Building Name

St Stephen’s Church and Parsonage, Milton Street, Chorlton on Medlock.

Date
1853
Street
Milton Street
District/Town
Chorlton-on-Medlock, Manchester
County/Country
GMCA, England
Work
New build
Status
Demolished

ST STEPHEN’S CHURCH, CHORLTON-ON-MEDLOCK –LAYING THE FOUNDATION STONE – On Thursday morning last, the Right Rev the Lord Bishop of Manchester laid the foundation stone of St Stephen’s Church, which is now being erected at the junction of the Everton Road and Milton Street, not far from the Stockport Road. The project for building the church originated, we believe, with the Rev E Birch and the churchwardens of St Saviour’s Church; they being led by the conviction of the necessity of a new building, by the fact that while the township of Chorlton-on-Medlock had a population of nearly 40,000, the three existing churches (All Saints’, St Saviour’s and St Luke’s) afford accommodation for only 4,000 persons. St Stephen’s Church is being built from designs prepared by Mr E H Shellard, architect, of King Street, Manchester. It will be in the early decorated style, and of stone throughout. The tower (at the corner of the building towards Everton Road) will be 56 feet high; it will have coupled buttresses at the angles and two-light windows filled with geometrical tracery in the belfry stage. At the top there will be ornamental pinnacles at each corner; and four flying buttresses supporting the base of the spire. The height of the spire will be 69 feet giving a total height (with the tower) of 125 feet. The spire will be ornamented with some small decorated windows. In the end of the church towards Milton Street there will be a large window in five divisions, filled with geometrical tracery; a window of a similar kind will light each transept; and in addition there will be two large windows and one small one in each side wall. Internally here will be a nave 80 feet 7 inches long and 40 feet 10 inches wide with centre and side aisles; and transepts 25 feet 10 inches wide, each projecting 19 feet from the line of the building, making a total length of 78 feet 7 inches. There will be a gallery in each transept; and a third at the tower end for the organ, choir and Sunday scholars. The roof will be an open one, the timber being stained in imitation of oak; and the height from the ground to the crown of the roof will be forty-five feet. The principal entrance will be through the tower; the others being in the transepts. Judging from the plans, it seems more than probable that the appearance of the church will be very chaste and pleasing. The contractor for the work is Mr Mark Foggett, who built St Mark’s church, City Road, and (we are informed) gave much satisfaction thereby. The total cost of the church, with parsonage house and school (to be built beside the church) will be about £5,500; the original estimate was £5,000, but the additional and unexpected expense of several hundred pounds will have to be incurred for foundations, in consequence of the loose and unsettled state of the ground. [Manchester Guardian 19 March 1853 page 7]

CONSECRATION OF ST STEPHEN’S CHURCH, CHORLTON-UPON-MEDLOCK – The new church which has been erected at the junction of the Everton Road and Milton Street, not far from the Stockport Road was consecrated yesterday (Friday) morning by the Lord Bishop of Manchester. … The church has been built from the plans of Mr E H Shellard, architect, of King Street, Manchester, the contractor being Mr Mark Foggett. It is in the early decorated style, and is of stone throughout. The tower (at the corner of the building towards Everton Road) is 56 feet high; it has coupled buttresses at the angles and two-light windows filled with geometrical tracery in the belfry stage. At the top there are ornamental pinnacles at each corner; and four flying buttresses supporting the base of the spire.  The height of the spire, which is ornamented with some small decorated windows, ise 69 feet giving a total  with the tower, of 125 feet. The spire will be. In the end of the church towards Milton Street and in each transept are windows filled with geometrical tracery; and in addition to these there are two large windows and one small one in each side wall. Internally here will be a nave 80 feet 7 inches long and 40 feet 10 inches wide with centre and side aisles; and transepts 25 feet 10 inches wide, each projecting 19 feet from the line of the building, making a total length of 78 feet 7 inches. There are galleries in each transept; and at the tower end. The roof is open- timbered - the timber being stained; and the height from the ground to the crown of the roof is 45 feet. The entrances are one through the tower, and one in each transept. The pews are to be of stained wood, which will give a much warmer appearance to the church than it possesses at present. The pavement round to communion table is tesselated. There are in the church 1,000 sittings. The church and parsonage, which is in the process of erection, will together cost about £4,000. The schools which are to be built are not yet commenced. [Manchester Guardian 31 December 1853 page 6]

Reference    Manchester Guardian 8 January 1853 page 3 - contracts
Reference    Manchester Guardian 15 January 1853 page 11 – contracts
Reference    The Builder 1853:216; 54:9.
Reference    Manchester Guardian 19 March 1853 page 7] – foundation stone
Reference    Manchester Guardian 31 December 1853 page 6 - consecration