St George's Church, Heaviley, Stockport

The Bishop of Chester attended at Stockport this week with reference to the proposed erection of a church in the Heaviley district of the parish of St Thomas. A site for the proposed church, also for schools, is offered by Mr Wakefield Christie-Miller, surviving member of the well-known hat manufacturing firm of Christy and Company of Stockport and London. Mr Christie-Miller will likewise bear the cost of the church buildings, which will exceed £40,000. Plans have been prepared by Messrs Paley Austin and Paley of Lancaster, for a church to be constructed of stone, and to provide accommodation for 1,200 persons. The chief external feature is to be a tower and spire rising near the eastern extremity of the building. It is intended to begin the work in August, and it will take four years to complete the scheme. ..... The plans of Messrs Paley and Austin, architects of Lancaster have been passed for the erection of the proposed new church at Heaviley Stockport. Accommodation for 1,200 sittings is to be provided. [Manchester Guardian 30 May 1891 page 8]

ST GEORGE’S CHURCH, STOCKPORT - The Bishop of Chester recently consecrated St George’s Church, Heaviley Stockport. The church is of Runcorn stone. It has a central tower and spire of the height 230 feet. The nave is 29 feet wide and 112 feet long inside with north and south aisles each 19 feet 3 inches in width. The chancel is 28 feet 6 inches wide and 68 feet long, the westernmost portion being under central the tower, with a morning chapel on the north side, and on the south the organ chamber opening into the tower, with the vestries (choir and clergy, farther east of the organ chamber. The total length of the church is 180 feet and the total width across the aisles 75 feet. The nave which has a clerestory of twelve windows on each side and a triforium is 51 feet high to the wall-plate, the aisles being 31 feet. The architects were Messrs Austin and Paley of Lancaster. Messrs Thornton and Sons of Liverpool carried out the masonry, and Mr Hindmarsh was clerk of the works. [Builder 13 March 1897 page 257]

