Church of St Peter, Birchall Street, Warrington

ST PETER'S, WARRINGTON - The foundation stone of this church will be laid to-day (Saturday) by Sir Gilbert Greenall. The site has been given Mr. William Sharp, and the church is being erected from plans prepared Mr Medland Taylor, architect, of Manchester. It will accommodate 700 adults, and is built mainly of brick, designed simple type of Gothic architecture [Manchester Courier 20 July 1889 page 8]

CHURCH BUILDING AT WARRINGTON - The foundation stone of a new brick church for the parish of St. Peter's, Warrington, was laid on Saturday by Sir Gilbert Greenall, Bart., MP. The new structure will be entirely free and unappropriated, and will seat 700 persons, at a cost of £3,000. Close upon this amount has already been subscribed, but effort is being made to raise an additional of £2,000, so that that the church may be furnished with an organ and heating apparatus, and be enclosed within a substantial boundary wall. Mr Medland Taylor of Manchester is the architect. [Manchester Courier 22 July 1889 page 8].

Sir Gilbert Greenall, M.P., laid, on Saturday, the foundation stone of a church which is to be built for St. Peter's, Warrington. It will be erected by Mr Hodkinson, builder, of Manchester, from designs by Mr Medland Taylor, also of Manchester, on a site in Birchall-street, off Lythgoes-lane. The original proposition was to build a church to seat  700 persons, at a cost of £3,000; but it is now  intended to expend at least £5,000. [Building News 26 July 1889 page 129]

WARRINGTON - The foundation-stone of a new brick church for the parish of St. Peter's, Warrington, was laid on Saturday by Sir Gilbert Greenall, Bart., M.P. The parish contains over 7,000 inhabitants, all working people, and the only accommodation for public worship is a small schoolroom, capable of holding 200 persons. The new structure, which will cost £3,000, will be entirely free and unappropriated, and will seat 700 persons. Close upon this amount has already been subscribed, but an effort is being made to raise an additional sum of £2,000, so that the church may be furnished with an organ and heating apparatus, and be enclosed within a substantial boundary wall. Mr Medland Taylor of Manchester is the. architect. [Church Times 26 July 1889 page 686] 

CHURCH CONSECRATION AT WARRINGTON. The Church of St. Peter, Warrington, was consecrated yesterday by the Bishop of Liverpool. The site was given Mr. W. Sharp, and the foundation stone was laid in July, 1889, by Sir Gilbert Greenall. The parish was formed some 15 years ago, and has been in dire need of a church, there being accommodation for only about 200 persons in the room used hitherto for services. The population of over 7,000 is composed almost entirely of people of the poorer working class, from whom, of course, little in the way of pecuniary assistance church building could be expected. The walls externally are faced with grey bricks, with quoins, cornices, and bands of deep red brick. Red terra-cotta is used for the window sills and other parts. The roofs are slated, a few bands and patterns in green slates relieving the monotony of the prevailing tone of the slating. The ridges are of red terra-cotta, so made as to exclude wet at the joints. Close to the south-west porch, yet sheltered from draughts, the baptistry, containing sculptured font of red stone, behind which is a tablet showing forth St. Peter s exposition of holy baptism, as by the Ark. In the arch which marks off the baptistry from the south aisle is ornamental ironwork with the words from the baptismal service heavenly washing," and over this legend a cross. The view of the interior is picturesque and attractive. Simple as it really is, the plan or scheme of church is not immediately perceived. The chancel and chancel arch, and the large and lofty windows north of the nave, are seen through the arcade which divides the aisle from the nave, whilst facing one on entering the east end of the south aisle is arch opening into the chancel aisle, and a prettily designed, both as to construction and glass, single lighted east window. The nave floor slopes towards the east, the slope being marked by steppings of the terra-cotta string moulding under the side windows. The reredos is chiefly of cream coloured stone, and stands out in good relief from its flanking of the red brick arcade of the lower part of the east wall. The central part of the reredos is a vesica shaped panel of red alabaster, in front of which is a white alabaster cross relief. There are side panels of variegated alabaster, with the rose and lily inlaid. The reredos is finished above with a moulded and carved cornice bearing the inscription, “To the glory of God, and in memory of Rev. M. Sch. the first Vicar of this parish.” On the south side of the chancel arcaded wooden screen, occupying the arch between the chancel and its aisle. There are also the usual sedilia and credence, the latter being in the east wall. On the north of the chancel a small door leading direct into clergy vestry. The clergy and choristers enter and leave the church by an arched doorway in the east wall of the nave, broad enough for two to walk abreast. There is abundance of light in the church both by day and night, and warmth of effect has also been obtained through a judicious use of coloured materials. The lower part of the walls is of brown glazed brick; above this the windows, doorways, and arches, as well as all the coigns and cornices, are of deep red brick. The plain surface of the walls generally of warm cream-coloured bricks, contrasting favourably with the red. The circular pillars, two of which carry the large arches between the nave and aisle, are of red brick, and have quatre-foiled capitals of red stone, with symbolical carvings on the cardinal faces. The church itself, however, with all its fittings and appointments, and from a depth of about 2 feet below the nave floor, has been built by Messrs Statham, of Pendleton, for £3,554 15s. To this must be added the cost of the reredos—for which there is a separate subscription list—and also Messrs. Haden's heating apparatus, which comes to £65. The whole has been designed and superintended by the architect, Mr Medland Taylor, of Manchester.  When is stated that comfortable sittings for 700 adults are provided on one floor, without any gallery, it will be agreed that the challenge thrown down to architects at the May meeting of the Incorporated Church Building Society, to show how to produce good churches at small cost, has been fairly met. [Manchester Courier 24 February 1891 page 4]

