Church of St Silas, Ashton Old Road, Pin Mill Brow, Higher Ardwick

THE FOUNDATION STONE OF A NEW CHURCH AT MANCHESTER - The committee of the Ten Churches Association have commenced at Pin Mill Brow the erection of another new church to be called the Church of St Silas. It is to be built in the Norman style of architecture with square towers surmounted by octagonal spires, circular windows and clustered columns. Messrs Starkey and Company are the architects. The dimensions of the church are 56 feet by 90 feet and it is calculated to hold about 1,100 persons. One half of the sittings are to be free. [Civil Engineer and Architects Journal December 1841 page 409-410]

NEW CHURCH DEDICATED TO ST. SILAS - The Ten Churches Association have commenced building a new church, dedicated to St. Silas, on a piece of ground purchased from Mr Bennett on the right of the Ashton New Road, at Pinmill Brow, the foundation-stone of which was laid yesterday by G. S. F. Smith, Esq. This church is intended to accommodate eleven hundred persons, and one-half of the sittings will be free. The design is in the Norman style of architecture. We have seen the design, by which it appears that this peculiar style of architecture is well-preserved and exceedingly chaste. Messrs. Starkey and Cuffley, of this town, are the architects, and the design does them the highest credit. These gentlemen, we understand, are engaged in erecting two churches for this Association. The sides and front of the church will be built of stone procured from near Bolton.  The edifice will be a great ornament to the Ashton Road. It was expected that Lord Francis Egerton would have laid the foundation-stone, but he was absent through indisposition. 'The trowel, designed for presentation to his lordship, was an elegant silver one, and was presented to Mr. Smith by Mr Robert Gardner. [Manchester Times 16 October 1841 page 2]

THE FOUNDATION STONE OF A NEW CHURCH Yesterday the committee of the Ten Churches Association have commenced on Pin Mill Brow the erection of another new church to be called the Church of St Silas. It is to be built in the Norman style of architecture with square towers surmounted by octagonal spires, circular windows and clustered columns. Messrs Starkey and Company are the architects, and Mr Harrison of Bolton, the builder. The dimensions of the church are 56 feet by 90 feet and it is calculated to hold about 1,100 persons. One half of the sittings are to be free. It was announced that Lord Francis Egerton would perform the ceremony of laying the foundation stone, and, consequently, notwithstanding the unfavourable weather, a very large concourse of people were in attendance. His lordship, who was “unavoidably absent” deputed Mr Fereday Smith to officiate in his stead. [Manchester Guardian 16 October 1841 page 2]

Messrs. Cuffley and Starkey are the architects of a church near Pin Mill Brow, which will cost £3000, and will contain 1150 people. The level of the ground being considerably beneath the road, brick piers were carried up to support the beams, on which is laid the floor of the church. The pews under the galleries ascend in steps from the passage, and each person will look towards the opposite side of the church, as in the galleries above. The style employed is Norman, and the tower will be surmounted by a low Norman spire. [Civil Engineer and Architects Journal 1842 page 27]

TEN CHURCHES ASSOCIATION - The consecration of St Silas Church, near Pin Mill Brow, in this town, will take place on Monday the 10th inst at half past ten o=clock am on which occasion a sermon will be preached by the Right Rev Lord Bishop of Chester. A collection will be made after divine service to provide for the expense of fitting up the church. Manchester 1 October 1842. [Manchester Guardian 1 October 1842 page 1]

CONSECRATION - The church of St Silas, situate at the commencement of the old road leading to Ashton-under-Lyne, Higher Ardwick will be consecrated on Monday the 10th October instant at half past ten o’clock in the forenoon by the Lord Bishop of Chester, who will preach a sermon on the occasion. [Manchester Guardian 8 October 1842 page 1 - notice of opening].

CONSECRATION OF THREE NEW CHURCHES - During the last three days one church in this town (St George’s) has been re-opened for divine worship after undergoing considerable repairs, cleaning, painting etc, and three new churches have been consecrated by the Bishop of Chester, all in the immediate neighbourhood of this town. The first was the new church named St Silas, near Pin Mill Brow, Ancoats, one of the churches erected by the Ten Churches Association. ....... The church has been erected within a year; the foundation stone having been laid by Mr Fereday Smith, as the representative of Lord Francis Egerton, whose munificent donation of £1,000 to the funds of the Ten Churches Association led the committee to request his lordship to take the principal part in that ceremony. The edifice is in the pure Norman style of architecture (which is well preserved) with square towers, circular windows and clustered columns. The exterior os of wrought stone. It is from a design by Messrs Starkey and Cuffley, architects of this town, on whom it reflects credit: the builder is Mr Harrison, of Bolton. The tower and spire together attain the height of 100 feet, giving an imposing and strictly ecclesiastical character to the edifice. The internal dimensions are (including the entrances) about 74 feet by 50 feet, and it is calculated to accommodate about 1,100 persons; furnishing free seats to about half that number. There are galleries along each side and at the entrance end of the church; and we understand all the seats in the centre of the floor between the aisles are to be free, as well as a portion of those in the galleries. Accommodation is also provided in the galleries for the children of the Meadow Bank Sunday School, who walked in procession to the church and took their places in the gallery during the services connected with the consecration of the edifice. We understand that notwithstanding the great depth at which it was necessary to lay the foundations in consequence of former excavations, as well as the stone used in the exterior the construction of galleries and the size of the church, the edifice has been completed at a cost of less than £3,000.  [Manchester Guardian 12 October 1842 page 2]

Reference    Manchester Guardian 16 October 1841 page 2 - foundation stone
Reference    Manchester Times 16 October 1841 page 2
Reference    Civil Engineer and Architects Journal December 1841 page 409-410
Reference    Civil Engineer and Architects Journal January 1842 page 27-28
Reference    Manchester Guardian 1 October 1842 page 1
Reference    Manchester Guardian 8 October 1842 page 1 - notice of opening
Reference    Manchester Guardian 12 October 1842 page 2- consecration