Church of St Crispin, Hart Road, Fallowfield
This now demolished church was built for the parish of Wilbramton, created in 1912, replacing a temporary iron church building on Parkside Road. In 1923, the second vicar, the Rev J M Williams began work to create a permanent building on land given by Lord Egerton, appointing a building committee, starting a fund, and engaging an architect, (J H Worthington?). He also coined the name Wilbramton, sometimes spelt Wilbrampton, but the area is now referred to as Fallowfield. By this stage work had commenced on the Wilbraham Road municipal housing estate and the proposals for the new church reflected the massive increase in the local population which had grown from 3,347 in 1921 to about 14,000 when the church opened.
On 5 May 1928, the first stage of the church was dedicated. This consisted of a ground storey for what would be a two-storey building. It was divided into two parts – a Sunday School and a Parish Hall. The planned second storey would be the church, but meanwhile services were held in the Hall. However, for reasons unknown but probably to do with cost, the second storey was never built. The building was demolished in 2011 and services are now held in the former rectory on Hart Road. [Richard Fletcher]
ST CRISPIN’S (WILBRAHAM ESTATE), WITHINGTON, MANCHESTER - This new parish has at last been provided with a group of suitable sites for a Church, Parish Hall and Rectory. Lord Egerton of Tatton very generously gave the site for the church. The other sites, after prolonged difficulties, were purchased at considerable cost. They are situated in the centre of a district which is the largest included in the effort of the Manchester Housing Committee for providing homes for ex-servicemen and their families. Consequently, during the last two years in the parish so rapidly has the population increased that it numbers at present more than 9,000 souls; and as the housing effort progresses during the next two years, the population is calculated to reach the figure of 12,000. There is, therefore, urgent need for providing all the buildings for which our sites have been acquired. Bishop Knox, before he retired, gave to the scheme his whole-hearted support. Our present Bishop is also doing the same. The Building Committee are endeavouring to proceed at first with the chancel portion only of the church; but the ultimate accommodation will have to be for not less than 800 sittings. They trust that sufficient support will be forthcoming, if not at present. for the entire scheme, at least for this initial instalment. [Manchester Guardian 23 June 1923 page 1]
"WILBRAMTON" To the Editor of the Manchester Guardian. Sir, —St. Crispin's parish (referred to in your article of March 23) was carved out of the overgrown parishes of St. Werburgh and Holy Innocents before the war. The land originally given by the late Lord Egerton provided for a church to accommodate 500 people, the subsequent enlargement of the site, affording space for a much larger church able to seat 800, and in addition giving room for the erection, in the future. of a parish hall and rectory, was entirely due to the indomitable courage and dogged perseverance of the second incumbent, the Rev. J. M. Williams. He appointed a building committee, started a fund, and engaged an architect, who prepared detailed plans. Besides this, he organised and maintained a very flourishing Sunday school, he edited a parish magazine with a circulation of over 1000 and visited personally every house in the parish. And this in spite of the fact that he had no curate to help him, was unable to secure a house within a mile of the parish, and suffered many setbacks and disappointments. The name "Wilbramton" was originated by him. and has been used by him and the parishioners for several years. — Yours, &c., 25, March [Manchester Guardian 26 March 1925 page 10]
THE CHURCH AND NEW HOUSING ESTATES – The rapid growth of new suburbs around Manchester is creating serious problems for the Church. As the population settles in the houses erected under the Corporation housing schemes, the task of providing new churches and Sunday schools becomes increasingly urgent. An effort is being made to face the problem in one such district. St Crispin’s parish, which embraces the Wilbraham Road estate has at present no permanent church or Sunday school. And yet the inhabitants of the parish now number 14,000 as against 3,847 in 1921. The church is a leaky iron building, seating only 200 people; and a wooden hut which serves as a Sunday school can only accommodate 200 of the 550 scholars on the books. Fourteen parishes are combining in an attempt to bring this impossible situation to an end. By means of a bazaar to be held in the Houldsworth Hall next week, the are striving to raise £5,000 in order that a new Sunday school which will also serve as a church for the time being, may be erected at once. In commending the bazaar, the Bishop of Manchester says – “I do not believe there is any more urgent claim in the whole of this great diocese.” [Manchester Guardian 25 November 1926 page 6].
NEW MANCHESTER CHURCH. TEMPORARY ACCOMMODATION IN SCHOOLROOM.- The new Sunday school and temporary church of St. Crispin on the Wiibramton estate, are to be dedicated at 3 30 p.m. on Saturday by the Bishop of Manchester. They will be welcome substitute for that structure which the rector, the Rev. R. W. Balleine, describes in his parish magazine this month as "our poor old tin tabernacle in Parkside Road." Nevertheless, the new buildings so far completed are no more than a part of a far larger scheme. All that has yet been erected is the lower storey of two-storey building. It is divided into two parts. The larger of them will eventually become the parish hall, and will serve as Sunday school and for social purposes; but it is now equipped as a church, and for the time being is to be used for that purpose only. The smaller port forms a room for a kindergarten Sunday school. This lower storey is finished off with a flat concrete roof which serve as the floor of the future church, When the church is finished it will be an impressive building, rising some 70 feet above ground. It has been designed by Professor Hubert Worthington, and the builders are Messrs. William Thorpe and Sons, Ltd. The temporary church will accommodate about 400 people, the future church about 700. [Manchester Guardian 3 May 1928 page 13]
NEW CHURCHES IN SOUTH MANCHESTER. DEDICATION OF ST. CRISPIN'S - Further progress in the scheme to provide church accommodation for the new housing estates of Manchester was marked on Saturday when the Bishop (Dr. William Temple) dedicated new Sunday school and parish hall at the corner of Lloyd Street South and Hart Road. These two thoroughfares touch in the very heart of the new suburb which stretches across the south of the city from Platt Fields Park to Alexandra Park. Eight years ago the belt of land between these two points was hardly built upon; to-day it is the site of a trim garden suburb which has reached almost the limit of development. It is a field or enterprise which no church can afford to neglect. The new buildings are only an instalment of a larger scheme. They are to be used as a temporary church, but plans of a new church, to be dedicated to St Crispin have been sketched in preparation for the time when there will be sufficient money in hand to begin its erection. In the meantime, there is a debt to be cleared off the temporary church; it has cost £11,000 to build towards which not more than £8,000 had been raised on Saturday. It is a substantial brick structure. plainly but attractively designed, and it will provide seating accommodation for about 400. The contemplated church will be spacious structure to accommodate 700 people, and will be built as a second storey upon the presentschool and parish hall, a somewhat unusual practice decided upon by the architect on account of the peculiarities of the site. [Manchester Guardian 7 May 1928 page 11]
Reference Manchester Guardian 23 June 1923 page 1 – appeal for funds
Reference Manchester Guardian 26 March 1925 page 10 - Wilbrampton
Reference Manchester Guardian, 23 March 1925,
Reference Manchester Guardian 25 November 1926 page 6 – new housing estates
Reference Manchester Guardian 1 December 1926 page 27 – J H Worthington architect
Reference Manchester Guardian 4 April 1927 page 11 – blessing of site, rectory
Reference Manchester Guardian 19 July 1927 page 7 – foundation stone
Reference Manchester Guardian 3 May 1928 page 13
Reference Manchester Guardian 7 May 1928 page 11 - dedication
