Crypts (Oldham parish church)

The vast crypt has the same footprint as the body of the church above, contains some 90 vaults, less than a third of which are in use. Some of these are sealed with iron gates, others with brick in which there are spaces through which the lead coffins are visible. The crypt is accessed by an internal staircase or externally, by wide steps and double doors at the east end of the church.

Also listed further down the page is Joseth scholes the Oldham giant also known as King Dody

The crypt was closed in 1852

Some of the crypts have big sealed iron gates across the entrance 

The walls are whitewashed and the floors are of packed earth and bedrock

it is warm and dry in the crypts 

Others are sealed in individual vaults

The coffins was normally made from lead and covered in leather or fabric 

Stacked up one on top of the other 

 A coffin decorated what looked like brass

Six coffins in this one crypt 

Infant and adult 

The crypts are opened to place coffins then resealed using bricks 

The so-called 'Crusader' coffin. A stone coffin unearthed in the foundations of the previous church, and probably dating form the original early 13th century church on this site

 Crusader look alike 

Joseth scholes the Oldham giant also known as King Dody died 12 feb 1814 aged 56 he weighed over 37 stone  and 6 foot 7 inches tall this is his final resting place 
having been interred three times it needed 12 bearers to carry his coffin, thousands

 witnessed his placement into oldhams crypts ,Big Dody spent his early life in higginshaw lane he was a hatter by trade then he had a spell in the military then the governor for oldhamworkhouse after he moved to a little shop in Henshaw street Priest hill were he sat on the pavement selling pots and pans he was said to be a gentle giant until he died  quite suddenly .

Josepth Scholes descendants still live in the Oldham area