Places

On the climbing wall at St Benedict's

Church opens as climbing heaven

The church has stood empty for four years after the dwindling number of worshippers forced it to close its doors. Its condition was deteriorating fast, but now, thanks to an emergency repair grant from English Heritage, it's ready to start its new life as Manchester's first dedicated climbing centre.

Marion Barter, English Heritage

Marion Barter, Historic Buildings Inspector for English Heritage, is glad to see the building saved by its new occupants. "Unless a new use is found for a historic building like a church that's closed, the building won't have a future," she says. "It's vital that we are flexible and support new uses."

John Dunne on the wall

The idea for the change from salvation to scaling came from world renowned local climber John Dunne. He says he's most impressed with the sheer size of the building. "There are a lot of climbing facilities in the UK that are 12 or 13 metres. This allows us a 20 metre high wall and a huge area, not just for good climbers but for beginners and school groups who can come and enjoy this fantastic building."

The nineteenth century church is now home to what might just be the most dramatic indoor climbing experience in the country, as climbers pit their wits against the challenges in front of the massive rose window.

Jo Solomon takes to the climbing wall

That beauty isn't lost on those that have already taken up the challenge. Regular climber Jo Solomon was impressed by both the surroundings and the difficulty of the climb. "It's a beautiful place with all the stained glass windows, and because of the size of it, you can have really big walls, so you can do long routes and really build up your stamina."

Having been placed on the English Heritage Buildings At Risk register before the involvement of the Climbing Centre, it now looks like St Benedict's future is definitely on the up!