R C Church of St Chad York Street (Cheetham Hill Road) Manchester
Built of stone in the perpendicular style and approaching archaeological accuracy. South west tower 130 feet high with a stair tower set in the south west angle terminates in a small spire. Two three light bell-openings. Canopied niche in which stands the figure of St Chad with crozier in hand. Figure of Christ over south porch (presented by Mr Leeming). Figure of St Michael the archangel over the north porch. Parapet of north aisle - dragons and other hideous creatures to represent the seven deadly sins.
LAYING THE CORNER STONE OF THE CATHOLIC CHAPEL OF ST CHAD’S, CHEETHAM – On Monday last (that being the festival of St Chad, Bishop of Litchfield, in the time of the Saxons), the corner stone of the new catholic church about to be built in York Street, Cheetham, was blessed and placed by the right rev coadjutor bishop of the district, with all the solemn rights enjoyed by the Roman pontifical. The new church and residence for the clergy will have the advantage of a fine open situation, of easy access to an extensive suburb, and not distant from a quarter of the town densely populated by poor Catholics. The plan consists of nave and aisles of 100 feet by 55 feet; chancel, 33 feet by 24 feet; lady chapel, at the end of the north aisle, 24 feet by 17 feet. The south aisle runs 15 feet east of the chancel arch, forming a convenient approach to the vestry and dwelling house. A second aisle of two bays is placed on the south side, forming a retired and beautiful “chapel of the Blessed Sacrament.” The presbytery or dwelling house has a front to Stock Street. It contains refectory, parlour, turret stair, kitchen, office, pantry, etc. together with a spacious cloister, communicating with the chancel end of the church. It is intended to form a convenient and complete establishment for four clergymen, one of whom will be constantly engaged in attending to the catholic inmates of the workhouse, Infirmary, fever wards, New Bailey Prison, etc. The tower stands at the west end of the south aisle; and the south porch is placed in the second bay from the west end. There are also entrances at the west extremity of the nave, and on the north side of the church. The baptistery will be in the tower, from which a turret stair communicates with the organ gallery, ringers’ chamber and belfry. The style of the church will be perpendicular, built entirely of stone, and the perspective effect from York Street will be peculiarly striking. The grouping of the western tower, with its bold base and quaint stair turret, rising to a height of 130 feet, crowned by a large gilt cross; the pierced battlements of the tower; the high pitch of the nave roof, with its western window of five lights, and deeply splayed doorway; the clerestory, with its coupled windows and varied tracery; the buttresses and gargoyles of the aisles, will present to the view a truly church-like group, well carried out by the retiring eastern gables of the nave, chancel and chapel of the blessed sacrament; whilst the tall chimneys of the presbytery will harmonise well with the whole composition. The churchyard cross standing prominently forward, near the south porch, will proclaim at once the catholic use and purpose of the whole. The pillars of the nave are octagonal, with embattled capitals and deeply splayed arch mouldings. The roof will be open, formed with transverse beams and arched purlins. Throughout the entire design the ancient parochial churches have been studied. The decorations, altars, screens and fittings will be worthy of their exterior; and it is intended that this church and its accessories may be so completed as to satisfy the present enlightened and catholic taste for church architecture. The architects are Messrs Weightman and Hadfield of Sheffield; and the builders Messrs Lee, Farrel, and Griffiths of Manchester. [Manchester Guardian 4 March 1846 page 5]
ST CHAD’S CHURCH, CHEETHAM HILL – This is another Catholic structure, and a finer site than that which it occupies on Cheetham Hill could not have been selected. It is a fine specimen of the Perpendicular Gothic style, and comprises a nave, two side aisles, a chancel, and two lady chapels, one on each side of the chancel. The length of the whole is 134 feet; the width of the nave is 55 feet. The roof is of stained oak open work; a clerestory supports it, and the aisles are separated from the nave by nine pointed arches. The whole is surmounted by a handsome tower, the principal turret of which will be, when finished, 120 feet from the basement. The belfry in the tower will be lighted by eight perpendicular windows, and will contain a peal of eight bells. The church is built almost entirely of what is called “Summit” stone, brought from the neighbourhood of Todmorden. The altar table and the joiners’ work, like those at St John’s cathedral, will be of a superb character. Eight stained glass windows are placed in the lady chapels and chancel. The works are in so forward a state that it is quite expected that the opening will take place in the course of a few weeks. The estimated cost, exclusive of decorations is upwards of £8,000. Fine figures of the Virgin and Child are placed in the centre of the tower, on the outside; and another, of St Chad, at the south angle. Smaller figures, representing our Saviour and St Michael, stand respectively the former over the south porch and the latter over the northern door. The same architects are employed on this place of worship as on St John’s Salford. Mr Lee of Cheetham Hill has the contract for the masonry; and Messrs Farrell and Griffiths have contracted for all the remainder of the work. [Manchester Examiner 17 July 1847 page 6]
But first the Roman Catholic group of the church, clergy-house, and schools of ST. CHAD, arrests our steps. The advantage of combining several buildings in one group is here conspicuous, and the result is dignified, though there is little architectural merit in the design. The church is large, and of fair Third-Pointed architecture: the presbytery behind is of somewhat better character. At the south-west is a very decent massive tower, with large open belfry stage: otherwise the style is scarcely that of a town church. Some statues add much life to the exterior. The church was closed, and a certain "high and dry" look pervaded the establishment. The ground slopes rapidly to the east, and advantage has been taken of this in the design of the subsidiary buildings. But the schools must be accused of having a stone front and a brick back; and balistraria - still larger than those at S. Luke's - ornament each gable: an unaccountable perversion of all ideas of keeping. The whole is commonplace, and wanting in any signs of genius. Mr Hadfield is the architect. [AN ECCLESIOLOGICAL DAY IN MANCHESTER. The Ecclesiologist Vol 15 1857]
We terminated our previous article on this topic with a notice of Messrs. Hadfield, Weightman, and Goldie's Church of St. Chad's at Cheetham. There is far more merit in the external design of this edifice than is discernible in their larger church at Salford; while, taken in conjunction with its conventual buildings and schools, St. Chad's presents as a whole a finer group of ecclesiastical architecture. The church itself stands facing a somewhat level main street, having a picturesque presbytery on its south side, set back within a mortuary forecourt ; but the ground behind it is on a lower level, falling, very steeply, lower still from north to south, having a street on all four sides of the group. The architects have well availed themselves of the facilities for the picturesque offered by the rapid fall of the back street, towards which the boys' and girls' schools are made to face; and the result is a highly effective ensemble of stone buildings, very correct in design, looking well from every point of view. Internally the church is well arranged, having a clerestoried nave and aisles, somewhat bare of decoration, an aisled chancel with parcloses and richly‑worked rood screen. The style of architecture is Third Pointed. [ARCHITECTURE IN MANCHESTER II Building News 7 June Page 473]
Reference Manchester Guardian Saturday 3 January 1846 Page 10 (Contracts)
Reference Manchester Guardian Saturday 11 January 1846 Page 11 (Contracts)
Reference Manchester Guardian 4 March 1846 page 5 - corner stone
Reference Manchester Examiner 17 July 1847 page 6
Reference Manchester Guardian Saturday 7 August 1847 Page 9 Column 1 dedication
Reference Manchester Examiner 17 July 1847 page 6
Reference An Ecclesiological Day in Manchester. The Ecclesiologist Vol 15 1857 By Ecclesiological Society. Published 1857 Cambridge Camden Society Page 304
Reference Architecture in Manchester II Building News 7 June Page 473