The Hearse-house was erected in 1841, out of the balance left from the Organ Fund. Over the door is a stone inscribed with the date, and bearing also a representation, of a skull and cross-bones.

During the early Victorian period a hearse and hearse-house were customary appendages of a church. The trade of undertaking was then in its primitive state, and very often the only hearse in a town was that provided by the church authorities. The hearse house at. St. George's was at one time occupied by two hearses and a mourning coach, which were hired out at funerals by John Wilde, the Sexton. They were not only used for funerals at St. George's, but also by people burying their dead at other places.

About the year 1866 the Wildes conducted a funeral from Haughton Green to Sowerby Bridge, in Yorkshire. With a pair-horse hearse, and a mourning coach, they left Haughton Green about half-past four in the morning, travelled over Blackstone Edge, and reached Sowerby Bridge about 1-30 p.m. About 5-15 p.m. the homeward journey commenced. Before the travellers began the ascent of Blackstone Edge a fierce storm of rain came on. Two men, who were riding with the driver of the hearse, refused to remain on the "dickey" unless they could be provided with overcoats. This was impossible, and it was equally impossible to find room for them inside the coach. The driver, therefore, proposed that they should ride inside the hearse, and this course was adopted.

A creepy feeling came over the men, however, and before getting inside the strange vehicle, they purchased a pound of candles from a shop by the roadside, in order to illuminate the interior, and dispel the gloom of their journey. Thus provided, the procession resumed its dreary climb over Black- stone Edge, and Hyde was reached about 2 o'clock the following morning.

The St. George's hearse-house continued to be used for its original purpose until near the year 1870, when the custom of churches providing vehicles for funerals fell into disuse.