Church of St Peter the Apostle, Chorley Road, Swinton

In 1791 a brick-built chapel of ease had been erected at Swinton, still part of the parish of Eccles. On the death of the Reverend Robert Bradley in 1864, Henry Robinson Heywood, the son of Sir Benjamin Heywood and curate at St. John's, Irlams o' th' Height, was offered the living. He accepted and was to remain at Swinton until his death in 1895. Heywood had ambitions of building a new church but, as a prerequisite to any building programme, a new parish had to be formed. This was finally achieved on 13 February 1865 when the District Chapelry became a separate parish of Swinton, with a population of approximately 6000. Henry Robinson  Heywood M.A. was educated at Cambridge. He was the curate at Swinton 1864-5 and vicar 1865-95. Appointed Rural Dean of Eccles and Hon. Canon of Manchester Cathedral. He lived at Moorfield, Swinton and is buried at St. Peters. Other members of the Heywood family buried at St. Peters include Mary Ella Sophia Heywood (large white cross between the church and lych gate), Ella Sophia Heywood and Hugh Sumner Heywood. There is also a memorial to Bernard Oliver Francis Heywood, the vicar of Leeds and bishop, and his wife Marion Maude.

As part of Heywood’s plans, the diocesan architect, James Medland Taylor, carried out an initial survey in October 1866. In March 1867 a public meeting agreed the provision of a new church, the choice of architect to be made between Street, Butterfield, G. Scott, Medland Taylor and Paley. Street was confirmed as architect at a public meeting held on 1 April 1867 and began the preparation of his design. The estimated cost of the new church was £8,000. Heywood had agreed to contribute £3000, the rest of his family £1,000 while the rest of the parish was to raise £4,000. Tenders for the work came in too high and Street therefore prepared revised drawings. In the end the Committee could not give up all aspects of the original design and it was decided to "adopt chiefly the reduced plans, retaining however some features of the first design". The extent of these changes is unclear although it is suggested that they included a reduction in the length of the chancel by two bays and the reduction in the height of the roof and clerestories.

Horseman of Wolverhampton was appointed the main contractor and the foundation stone was laid by the vicar on 18 April 1868. Work proceeded rapidly and the church was consecrated by Prince Lee, Bishop of Manchester on 2 October 1869. However, work to the tower was still incomplete, the top stone being laid by Hugh S. Heywood on 13 April 1870 and all scaffolding being finally removed on 30 June 1870. Street also designed the church wall at Swinton, built in 1881. The final cost of the church was £17,922 2s 11d.

SWINTON - On Saturday the foundation stone was laid of the new church of St. Peter the Apostle, Swinton. The plans and designs are by Mr Street. The contract price is £10,000, but before the church is finished, it is expected that half as much more as that sum will be required. [Building News 24 April 1868 page 281]

SWINTON {Lancashire) - The chief stone of a new church, dedicated to St. Peter, has been laid here. The edifice, which is now in coarse of erection, will consist of nave, north and south aisles, chancel, and chancel aisles, with organ chamber at the north, and clergy and choir vestries at the south, together with a western tower. The height inside will be 150 feet, and the width about 60 feet. The style of the architecture is the early Decorated. The church will be entered at the west end by two porches, north and south; also by a small porch on the north side adjoining the vestries. The aisles will be lofty, and contain nine windows. There will be no clearstory, the roofs being all gabled. The interior will be open-timbered, and the walls will consist of Dunford-bridge parpoints, while the walls of the exterior will be composed of dressed stone from Longridge. The whole of the interior will be of stone from the Hollington quarries, the fittings of pitch pine, and the doors of oak. The present contract is for the entire church and tower (the latter up to the open roof only), and amounts to about £10,500. The edifice is to be completed by June, 1869. Its total length will be 144 feet, and the width 66 feet. The nave will seat 478 persons, the north and south aisles will seat 270, and the chancel 146. Tho height of the tower will be 105 feet. The architect is Mr. Street, of London; the contractor being Mr. Philip Horsman), of Wolverhampton; and the clerk of the works is Mr. J. Smith. [Builder 9 May 1868 page 341]

Foundation stone laid 18 April 1868 .Consecration. On 2 October 1869. A Memorial in the churchyard records the 200 children who died at the Swinton Industrial School 1845-85.

The lych gate, built in 1922 was intended as a memorial to all Swintonians killed in the First World War. It was designed by Harold C King M.A. of Westminster, London. The foundation stone was laid on Saturday 18 February 1922 by the Rev B.O.F. Heywood, the Vicar of Leeds and the opening ceremony performed by Thomas Stuttard J.P. on Saturday 7 October 1922. Inside the lych-gate were inscribed the names of all Swintonians who died in World War 1. The builder was William Clare of Farnworth and the sculptor J. Lenegan of Manchester. The stone used was the same as the main church. About 1990 the gate was taken down and rebuilt closer to the church as part of a road improvement scheme.

Reference        Swinton Parish Church: Guide Book.     Published c.1961
Reference        Building News 24 April 1868 page 281
Reference        Builder 9 May 1868 page 341 – foundation stone
Reference        Manchester Guardian Monday 4 October 1869 Page 3 Column 5