Christ Church, Liverpool Road, Patricroft

On Saturday Mr Heywood laid the corner stone of Christ Church, Patricroft. The site of the building has been occupied during the past five or six years by an iron church, in place of which the present structure is being erected. ....

The plan comprises nave with side aisles arranged so that transepts might be added at a future period; chancel with organ chamber and vestry adjoining. The total length of nave and chancel is 105 feet; the width of nave and aisles 51 feet four inches. The style of architecture is early English, simply treated. The nave has on each side an arcade of six arches, formed of moulded stock bricks of various colours, supported by circular pillars of red Mansfield stone, with carved and moulded caps of Bath stone. The chancel arch has additional enrichments. The  principal entrances are in the west elevation, facing the turnpike road, communicating with vestibules and are arranged so as to avoid the possibility of draughts in any part of the church. Font is in the nave adjoining the entrances. The west gable is pieced with large circular windows, and from this gable springs a lofty enriched belfry, terminated with a vane. The windows of the aisles are coupled lancets, and the east end has a five-light window with elaborate tracery. The windows of the clerestory are of varied design. All the roofs are framed of red deal. The church is faced externally with Pierepoint masonry with bands of Hollington stone, and the interior will be finished in brickwork of various colours, and the remainder painted. The slating will be in bands of alternate colours. The stalls for the choir will be in the chancel which is to be paved with encaustic tiles The communion table is raised five steps above the nave. The reading desks will be of oak and the pulpit of stone. The church will be heated and ventilated by Messrs Hayden’s apparatus. A gallery will be erected at the west end, with seating for 68 persons; and there will be accommodation on the ground floor for 532 persons. One half of the seats will be free and unappropriated. It is anticipated that the church will be consecrated in the latter part of the year. Works are now being carried out by the builder, Mr H Southam (sic) of Salford, who undertakes them at a cost of £3,800, under the direction of Mr J Lowe, architect, of Manchester. [Manchester Guardian 13 January 1868 page 2]

PATRICROFT (Manchester) The foundation stone of Christ Church has been laid. The site adjoins the turnpike road. The plan comprises a nave with side aisles, and is so arranged that if additional accommodation be required, transepts may be added at a future period; also a chancel, with organ-chamber and ve8sry adjoining. The internal length of the nave and chancel is 105 ft., the width of nave and aisles, 51 ft. 4 in. The style of architecture is Early English, freely treated. The nave has on each side an arcade of six arches, formed of moulded bricks of various colours, supported by circular pillars of Mansfield stone, with carved and moulded caps of Bath stone. The principal entrances are in the west elevation, connecting with vestibules, and are arranged to avoid the possibility of draughts. The baptistery adjoins the entrances. The west gable is pierced with large circular windows. From this gable springs a lofty enriched belfry, terminating with gilt vane. The windows of the aisles are coupled lancet, and the east end has a five-light window with tracery. The windows of clerestory are of varied designs. All the roofs are open framed. The church will be faced externally with parpoint masonry, with dressings of Hollington stone, and a portion of the interior is finished with brickwork of varied colours, and the remainder plastered. The slating will be in bands of alternate colours, with ornamental cresting to ridge. The church will be heated and ventilated by Messrs. Haden's apparatus. A gallery will be erected at the west end, with seats for sixty-eight persons, and accommodation on the ground-floor for 532 persons, one half free. Mr. H. Southern, of Salford, is the contractor for the whole of the works, at a cost of £3,300, under the direction of Mr. John Lowe, of Manchester, architect. [Builder 1 February 1868 page 85]

CONSECRATION OF CHRIST CHURCH, PATRICROFT. This church was consecrated on Saturday. It is of the Early English style of architecture and comprises nave, with side aisles. The two principal doorways are in the west elevation, facing the turnpike road, communicating with inner vestibules; one of the vestibules contains the stairs leading to the gallery. The internal length of the nave is 82 feet by 51 feet wide; chancel 23 feet by 20 feet with organ chamber ad vestry adjoining. The nave has an arcade of six arches, formed of moulded stock bricks of various colours, supported by pillars of red Mansfield stone, with carved and moulded caps of Bath stone. The chancel arch has additional enrichments, with boldly carved corbels, polished granite shafts, etc. The clerestory is pieced with circular windows of varied design. The roof is of high pitch, being 48 feet to the ridge, with wrought principals supported upon moulded corbels. The church is faced inside, for about four feet high, with bricks of varied colours, in different patterns, relived with bands of ornamental encaustic tiles. The remainder of the walls is plastered. The west gable is pieced with a large circular window, richly moulded and carved, and from this gable springs a belfry, terminated with a gilt vane; the belfry is 66 feet high from the ground. The windows of the aisles are coupled lancets, and the east end has a five-light window with elaborate tracery. The gables of the nave and chancel are surmounted with enriched crosses; the gables of the organ chamber and staircase are terminated with gilt crosses. The communion table is approached by five steps from the nave. The chancel is paved with encaustic tiles, and contains stalls for the choir, which are of pitch pine of elaborate design, with prayer desks of English oak on the north and south sides. The pulpit is octagonal, placed at the north-east, and is of Bath stone, with carved panels of symbolic design in the upper part, with moulded base and shafts of various tinted stones. The font is of Caen stone, adjoining the west entrance. The church is lighted by means of standards under each of the nave arches, an elaborate brackets to the walls of the chancel and side aisles, and elsewhere as required. The whole of the exterior is faced with Yorkshire stone, relieved with bands and dressings of Hollington and other stone. The roofs are covered with slates of two colours in alternate plain and cut bands, and crested with red Staffordshire tiles. Al the benches are open and very spacious, affording accommodation for 532 persons on the ground floor and 68 persons in the gallery; total 600, of which 318 are free and unappropriated. The church has been designed with the view that, if additional accommodation is required, transepts may be added at a future time. The foundation stone of the church was laid on 11 January, and the whole of the works have been completed within eleven months from the commencement by Mr Southern, builder, Salford, at an outlay of £3,900. The architect is Mr John Lowe, Chapel Walks, Manchester. The consecration ceremony was performed by the Bishop of the diocese, in the presence of a large congregation. [Manchester Guardian 22 September 1868 page 6]

Reference        Manchester Guardian 13 January 1868 page 2- foundation stone
Reference        Building News 17 January 1868 page 52
Reference        Builder 1 February 1868 page 85
Reference        Manchester Guardian 22 September 1868 page 6 – opening
Reference        Building News 2 October 1868 page 674