Building Name

Trinity Methodist Church, Main Street, Frodsham

Date
1872 - 1873
Street
Main Street
District/Town
Frodsham
County/Country
Cheshire, England
Work
New build

FRODSHAM - The foundation-stone of a new Wesleyan Chapel has been laid at Frodsham. Mr. Thomas Hazlehurst had offered to build a new chapel at his own expense. This offer was accepted by the Frodsham Wesleyans, and Mr. Charles Hazlehurst, a brother of the donor of the chapel, gave them a piece of land in Warrington- road for a site. According to the designs, furnished by Mr. C. O. Ellison, of Liverpool, the chapel will be Gothic, but treated after the French style of architecture, and built of the white stone of the district. In the front there will be a doorway in the centre, with polished granite shafts, and moulded and carved arch, with a five -light window above, nearly filling the front gable. At each side there will be five double windows, with traceried heads, and at one corner a tower and spire, 120 feet high, with lights and projecting pinnacles, each of the latter having polished granite shafts. Inside, the roof and ceiling are to be entirely of pitch-pine, and iron columns will support the galleries and roof. These columns will have capitals of hammered iron. The principals are to be of moulded pitch-pine, with carvings at the intersections. There will be a gallery on three sides of the chapel, and at the pulpit end will be the orchestra, with pine and ornamental glass screen. The whole of the woodwork will be pitch-pine, and the ends of the open stalls will be carved. It is intended to fill the whole of the windows with stained glass. The chapel inside is 56 feet long by 44 feet wide, and will seat 600 persons. The height of the ceiling is 36 feet above which there will be a ventilating chamber the full length of the chapel, with ornamental perforations in the ceiling. Heat will be supplied by means of hot air. In addition to the chapel there will be a lecture-room at one side of the chapel, 35 feet by 24 feet, and four vestries. The estimated cost of the work is about £6,000. The builders are Messrs. White & Son, of Runcorn. The approach to the chapel will be laid out with shrubs and trees. It is also the intention of the Wesleyans to build a house adjoining the chapel for the accommodation of their minister, at a cost of from £800 to £1,000. [Builder 2 March 1872 page 173]

WESLYAN CHAPEL, FRODSHAM —A new Wesleyan chapel has been opened for divine worship at Frodsham. The chapel is the gift of Mr. Thomas Hazlehurst, of Prospect Villa, Runcorn, and has been presented to the Wesleyan Conference, complete with the internal fixtures, and free from debt, at a cost of £7,000. The land, which cost £600, was the gift of Mr. Charles Hazelhurst. The minister's house, which is close to the chapel, has been erected by the congregation and other friends of the cause. The style of architecture is Gothic, freely treated, local stone being used throughout, from the quarries of the Marquis of Cholmondeley, by whom it was supplied at a nominal cost. The spire is 120 feet in height, and of the broach description, with canopied windows on the four sides, and sur. mounted by the usual vane. The upper part of the tower, immediately below the spire, is finished with a recessed window and an arcade below, with polished granite shafts. A smaller arcade, but richer in detail, has been added to each side of the main entrance; this is ornamented with polished granite shafts. The chapel faces Main- street, and thus occupies a prominent position. The grounds within the gateway are laid out and cultivated. The architect is Mr C. O. Ellison, of Liverpool. The building is constructed to accommodate 600 persons. The seats are open, and of pitch-pine, the entrance to the body of the chapel being by two doors from the main entrance, and two on either side of the communion rails, at the other end. There is a spacious gallery on three sides. The effect of the communion enclosure is maintained by an arch, moulded, and with polished granite clustered columns, the lower portion being filled in with a pitch-pine screen, with polished brass shafts and carved capitals and ornamental glass panels. The pulpit is of pitch-pine, with ebony shafts, traceried panels and side panels, inlaid with black. The font is the gift of the architect, and is in hammered brass and copper jewelled; it stands immediately over the centre of the handrail, and bears this inscription: "Presented to Trinity Chapel, Frodsham, by its architect, C. O. Ellison, Liverpool, Nov. 6th, 1873." The gallery-front, the wall-hoarding, and the framing of the aisles, are finished with long narrow panels along the tops, filled in with ornamental perforations, with crimson cloth at the back. The pillars which support the gallery are moulded, and from them lighter columns ascend to support the roof-timbers, which ride from the caps of the upper columns in every direction. The ceiling is filled in with diagonal pitch-pine boarding, with ornamental perforations in the centre, communicating with ventilating chambers between the ceiling and the roof. The windows of the chapel are the work, 'of Messrs. Holloway, glass contractors, Liver pool. They are traceried in stonework, the heads being filled in with painted glass of varied design and colour. The ornamental effect is carried down the windows by borders and panes. The pillars are decorated in gold colour, to match the organ front. The decorative work has been carried out by Messrs. Chandley, of Warrington. The gas-fittings are by Messrs. Brawn & Downing, of Birmingham, and are constructed of hammered brass and iron, in colours. A ten- light corona is suspended between each column, and five-light brackets from the walls under the gallery. The heating properties of the chapel are afforded by apparatus supplied by Messrs. Trusswell and Company, of Sheffield. The organ was built by Mr. Wadsworth, of Manchester, at a cost of 4002. The front of the instrument is divided into three bays, the pipes being of metal, wood, and reed, and is enclosed in a pitch-pine case, with ebony shafts and ebony mouldings in gold and black. The centre pipes are gilded on colour, and the Bide pipes coloured on gold. The organ is placed in front of the congregation, behind the pulpit, in a gallery erected for the purpose. A Sunday-school has been erected at the back of the chapel, and is completely fitted for week-night services. A fault, however, in the construction of this building appears to be its deficiency of light, which is afforded by low windows of stained and glazed glass. There are three vestries connected with the chapel. The house of the minister is of plain construction, without any features of attraction, and built of red stone. The builders were Messrs. White & Son, of Runcorn; the mason, Mr. Charles Holland, of Chester. [Builder 27 December 1873 Page 1037]

Late C13 style. A managed ruin with remaining tower. New church premises to rear of old.

Reference    Builder 2 March 1872 page 173
Reference    Builder 27 December 1873 Page 1037