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
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
