St Cosmas & St Damian's Church, Stretford

A deceptively simple looking church on the outside, but inside there are twin naves, both with chancels and an altar - as befitting its dedication to the twin saints Cosmas and Damian, from Aegea in Sicily.

A shrine, and a place of worship on this site is understood to date from late Roman times - but the present building was begun in the early to mid-12th century, when the north aisle, and chapel were built. There is a blocked up northern doorway, of similar vintage. The south chancel and nave were added in the first half of the 13th century, with the arcade which now separates the two halves of the church. Originally also there was a double-gabled roof, but this was removed about 1540 and replaced by the existing single-span.

For a short period until about 1920, the dedication of the church was changed to St Peter, and indeed some printed sources - including Pevsner - still refer to it as such. The original dedication to St Cosmas and St Damian was however restored in 1921. There are only a small number of other churches in England with a similar dedication - four are in Kent, and there is one in Sherrington in Wiltshire.

The church is currently in the care of the Churches Conservation Trust.

(Information provided by Rosemary Lockie)