St Chad’s Church: Handforth Cheshire

HANDFORTH - The foundation‑stone of the new church of St. Chad was laid on Saturday, Feb. 19. The church is designed in the Perpendicular style of architecture, with half‑timber gables and other details characteristic of the buildings of Cheshire. When completed, the edifice will consist of nave, chancel, north and south transepts, organ‑chamber, and clergy and choir vestries. At the south‑west angle of the building will be a belfry‑tower, the tower‑stage forming an entrance‑porch. The church is arranged to give accommodation for about 300 sittings when completed. The work is being carried out under the supervision of Mr John Brooke, ARIBA, 18, Exchange‑street, Manchester. The contractor for the work is Mr Thomas Browne, of Chester. [Building News 4 March 1898 p304]

HANDFORTH, CHESHIRE  - The new parish church of St. Chad has now been completed, and the Bishop of Chester has arranged to conduct the opening ceremony early in March. The church has been erected on land near the old structure. The building is Perpendicular in style, with half‑timber gables and other details characteristic of the buildings of Cheshire. The walls are of brick, with Alderley stone dressings to the windows, doorways, and buttresses, and the roof is covered with Broseley tiles. Mr John Brooke, F.R.I.B.A., of Exchange‑street, Manchester, is the architect, and Mr Thomas Browne, of Chester, is the contractor. It is proposed to add a tower, transepts, and vestries later on, and when the entire scheme has been carried out there will be about 300 sittings. The scheme will involve an outlay of about £3,000. The old church is now to be taken down, and the land is to be added to the burial‑grounds. [Building News 3 February 1899 Page 162]

On the 3rd inst. the new parish church of St. Chad, Handforth, was consecrated by the Bishop of Chester. The new building takes the place of a church built about 50 years ago, and found to be unsuited to the present requirements of the parish. The style of the new church is 15th Century, with modern detail. The walls are faced with red brick, with Alderley stone dressings to windows, doorways, and buttresses. The roof is covered with Staffordshire tiles of a dark brown colour. The interior woodwork, including the open‑timbered roof, is of pitch‑pine. The accommodation is for 300, and the total cost about £4,000. Mr Thomas Browne, of Chester, is the builder, and the work throughout has been carried out from the designs of Mr John Brooke, ARIBA, of Manchester. [Building News 10 March 1899 Page 338].

Reference    Pevsner: Cheshire
Reference    Builder October 2, 1897*
Reference    Building News 4 March 1898 p304
Reference    Building News 3 February 1899 Page 162
Reference    Building News 10 March 1899 Page 338
Reference    Builder 11 March 1899 Page 259 with notes