Congregational Church, Burnage Lane, Burnage

 The Burnage Independent or Congregational Church was founded by the Watts family in 1866. In 1972 the Congregational church joined with the English Presbyterian church to become the United Reformed Church. The second church was gutted by fire and demolished to be replaced by a new building opened in 1996.

A NEW BURNAGE CHURCH - A new church was formally opened yesterday afternoon in Burnage Lane, Manchester, Miss Sidebottom performing the ceremony by unlocking the doors. The church takes the place of the older one situated immediately behind it, and the site is spacious enough to allow of the erection of a new school, which is contemplated in the near future. Until that time, the older church and school will be utilised for scholastic and social purposes. The new church faces the Burnage Garden Village, with a line of trees as a separation from the road. It is 72 feet long and 40 feet wide, has transepts at each side. and can accommodate a congregation of about 500. It has cost £3,500. It has a spacious entrance hall, a large gallery, and at the rear vestries for the minister and the choir. The exterior is faced with Ruabon bricks and glazed terra cotta dressings, and the interior with Ruabon buff bricks, whilst the elliptical roof is boarded and supported by six spans. There is window lighting, and all the electric lights have reflectors. Cloakrooms. lavatories, and recesses for coats and umbrellas also find a place in the building. The pulpit is that originally fixed in the old Zion Congregational Church, Stretford Road, but altered and adapted to fit its new position. The whole of the work has been carried out from the designs and under the superintendence of the architect. Mr. Edward Hewitt of Manchester and Knutsford.[Manchester Guardian 18 June 1912 page 11]

Reference           Manchester Guardian 18 June 1912 page 11