of Prestwich, and, therefore, patron of the living of Oldham; also, third warden of the collegiate church of Manchester, and whose relatives were considerable proprietors of land in Oldham and Crompton, determined upon thoroughly renovating and re-building some portions of the church. By an indenture of the date of' November 4, 1476 (which is preserved at Prestwich, and a copy is also said to exist in the Record office of the Tower of London), he entered into contracts with William Hamond, Rauff Hamond, and Miles Alenson, masons, to re-build "the body of the churche," by making "iii j arches upon either side the Kirke," also "on aither side one yling," with "wyndowes, dure, and a porche;" "all durres, wyndowes, boterassez, pillers, gabull tables, grounde tables, and the arche in the porche to be of hewen stone." The total sum contracted to be paid for the work was £28 6s. 8d., the materials to be supplied by the rector. The masons bound themselves to complete the work by Easter day, 1479. The cost incurred in renovating the church in the fifteenth century, would

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