Church of St Peter, Churchgate, Bolton

BOLTON - On Saturday, the corner stone of the new parish church of Bolton was laid in the presence of the Lord Bishop of Manchester, and several thousand spectators, although the previous part of the day had been very unfavourable. The new structure, the cost of which (about £30,000) will be defrayed by the princely munificence of Mr. Peter Ormrod, will occupy the site of the old church, which had stood there upwards of 400 years, having been erected, it is supposed, about the middle of the fifteenth century. Mr. E. G. Paley, of Lancaster, has furnished the design of the new church. It is in the Decorated style, and embraces a nave with north and south aisles, north and south transepts, a chancel with an aisle on the south, and organ chapel on the north, and a tower and porch. The dimensions of the nave are 110 feet in length, 36 feet in breadth, and 73 feet 9 inches from the floor line to the apex of the roof. The aisles are to be 55 feet long, by 17 feet. wide. The chancel will measure 41 feet by 25 feet, and will be 61 feet high. The transepts are to be 24 feet long by 22 feet wide, and 57 feet high. The principal entrance to the church will be through the tower, which is to be at the western end of the church, and rather more than 150ft. high. The porch will form the southern entrance to the church. The entire area of the new building will be 10,819 square feet, or nearly twice the area of the old one. There will be no galleries, but the ground floor will afford sittings for 1,300 persons. The stone used for the ground from the top of the base course, and also for the plain work of the tower, is from the Bradshaw Quarry; and for the body of the edifice, above the base course, and also for the ornamental work, Longridge stone will be used. Messrs Cooper and Tullis, of Preston, are the contractors, and it is expected that the work will occupy about two years. [Building News 3 May 1867 page 313]

NEW PARISH CHURCH AT BOLTON - On Saturday afternoon the foundation stone of the new parish church which is to be erected at Bolton was laid by Mr P Ormrod (at whose cost this extensive work is being carried out), in the presence of the Bishop of Manchester, and a very numerous assemblage of the inhabitants of the borough. The action which has led to the rebuilding of this church commenced in January 1864, when a meeting of the parishioners was held to consider the condition of the church. A committee was appointed to obtain the opinion of competent persons as to the condition of the fabric. The result of heir labours was a detailed report by Mr E G Paley, of Lancaster, on the actual condition of the various parts of the church; and at a subsequent meeting of the parishioners, it was resolved to make an effort to obtain subscriptions for a new building. In November 1865, Mr Ormrod undertook to pay the cost of re-building the church, which it was estimated would amount to about £30,000. Soon afterwards, Mr Paley furnished a design of the new church, and about twelve months ago the last service was held in the old edifice, which had stood for about four centuries. The past year has been occupied in removing that structure and preparing the foundations for the new one. Mr Paley’s design is in the Decorated style, and embraces a nave with north and south aisles, north and south transepts, a chancel with an aisle on the south, and organ chapel on the north, and a tower and porch. The dimensions of the nave are 114 feet in length, 36 feet in breadth, and 73 feet 9 inches from the floor line to the apex of the roof. The aisles are to be 88 feet long, by 17 feet wide, and 57 feet high. The chancel will measure 41 feet by 25 feet, and will be 61 feet high. The transepts are to be 24 feet long by 22 feet wide, and 57 feet high. The principal entrance to the church will be through the tower, which is to be at the western end of the church, and rather more than 150 feet high. The porch will form the southern entrance to the church. The entire area of the new building will be 10,819 square feet, or nearly twice the area of the old one. There will be no galleries, but the ground floor will afford sittings for 1,300 persons. The stone used for the ground from the top of the base course, and also for the plain work of the tower, is from the Bradshaw Quarry; and for the body of the edifice, above the base course, and also for the ornamental work, Longridge stone will be used. Messrs Cooper and Tullis, of Preston, are the contractors, and it is expected that the work will occupy about two years. ….. After the usual preliminary religious exercises, the ceremony of laying the foundation stone was commenced. In a cavity in the bed of the stone was placed a glass jar containing photographs of the exterior and interior of the old church, and an engraving of the same, some current coins, the local newspaper and other articles. Over this glass jar was placed a brass plate on which was engraved an inscription which stated that the old church having, from decay, become unfit for the performance of divine worship therein, Mr P Ormrod of Halliwell Hall, banker and cotton spinner, undertook to take down and re-build the church at his own expense; that he was by a faculty from the Bishop of Manchester, dated 27 February 1866, empowered to do so; and that the corner stone of the new church was laid by him in pursuance thereof.  [Manchester Guardian 29 April 1867 page 3]