WARRINGTON St. Peter's Church was consecrated last week by the Bishop of Liverpool. It consists of a nave, south aisle, south-west porch, and baptistery, the last-named feature being surmounted by a belfry turret, and seats 700 persons. The streets being narrow, the west windows are kept high up. The walls through- out have simple pointed arched heads, variety being obtained by grouping, and also by the patterns of the glazing. In some of the windows texts and symbols have been introduced. The walls externally are faced with grey bricks, with dressings of red brick. Red terracotta is used for window-sills. The nave floor slopes up towards the east, and this slope is marked by the step- pings of the terracotta string moulding under the side windows. There are also seven steps up from the nave to the Lord's Table. The reredos is chiefly of cream-coloured stone. The centre is a vesica shaped panel of red alabaster, in front of which is a white alabaster cross in relief. There are side panels of variegated alabaster, with the rose and lily inlaid. There is a low wall under the chancel arch, which at its north end slightly projects, so as to form the base of the pulpit. The body of the pulpit is of open iron- work, and a low open screen of ironwork rests upon the dwarf wall. The lower part of the walls is of brown glazed brick. Above this, the windows, doorways, and arches, as well as the cornices, are of deep red brick. The plain sur- face of the walls generally is of cream-coloured brick. The circular columns are of red brick, and have quatrefoiled capitals of red stone. The church itself, with all its fittings and appointments, has been built by Messrs. Statham, of Pendleton, for £3,554 15s. The architect was Mr. Medland Taylor, of Manchester. [Building News 13 March 1891 page 384]

CONSECRATION OF ST. PETER’S CHURCH, WARRINGTON - The Church of St. Peter, Warrington, was consecrated on the 23rd inst. by the Bishop of Liverpool. The walls externally are faced with grey bricks, with quoins, cornices, and bands of deep red brick. Red terra-cotta is used for the window-sills and other parts. The roofs are slated and the ridges are of red terra-cotta. Close to the south-west porch is the baptistery, containing a sculptured font of red stone. In the arch which marks off the baptistery from the south aisle is ornamental ironwork, and over this, a cross. The chancel and chancel arch, and the windows north of the nave, are seen through the arcade which divides the aisle from the nave. The nave floor slopes up towards the east. The reredos is chiefly of cream-coloured stone. The central part is a vesica-shaped panel of red alabaster, in front of which is a white alabaster cross in relief. There are side panels of variegated alabaster, with the rose and lily inlaid. The reredos is finished above with a moulded and carved cornice. On the south side of the chancel is an arcaded wooden screen, occupying the arch between the chancel and its aisle. There are also sedilia and credence, the latter being in the east wall. The lower part of the walls is of brown glazed brick; above tnis the windows, doorways, and arches, etc., are of red brick. The circular pillars, two of which carry the large arches between the nave and aisle, are of red brick, and have quatrefoiled capitals of red stone, with symbolical carvings on the cardinal faces. The church has been built by Messrs. Statham, of Pendleton, and the cost, exclusive of the reredos and heating apparatus, has been £3,554. The whole has been designed and superintended by the architect, Mr. Medland Taylor, of Manchester. [Builder 28 February 1891 page 176]

Reference    Manchester Courier 20 July 1889 page 8
Reference    Manchester Courier 22 July 1889 page 8
Reference    Building News 26 July 1889 page 129
Reference    Church Times 26 July 1889 page 686
Reference    Manchester Guardian 23 September 1889 page 6 ecclesiastical
Reference    Manchester Courier 24 February 1891 page 4
Reference    Building News 13 March 1891 page 384
Reference    Builder 28 February 1891 page 176
Reference    Pevsner: Lancashire: South