Church of St Matthew Camp Field

NEW CHURCH – On Monday last the first stone of the act of parliament church about to be erected in Camp-field, in this town was laid by the Bishop of Chester. ….  (details of procession etc) But if we might judge of the degree of interest felt by our townsmen in the erection of this useless building from their attendance in the procession, we should conclude that they did not care much about it. …. The bishop then proceeded to lay the stone with the usual formalities; depositing a glass case containing a number of coins, etc, in a cavity within the stone, which was covered by a plate bearing the following inscription: The first stone of this church, erected at the sole expense of the fund under the management of his Majesty’s commissioners for building additional churches, and intended to be dedicated to St Matthew, was laid by the Right Rev George Henry Law DD Lord Bishop of Chester on Monday 12 August AD 1822, being the sixtieth anniversary of the birth of his most sacred majesty George IV of the united kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland: king, defender of the faith and in the third year of his reign. Charles Barry, architect.

St Mathews Church is to be consecrated tomorrow morning at 10.30am The Bishop of Chester to preach [Manchester Guardian 24 September 1825 page 2]

Reference    Manchester Guardian 17 August 1822 page 3 foundation stone
Reference    Manchester Guardian 24 September 1825 page 2 - consecration