St. Michael's Church

Littleworth Road, Rawnsley, Staffordshire

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The earliest known form of organized worship at Rawnsley was prior to 1889 and took place in the front room of a small terraced house on Littleworth Road. This site was later to become the site of the present St. Michael’s House (number 554, Littleworth Road). Rawnsley at that time was just a few houses at the junction of Littleworth and Rawnsley Roads.

The Cannock and Rugeley Colliery Co. owned most of the land in the area. With many mines in the area, especially Cannockwood pit in nearby Hazel Slade, the local population began to expand rapidly. St. Peter’s Church, Hednesford decided to build a daughter church at Rawnsley. This was St. John’s Mission Church or "The Iron Church" as it was affectionately known. This was because of its corrugated iron structure and large cast iron stove used to heat it. It was situated next door to the aforementioned terraced house.

The status quo remains in Rawnsley until 1922. It was then that a certain Colonel Williamson (who lived at "The Grange" in Hazel Slade, and owned the local mines) showed his benevolence to the local people by having a new church built, a social club called the Institution or "Stute" for short and a cricket pitch. The new church was named St. Michael and All Angels and was situated 300 yards east of St John’s on Littleworth Road.

When the Bishop of Lichfield consecrated St. Michael’s, St. John’s became the village hall and remained so until 1981, being used for various functions and maintained by St. Michael’s worshippers. St. Michael’s was a long single storey building of corrugated material not unlike army barrack buildings. It had living accommodation at one end for the caretaker and was heated by gas fires suspended from the roof.

In 1981, because of decay, a new St. Michael’s Church was planned. The old village hall (St John’s) was demolished and the present St Michael’s was built on the site by W.C. Cooke and Sons at a cost of £42,000. This was a red brick building with plenty of windows and heated by warm air fans set in the walls. The church was consecrated by The Rt. Rev. Kenneth Skelton, Bishop of Lichfield, on the 27th of March 1982. The congregation of St. Michael’s has been joined over the years by people from sister churches such as All Saints (Hazel Slade), and St Paul’s (Wimblebury) when they closed down in 1961 and 1977 respectively.

St Michael’s now serves Rawnsley, Hazel Slade, Wimblebury and Prospect Village. All of these places have extensive new housing developments in progress. The sites of the old St. Michael’s & the Institute have both been built upon. No mines remain in the local area and most people have to travel some distance to seek employment.

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