St. Michael's Church

 

Of Card mount: cm deep by cm wide
Of Silk picture: cm deep by cm wide

The actual silk picture of the church is identical to the earlier 1951 version, with the exception being the omission of the woven title below the church image. The title itself is printed on the card mount, together with confirmation this was woven in silk by SEANDESS.

This picture was issued in 1978 to commemorate the 700th Anniversary of St. Michael's; the church having been founded in 1278; and there were only 700 silk picture issued.

There are two back labels (see below), noting this picture was hand woven in pure silk by CARTWRIGHT & SHELDON LTD (as well as the front saying it was made by SEANDESS, thereby confirming that these two names refer to the same company); and giving extensive information about St. Michael's Church.

 

close up of the back labels:
	back label giving name of Cartwright & Sheldon as the weaver               THE PARISH CHURCH OF MACCLESFIELD 1278-1978           The first chapel of Macclesfield was the gift of King Edward the First's Spanish Queen, Eleanor. The King and Queen frequently visited their manor house in Macclesfield Park, and their hunting lodge in the Macclesfield Forest. Numerous royal orders were issued " from Macclesfield ".           The original chapel building was erected in 1278 on the site of the present church. It was dedicated to All Hallows, and was re-dedicated to St. Michael at a later date: probably after the reconstruction in the eighteenth century.           The present church is largely of the late nineteenth century, and this representation in pure silk shows the well known west-front as seen from the old market place. The greyish stone of the tower is a Cheshire sandstone; the pinkish stone of the nave is a harder sandstone from a local quarry at Teg's Nose. The white figures and shields are of limestone and the railings and gate are Georgian. The oldest part visible is the Savage Chapel with its small tower. This can be seen on the right hand side of the picture and dates from the earliest years of the sixteenth century.           The design work and weaving of this silk have been carried out by the Macclesfield form of Cartwright & Sheldon Ltd., and it has seemed appropriate to limit the number of copies to 700 for this 700th Anniversary Celebration. A donation from the sale of each picture is being given to the Church Anniversary Appeal.           This picture is numbered xxx of the 700 issue.