Church of St Peter Blossom Street Ancoats
NEW CHURCH (ST PETER’S) OLDHAM ROAD – Tomorrow at half-past three o’clock, the foundation stone of a new church to be called St Peter’s Oldham Road, Manchester, is to be laid by John Kaymer Esq. The site of the new church is in Blossom Street, at the bottom of Spittal Street, out of Oldham Road. The new parish of St Peter is taken from St George’s, contains a population of 14,000, almost all of the working classes, and is bounded by the parishes of St George, St Barnabas St Jude and St Paul. The design for the church is by Messrs Isaac Holden and Son, of Cross Street, Manchester, in the Lombardic style, and is unlike any other church in the city. The church is to be a brick structure, consisting of nave, with north and south aisles, and a semi-circular apse at the east end. The tower partakes of the character of the Italian campanile, surmounted by ornamental lantern, stands at the north-west angle, and will be distinctly seen from Oldham Road down Spittal Street. The seats in the church will accommodate 1,350 adults, and 500 of them will be free for ever. Some progress has already been made with the building, the workmen broke ground on Monday 10 May last, the builders are under contract to finish by 17th December next, and in all probability the church will be consecrated and ready for service on Christmas Say, 1859. [Manchester Guardian 24 June 1859 page 3]
ST. PETER'S CHURCH, OLDHAM-ROAD, LAYING THE FOUNDATION STONE - On Saturday, the foundation stone of the new church St. Peter's was laid by John Keymer, Esq. …. The design for the church is by Messrs. Isaac Holden and Son, of Cross Street, Manchester. It is in the Lombardic style, and the building will be unlike any other church in the city. The church is to be brick structure, consisting of nave, with ' north and south aisles, and a semi-circular apse the east end. The tower, partaking of the character of the Italian campanile, surmounted by an ornamental lantern, stands at the north-west angle, and will be distinctly seen from Oldham-road down Spittal Street. The seats in the church will accommodate 1,350 adults, and 500 of them will be free for ever. Some progress has already been made with the building, the workmen broke ground on Monday, May last; the builders are under contract to finish it by the 17th December next, and, in all probability, the church will be consecrated and ready for regular service by Christmas Day, 1859. The entire cost of the undertaking, including £4,100 expended in the purchase the site and endowment of £53 6s. 0d, will be about £8,500. [Manchester Courier 2 July 1859 Page 9]
MANCHESTER - The foundation stone of a new church, to be called St. Peter's, Oldham-road, Manchester, was to be laid on Saturday. The site of the new church is at the bottom of Spittall Street, out of Oldham-road. The design is by Messrs. Isaac Holden and Son, of Manchester. It is in the Lombardic style, and, according to the local Courier, will be unlike any other church in the city. It is to be built of brick, and consists of nave, with north and south aisles, and a semi- circular apse at the east end. The tower, which partakes of the character of the Italian campanile, stands at the north-west angle: it will be sur- mounted by an ornamental lantern. The church will have seats to accommodate 1,350 adults, 500 free. Some progress has already been made with the building. The cost of the contracts for every part of the works, including heating, lighting, commission for architects and others, is £3,900. Messrs. Clarke and Jones, and Rutherford and Lamb, are the contractors. [Builder 2 July 1859 page 445]
CONSECRATION OF ST PETER’S CHURCH OLDHAM ROAD – The new church of St Peter, situated in Blossom Street, Oldham Road, is a commodious brick edifice, in the Lombardic style. Its distinguishing characteristic is the absence of anything like decorative stone work, the harmony of its various parts being entirely owing to the judicious distribution of the red and white bricks used in its construction. The building comprises nave, side aisles, gallery (extending along the aisles and across the west end), a semi-circular apse at the east end, and a lofty tower at the north-west angle. The extreme outside length is 118 feet and the breadth 66 feet. The tower is in three stages, the upper portion being formed of a truncated spire, covered with green and red slates. When completed, its summit will be fenced with iron palisades, and the whole surmounted by a flag-staff 35 feet long. The height of the tower is 135 feet. The interior which will comfortably seat 1,350 persons, is divided by two rows of cast iron columns, supporting the clerestory arches, which are formed like the other arches of white brick. The roof of the nave, which is elaborately panelled, is divided into bayds by ornamental semi-circular wood ribs. The attractive appearance of the interior is considerably enhanced by the ornamental ends of the benches which are of cast iron. The organ is placed on the gallery, at the west end, over which there is a handsome wheel window; and it is intended to add a peel of eight bells to the tower, a subscription for this purpose having already been commenced. The total cost of the structure, including the furniture, heating apparatus, lighting and bells, is about £4200. Building operations were commenced in May last, and the corner stone was laid on the 25th of June. The architects are Messrs Holden and son, Cross Street; the general contractors, Messrs Clark and Jones; and the contractors for the brickwork, Messrs Rutherford and Lamb. [Manchester Guardian 16 January 1860 page 3]
MANCHESTER - St. Peter’s Church, Oldham road, Manchester, has been consecrated. It is a district church, says the local Advertiser, and situated in Blossom-street. The church is from designs by Messrs. Holden & Son, architects, Manchester, and is built of brick, the style of architecture being Lombardic. Its distinguishing characteristic is the absence of anything like decorative stonework, the harmony of its parts being dependant entirely on the distribution of red and white bricks used in its construction. The building comprises nave, side aisles, gallery (extending along the aisles and across the west end), a semi-circular apse at the east end, and a lofty tower at the north-west angle. The extreme external length is 120 feet, and the breadth 66 feet. The tower is in three stages, the upper portion being formed of a truncated spire, covered with green and red slates. The height of the tower is 125 feet. The interior, which will seat 1,350 persons (500 free), is divided by two rows of ornamental cast-iron columns, supporting the clerestory arches, which are formed, like the other arches, of white brick. The roof of the nave, which is panelled, is divided into bays by semi-circular wood ribs. The ornamental ends of the benches arc of cast iron. The organ is placed in the gallery, at the west end, over which there is a wheel window. The total cost of the structure, including the furniture, heating apparatus, lighting, and bells, is about £4,200, or £3 3s. per sitting. The general contractors were Messrs Clark and Jones; and the contractors for the brickwork, Messrs. Rutherford and Lamb. [Builder 28 January 1860 page 62]
Lombardo-Italian style built of brick with white brick and stone dressings. The clerestory is supported on white brick moulded arches springing from cast iron pillars with carved caps and bases. Pew framing red deal and cast iron ornamental bench ends. Pulpit, Reading desk and Communion table in pitch pine. Church heated by hot water (Wilson) First Class work. Messrs Clark and Jones Contractors. New wall and railings round greater part of three sides. Number of sittings 1336. Excavations commenced 15 May 1859. Corner stone laid 25 June 1859. Consecrated 14 January 1860. (J Holden)
Red and yellow brick. Romanesque style. Nave & aisle, apse. Big North west campanile with a concave sided roof. The interior has five lofty bays with thin cast‑iron columns and semicircular brick arches. Superb roof; segmental plaster vault with slight coffers divided into bays by four elegant cast‑iron trusses with enriched spandrels. The bench ends are in cast iron too. The pulpit may be older than the church*. (Pevsner).
* Holden’s notes and drawings would suggest Pevsner’s last comment is inaccurate.
Foundation stone laid 25 June 1859; consecrated 14 January 1860
Reference Manchester Guardian, 24 June 1859, page 3 – foundation stone
Reference Manchester Courier 2 July 1859 Page 9
Reference Builder 2 July 1859 page 445
Reference Manchester Guardian 16 January 1860 page 3
Reference Builder 28 January 1860 page 62