ST GEORGE’S CHURCH, HEAVILEY, STOCKPORT - This church, which we illustrate to-day from the fine drawings hung in the Royal Academy Exhibition, has occupied about five years in building. It is designed in the Transitional style from Decorated to Perpendicular, by Messrs Austin and Paley, architects, of Lancaster. On plan it consists of a nave of six bays, 112 feet long, by 29 feet -wide; north and south aisles, 19 feet 3 inches wide ; chancel, 68 feet 9 inches long, by 28 feet 6 inches wide ; morning chapel on north side, 42 feet by 25 feet, with separate entrance porch; organ transept on south, 28 feet 6 inches by 22 feet 6 inches; with spacious choir and clergy vestries, with offices on eastern side of same. The church is entered at the west end by north and south porches, and a western door. Over the crossing is a tower 32 feet by 35 feet 8 inches, outside measurement, and surmounted by a spire rising to a height of 235 feet. The east and west windows are of seven lights, 21 feet across; these are fitted with stained glass, the work of Messrs. Shrigley and Hunt, of Lancaster and London. The nave has a clerestory of ten square-headed tracery windows on each side, of two lights; the parapets throughout are battlemented. The bays of nave are well marked by shafts, which run up and support the principals of roof, the wall space above the arch being panelled with vertical ribs (in continuation of the lines of the window mullions), mitring with string, which forms the sill of clerestory. The height to the wall-plate is 50 feet 6 inches, and 63 feet 6 inches to ridge. The chancel beyond the crossing is groined in stone, the ribs springing from panelled and battlemented springers, and having carved bosses at junction. The height to ceiling of tower lantern is 58 feet 6 inches; the ceiling is of oak, panelled, and richly gilt and decorated; this is also the work of Messrs. Shrigley and Hunt. The tower contains a peal of ten bells the weight of the tenor being 30cwt. These were cast at the Whitechapel Foundry of Messrs. Mears and Stainbank, London. The church is built throughout of Runcorn flecked stone. The roofs are open-timber roofs, of oak, with traceried spandrels and carved bosses. The nave and chancel are covered with stone slates, and the remainder with lead. The aisle passages are flagged; the seat-blocks, morning chapel, and organ transept and vestry floors of oak wood, blocked, and the chancel is laid with various coloured marbles. The steps to sanctuary are of Devon red marble. The principal reredos is of alabaster. The centre portion is divided into three bays by buttressed towers surmounted by canopy tops. The centre panel represents the Crucifixion. Above are a series of three canopies richly sculptured. The side bays have two figures in each, of bishops standing under projecting canopies upon moulded pedestals. Under these panels, an running across the full width of reredos, is the inscription: "Per pretiosam mortem et crucem tuam libera nos Domine." Immediately below this, and just above the shelf, are nine panels with delicately-foliated heads. The shelf is carved with groups of foliage and inscription, " Sanctus." The side wings of reredos are canted slightly inwards. They are divided into three bays with open arcade work and moulded coping, the outside bays forming doorways with arched heads and traceried spandrels. Upon the top of these screens, and flanking the sides of centre portion of reredos, are niches with canopies and figures of bishops upon pedestals. The choirstalls, organ-case, nave seats and dadoes, morning chapel reredos, altar-rails, and all wood fittings are of oak. The pulpit is of stone and built out from the south-west crossing pier, and joined to the chancel- screen wall. The font, which is placed upon the open floor space at the west end, is of alabaster, with carved bowl of foliage and open arcade round a central shaft; it stands on a platform of Runcorn stone, octagonal on plan and three steps high, with tracery panels cut in the sides. The main altar-rails are of oak, with large turned balusters at intervals and carved top rail, with emblems of the Crucifixion; the smaller balusters filled in between are copper-bronze. The morning-chapel reredos is divided into three bays or panels by wide muntins with tracery panels; each panel has carved roses cut at intervals round the frame. The central one, containing large carved cross with shield, and standing upon a projecting moulded base, is raised somewhat, with ogee-shaped pediment and carved band of the vine ornament running across full width of reredos. The side panels contain figures of Isaiah and St. John the Baptist standing upon pedestals. Below the moulded shelf is a traceried band. The reredos is placed in the apse of morning chapel, and is continued by a panelled dado round the sides. The altar-rails to chapel are of oak, with carved posts and top rail and turned balusters. The organ-case is richly carved, and is elaborated with figures of angels playing musical instruments; the whole is surmounted by a moulded cornice with deep carved crestings and turned posts at main angles. The organ has been built by Messrs. Forster and Andrews, of Hull. The church is heated by hot-water pipes (on the low-pressure system), carried down main aisle in a concreted trench, with grids in floor at intervals. Cold air is admitted from the outside into the trench, and also into the coils in the aisle window recesses behind dado. A line of pipes is carried along each side of the clerestory at the window-sill level, and there are also coils in window sills of east and west windows, thus minimising any chance of draughts. The lighting of the church is by incandescent gaslights. The work has been carried out by the following firms :  Masonry, W. Thornton and Sons, Liverpool; joinery and wood-carving, J. Hatch and Sons, Lancaster; slating, Pickles Brother, Leeds; plumber, glazier, and gasfitter, Braithwaite and Company, Leeds ; reredos, font, stone-carving, stone and wood sculpture, M. R. Bridgeman, Lichfield ; gas-fittings, Hardman, Powell, and Company, Birmingham. The clerk of the works is Mr. John Hindmarch. The surrounding private roads and grounds, and also the vicarage gardens (the vicarage is in process of erection), have been laid out from plans by Mr. E. H. Milner AMICE, of London. The. cost of the church fabric has exceeded £50,000. [Building News 30 April 1897 page 631]  

ST. GEORGE'S CHURCH, STOCKPORT - This is, we suppose, the largest parish church in the North of England, and certainly one of the finest. It is, one almost might say, a sort of culminating point of the art which has been the practice of Messrs. Austin & Paley for a long number of years, and is a very fine example of modern architecture, and besides that, of excellent solid building. It has been in progress during the past five years on a fine site at Heaviley, Stockport, and is the magnificent gift of an anonymous donor at a cost of over £50,000. It is built of stone inside and out, and furnished with oak. It contains two very fine stained-glass windows by Messrs. Shrigley & Hunt. [British Arechitect 26 February 1897 page 147]