Church of St John the Baptist Kirkless Street New Springs Wigan

This new church was consecrated recently by Dr Ryle, Lord Bishop of Liverpool. The architect, in his description of the building, says that the plan of the new church is unusual. There are no nave aisles, but a broad nave which is drawn towards an apsidal ending towards the east. The centre arch of the apse opens into the chancel The side skew arches open respectively into the north and south chancel aisles. The south chancel aisle is regarded as a chapel for services in which only relatively few take part, but it is so arranged that its occupants can join the service when the church is full. Near this chapel is a door. The north chancel aisle, marked off from the chancel and nave by traceried screens, is divided into clergy and choir vestries and organ chamber. At the west end is a central tower, the lower storey is four steps below the nave floor and forms the baptistry. On the north side, near the west end, is the main entrance porch provided with a narrow side door (in addition to the wide front door). The chancel arch is carried on massive circular pillars, flanked by the two side arches of the apse. The east window has three lights of unusual width, and tracery above. Below the window is a reredos of stone containing a sculpture of the Agnus. The chancel is of three bays - three arches on each side - the two westernmost, north and south, respectively opening into the chancel aisles. Looking west from the chancel steps is seen the arch of the baptistry with a wide one-light window beyond. The east chancel window is of similar glass in patterns, with symbols and devices; but the centre light, which is 3 feet wide, is filled with stained glass, the work of Messrs Heaton Butler and Bayne. The subject is the baptism of Our Lord by St John the Baptist. This is essentially a brick church. The design is suited to the material. It is not at all a design for a stone building just carried out in brick. Brick is accepted as a dignified and worthy material, and is treated as brick should be treated, simply and unaffectedly. Even the window tracery is for the most part brick, with just a little relief in stone, where stone is constructionally better. Outside there is red brick, inside red brick again for the most part, with golden buff bricks to relieve the larger wall spaces. At the west end of the chancel is a dwarf brick wall, carrying a low screen or cresting of ironwork, which is continued around the pulpit, the ironwork of the pulpit being a little taller and more ornate. A slight wrought iron arch emphasises the entrance to the chancel. The Bible lectern is attached to and forms part of the low iron screen. In the four open arches at the sides of the chancel are arcaded and traceried wooden screens. The tower is covered with a quadrilateral green slated roof. The chancel roof is somewhat higher than the nave, high enough to admit of a clerestory above the aisle roof. An east window in the north chancel aisle is so contrived as to light the organist’s kkeyboard. The heating is by hot water. The churchyard is fenced in by brick walls and piers, with wrought iron railings and gates. The gas fittings are of wrought iron. The fittings generally are of pitch pine. The work throughout has been designed and superintended by Mr Medland Taylor, the architect, of Manchester. Mr C B Holmes was the builder. The church will seat 505 adults, but on special occasions seventy more might be accommodated. The contracts amount to ,5,230. The church has been built with varied tints of Runcorn stone, and the bricks of the inside are Ruabon, with red facings round the windows, whilst the other portion of the walls are gold and buff. The bricks on the outside are from the Wigan Coal and Iron Company’s works. [Builder 19 June 1897 page 555]

Reference    Builder 27 June 1896 Page 564- foundation stone
Reference    Builder 19 June 1897 page 555
Reference    Manchester Guardian 7 June 1897 page 9