Church of St Peter, St Peter's Street, Newbold, Rochdale

NEW CHURCH AT ROCHDALE - On Saturday afternoon, the foundation stone of a new church (St Peter’s) to be erected near the Milnrow Road, Rochdale, was laid by Mr James Shorrocks, of Newbold. The building is to seat 670 and to cost approximately £3,500 without including a tower and spire. The architects are Messrs J Medland and Henry Taylor, of this city. (Following the ceremony the foundation stone was disturbed during the night and a bottle containing coins stolen) [Manchester Guardian 10 August 1869 page 5]

CONSECRATION OF NEW CHURCH AT ROCHDALE - On Saturday the new church of St Peter, Newbold, Rochdale, was consecrated by the Bishop of Manchester. The foundation stone of the edifice was laid in August 1869, and with the exception of the tower, it is now completed. It is situated about a quarter of a mile to the south-east of the railway station, between the Oldham Road and the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway. The style of architecture is pointed Gothic treated so as to suit the rough rubble stone and red brick which constitute the chief materials of the building. The tower, which at present is carried only a little above the level of the aisle walls, will when finished br surmounted by an octagonal broach spire, which will be carried 135 feet from the ground. The ground plan comprises besides porches, nave, north aisle, ending in minister’s and choristers’ vestries; south aisle, ending in the organ chamber; and chancel with a semi-hexagonal apse. The church will seat 670 persons and the contracts for the various portions of the work amount altogether to £3,750, which sum covers extras. The architects are Messrs M and H Taylor, St Ann’s Churchyard, Manchester. [Manchester Guardian 22 May 1871 page 2]

ROCHDALE - The Church of St. Peter, Newbold, the foundation-stone of which was laid by Bishop Lee, on the 7th of August, 1869, has now been consecrated. This is the second of the new Rochdale churches—All Saints', Hamer, being the first. Three others, at Balderstone, Faoit, and Falinge, are in progress. The new church is situated a quarter of a mile or more to the S.E. of the Rochdale railway station, between the Oldham-road and the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway, and is well seen from both, as the site is elevated. The style of the architecture is Pointed Gothic, treated to suit the rough random rubble stone and red brick, of which materials the church is mainly built. The walls are of rubble, and stock brick is introduced in the coigns, bands, strings, buttresses, and arches, in the ornamental panels, mouldings, and cornices, and in many other places where dressed stone is more usually employed. In this case dressed ashlar stone is used externally for all sills, and for the cusping and tracery of about thirty of the windows. The tower is at present carried only a little above the level of the aisle walls. Projecting from the centre of the western side is the semi-octagonal staircase turret to the belfry stage. The tower will have at the top four two-lighted windows, and be surmounted by an octagonal broach spire. There are two small lancet windows lighting the tower porch. The spire will be carried to a height of about 135 feet and at its summit is to be placed the cook, as a well-known symbol of St. Peter. Next in order on the west elevation is the west porch or narthex, with its three arches. The two side ones are doors, to be used for exit only. The central arch contains a small quatrefoiled window, and the spandrels are filled with ornamental brickwork. The roof of the porch slopes up to the bottom of the large west window, which has four lights below, and a rose-window above. The central pier of the four lights is carried up projecting, so as to form the stem of a cross, in conjunction with the tracery bars in the circular window above. The west gable is again connected with the narthex by a flying buttress and buck-pinnacle, and on its summit is a cross. At the north-west angle of the church is the baptistery, with a buttress and pinnacle, separate pyramidal roof, and floriated metal cross. The long lines of the north and south aisles are broken by the buttresses which divide the pairs of aisle windows. The roofs are slated in two colours, arranged in patterns, and are finished with red-tile ridge- cresting, of a rather more elaborate design over the chancel than over the nave. The main entrance is by the south tower door. The ground plan of the church comprises nave, north aisle, ending, towards the east, in the minister's and choristers' vestries; south aisle, ending in the organ-chamber; a chancel, and its semi-hexagonal apse. The east end of the church is lighted by the three two-light apse windows. The church will seat 670 adults, all the seats being alike. The several contracts amount to about £3,730, and there are no extras beyond the amounts of the several contracts. The foundations were put in, first of all, by Messrs. Stopford & Cordingley; then the shell of the church was built by Messrs. Rogers & Booth, of London. Tho fittings and finishing have been carried out by Messrs. J. Robinson & Son, of Hyde. The pulpit and font, and six busts of saints, with scrolls in medallions to the spandrels of the nave arches, and all the other figure-work, were executed by Messrs. T. B. & Evan Williams of Manchester. The carved capitals and altar cross were done by Messrs. Earp & Hobbs; the gas-fitting by Messrs. Thomason. The bell, which is intended ultimately to be hung in the school belfry, was cast by Messrs. Mears & Co. The architects, from whose designs the whole of the works have been carried out, were Messrs. Medland and Henry Taylor, of Manchester. [Builder 10 June 1871 page 452]

Stone laid crazy‑paving‑wise and red‑brick trim. The south-west tower was not built. The bricks in places form weird patterns. Large interior with a polygonal apse. The apse has fanciful panelling. ‑ Much stained glass by J. Capronnier, 1888‑90 and F. Comère & Capronnier, 1894‑1908. [Pevsner: Lancashire: South]

Reference        Manchester Guardian 10 August 1869 page 5 - foundation
Reference        Manchester Guardian 22 May 1871 page 2 – consecration
Reference        Builder 10 June 1871 page 452
Reference        Pevsner: Lancashire: South