Chapel, St Paul’s College, Chelford Road, Knutsford

St Paul’s College was to have been constructed on a site of 43 acres on Chelford Road, about two miles from Knutsford. The new buildings were intended to be a college for the northern counties, providing scholastic education on a scale rivalling that given at Eton and Harrow. They were designed to accommodate 500 boys, 24 junior resident masters, senior and junior warden, and the required number of servants. The style adopted by the architects, Messrs. Pennington and Bridge, of Manchester, was that known as the late middle-pointed Gothic. Separate designs for the College Chapel were provided by Goldie and Child

With much publicity, the foundation stone of the college was laid on Wednesday 24 September by Lord de Tabley and that of the chapel by the Bishop of Chester. Building works commenced, but after having carried the walls up a few feet the scheme was abandoned, presumably for want of funds.

KNUTSFORD: To Messrs. Goldie & Child has been entrusted the erection of the chapel, which is connected with the college by a cloister, 150 feet long, and is on the plan of a Latin cross, the head of which forms the sacrarium, the transepts being for the use of visitors and servants. The belfry, of brick and stone, over the choir-arches, rises to a height of 120 feet; the choir itself being vaulted. At the west end of the chapel, and over the ante-chapel, is a lofty triforium, forming an organ-chamber. The internal fittings are to be of the most ornate character, the seats being of richly-carved oak, the pavement tessellated, and granite shafts being freely used in the arcading and piers of the great arches. The materials, externally, will be red brick, to accord with the college buildings, with dressings of stone. We may be able to illustrate the chapel, on a future occasion. It is expected that the buildings will be completed by Christmas, 1874. Mr. William Southern, of Manchester, is contractor for all the works: the contract for the college being £30,000, and for the chapel, £14,000. [Builder 27 September 1873 page 765]

Reference        Manchester Guardian Thursday 25 September 1873 Page 5 
Reference        Builder 27 September 1873 page 765 with plan and perspective view
Reference        Illustrated London News 4 October 1873 – laying foundation stone by Bishop of Chester