BOLTON PARISH CHURCH - In reference to this new structure, now in course of erection by Messrs Tullis, builders, of Bolton, the Shadow, a Manchester periodical, says: "In a few months Bolton will possess the finest modern church in Lancashire. We would gladly drive all our gingerbread‑loving architects and builders to see the new parish church at Bolton. Is it not shameful to think that a place like Bolton should possess a church immeasurably superior to anything in Manchester? Why, our architects will hardly believe their own eyes, much less ourselves, when we tell them that St. Peter's, Bolton, will hold some thousand people, and yet is stone inside and out, from top to bottom. We can imagine how it would delight some of them to plaster it over, just as they have done our wretched Cathedral. That this church is without fault we will not say, but it is so grandly queen of all our churches that we have no heart or mind to do aught but congratulate Mr. Paley, of Lancaster, on his noble work. Every stone tells at once it is hand‑ wrought, for the miserable process of reducing it to the dead level of machine‑work by the process called "cleansing" has not been resorted to. Every tool mark is on it, just as it left the mason's hand." The cost of the church is £30,000. [Building News 12 February 1869 page 144]

CONSECRATION OF THE NEW PARISH CHURCH OF BOLTON – The new parish church of Bolton was consecrated yesterday by the Bishop of Manchester. It has been erected on the site of the old parish church at the east end of Churchgate. The former edifice, which was said to be over three hundred years old, got into such a dilapidated state that in 1864 the question arose among the parishioners whether or not it should be taken down and re-built.  The question was solved in November 1865, by an offer on the part of Mr Peter Ormrod, of Halliwell Hall, to rebuild the church at his own expense, at a cost of not t]less than £30,000; and the offer having been at once accepted, the old building was taken down, and the first stone of the new structure was laid on 27 April 1867 by Mr Ormrod. It is a very fine building, in the geometrical Gothic style, constructed entirely of square worked stone. The design was furnished by Mr E G Paley of Lancaster, and the plan follows the arrangement of nave and chancel, each having aisles separated by a short transept. It is capable of accommodating a congregation of 1,300 persons. The building is surmounted by a tower measuring 180 feet from the base to the top of the weather-vane. The cost up to the present time amounts to between £30,000 and £40,000; but it is estimated that when the church, with its furnishings and fittings is thoroughly completed, the cost will exceed £50,000, to cover the whole of which Mr Ormrod has provided the necessary funds. [Manchester Guardian 30 June 1871 page 3]

BOLTON - Last week the new parish church at Bolton, erected by Mr. P. Ormrod, of Halliwell Hall, at a cost, up to the present, of considerably over £30,000, and the ultimate cost of which when completed will not be far short of £50,000, was consecrated by the Bishop of Manchester. The new church is supposed to be the fourth edifice which has been built on the present site. The church, which has been designed by Mr. Paley, is in the Geometric Gothic style, and is cruciform in plan. The east window is in seven lights and is filled with stained glass illustrative of the life of S. Peter, to whom the church is dedicated. [Building News 7 July1871 page 15]

BOLTON - The new parish church at Bolton, erected for Mr. Peter Ormrod, of Halliwell Hall, at a cost of upwards of £50,000 has been consecrated. The church stands on the site of the old one, at the end Church-street. The building was designed in the Gothic style by Mr. E. G. Paley, of the firm of Messrs Paley and Austin of Lancaster. The whole of the exterior and interior is constructed of squared worked stone from the Longridge quarries. In plan it follows the arrangement of nave and chancel, each having aisles separated by a short transept. An arcade of six pointed arches divides the nave from the aisles, and these arches carry a clearstory having a range of double two-light windows in each bay or compartment. In length, the nave is 114 feet by 30 feet between the walls, and 82 feet to ridge of roof; the total width between the walls of the two aisles being 67 feet 6 inches. The side aisles are lighted by six three-light windows, having tracery of varied patterns, two large windows, of five lights each, lighting the transepts.  At the west end, two staircase turrets, giving access to the parapets, terminating with pinnacles and a large six-light window are features. The chancel is 46 feet in length and 28 feet wide, with lofty chancel arch, and is divided from the chancel aisles by an arcade of three moulded and carved arches. It has a clearstory of different design from the nave, and between the windows and the arches runs a delicate arcade. There is a groined inner roof or ceiling (56 feet to the apex), constructed of timber, and decorated by Messrs Clayton & Bell, of London, with demi-figures of angels, bearing musical instruments, with the introduction of floriated ornaments of brilliant colours. The eastern window of seven lights, 35 feet in height, is filled with stained glass, by Messrs Hardman and Company of Birmingham. The tower (28 feet square) occupies a position on the north side of the north aisle, having been so placed by the architect in order that it might become a conspicuous feature from Churchgate and Deansgate, and which has been promoted by the removal of some old property on the north side of Churchgate. In height, it measures 180 feet from the base to the top of the weather-vane on the pinnacles, and 142 feet to the top of the parapet, and is divided into four stages by string-courses, etc. [Builder 22 July 1871 page 571]

Reference    Building News 3 May 1867 page 313 - foundation
Reference    Manchester Guardian 29 April 1867 page 3 - foundation
Reference    Building News 12 February 1869 page 144 – from “The Shadow”
Reference    Building News 7 July 1871 Page 15 - consecration
Reference    Manchester Guardian 30 June 1871 page 3 – consecration
Reference    Builder 22 July 1871 page 571 - consecration