Church of St Michael, Townley Street, Tonge, Middleton

Built at the expense of the local brewer J W Lees, the Church of St Michael in the Parish of Tonge and Alkrington, replaced a church of 1839 deemed too small the meet the needs of an increasing population. The first phase of work in 1900-1901, comprising the east end and one bay of the nave. This was followed by the rest of the nave in 1910-12 the foundation stone being laid on 20 July 1911.The west tower was built in 1926-31 at a cost of £6.656 by Grundy Sons and Company of Middleton. The foundation stone of the first phase was laid in 1901 – requires verification.

The listing text notes that the plan consists of a four-bay nave with a clerestory, north and south aisles, a chancel with a side chapel, vestry and organ chamber, and a virtually free-standing tower to the west of the north aisle. At the west end of the church is a canted baptistry. The tower is in four stages, with bands separating the stages. It has angle buttresses, an octagonal stair turret, a doorway over which is a four-light window, clock faces, three-light bell openings, and a castellated parapet. The windows along the sides of the aisles have two, three or four lights with flat heads; those in the clerestory have three lights under round-arched heads. Both the east and west windows have five lights. Inside the church the arcades are carried on octagonal piers. Stained glass by Shrigley and Hunt together with a series from the 1950s.

TO BUILDERS - RE-BUILDING OF TONGE CHURCH, MIDDLETON, LANCASHIRE, Contractors desirous of submitting TENDERS for the whole or separate Trades required in the re-building of the above Church in stone may see the Plans and Specifications at the Church, and at the offices of the Architects, from Tuesday, July 3rd. Bills of quantities may be obtained on application to Messrs. Wright and Son, surveyors, Lancaster, are to be delivered (under cover) to the Architects. not later than noon, Monday. July 16th. The lowest or any tender not necessarily accepted.  - Austin and Paley, Architects, Castle Park, Lancaster. 29th June 1900 [Manchester Courier 7 July 1900 page 3]

Yesterday the Bishop of Manchester attended at the parish of Tonge, Middleton. to consecrate the new portion of St Michael's Church, which has been undertaken at a cost of £5,000. The chancel end has been completed, and is a handsome pile of buildings. It is coupled up to the old portion of the church; and the further work cannot be undertaken until the money required is forthcoming. The completion of the scheme will cost at least another £10,000.  A large number of the clergy were present, including Canon Cleworth (rector of Middleton). [Manchester Guardian 29 November 1902 page 5]

Reference    Building News 6 July 1900 page 33 – contracts
Reference    Manchester Courier 7 July 1900 page 3 – contracts
Reference    Manchester Guardian November 1901 – consecration
Reference    Manchester Guardian 24 June 1911 page 9 – demolition of old church
Reference    Hartwell, Hyde and Pevsner Lancashire: Manchester and the South-East page 511
Reference    Geoff Brandwood: The architecture of Sharpe Paley and Austin page 244, 248, 251