Reredos: Parish Church Pendlebury (St Johns)

In the parish church, Pendlebury a reredos has been erected to the memory of the late Mr and Mrs John Knowles of Westwood. It is in the form of a triptych, constructed of oak, from a design by Mr W D Caroe MA, architect to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners. Mr Lees Knowles M P who has borne the cost of this beautiful memorial, has also embellished the church by new marble steps to the sacrariums, new and by altar hangings besides providing the design by Mr Caroe for the decoration of the ceiling, recently executed. [Manchester Guardian 18  January 1896 page 9]

In the parish church, Pendlebury, a reredos has recently been erected to the memory of the late Mr and Mrs John Knowles, of Westwood. It is in the form of a triptych, constructed of oak, from a design by Mr W D Caroe, MA, architect to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, and President of the Architectural Association. Mr. Lees Knowles, MP (who has borne the cost of the memorial), has also embellished the church by new marble steps to the sacrarium and by new altar hangings, besides providing the design by Mr. Caroe for the decoration of the ceiling, recently executed. [Building News 24 January 1896 page151]

It was reported in the press that Caroe's original design for the reredos, had been refused a faculty. "In the Manchester consistory Court, on Friday, Mr Chancellor P Vernon Smith delivered judgement respecting a reredos which Mr Lees Knowles MP is presenting to the Church of St John the Evangelist, Pendlebury. The Chancellor said he felt obliged to refuse a faculty for the reredos because the design showed an isolated figure of the Saviour as a prominent feature in proximity to the holy table, and it was a presumption of law that such a figure in such a situation involved a risk of abuse. In Caroe's amended design the prominence of the figure had disappeared, and thus the risk of abuse had vanished. A faculty might therefore be granted for the proposed reredos according to the amended design. [Manchester Courier, 9 February 1895]

Reference    Manchester Guardian 18 January 1896 page 9
Reference    Building News 24 January 1896 page 151
Reference    Manchester Courier, 9 February 1895 (information from Jackie Fisk by email)

Updated 15 May 2025