Church of the Holy Trinity, Bardsley, Ashton-under-Lyne

TO MASONS and QUARRY MEN Parties desirous of GETTING and WORKING STONE from Bardsley Quarry for a NEW CHURCH about to be erected near Ashton for the  Trustees of Hulme's Charity, may obtain further information at the offices of the Architects, Messrs. STARKEY and CUFFLEY", Cross-street, Manchester, on and after the 1st of March. [Manchester Courier  25 February 1843 page 1]

NEW CHURCH BARDSLEY, near ASHTON. The Trustees of the estate devised by William Hulme Esq are desirous of receiving tenders for all or any portion of the works required in the erection of the above church. The plans and specification may be inspected at the offices of the architect, Messrs Starkey and Cuffley on and after Monday 3 April. Sealed tenders, addressed to the Trustees are to be delivered to the architects on or before 7 April. [Manchester Guardian 25 March 1843 page 1]

FOUNDATION OF A NEW CHURCH, AT BARDSLEY, NEAR ASHTON. Yesterday, the first stone of a new church about to be erected in the township of Bardsley, in the parish of Ashton-under-Lyne, about half Way between Ashton and Oldham, was laid by Jonah Harrop, Esq., of Bardsley House. The church will be In the Norman style of architecture. The architects are Messrs. Starkey and Cuffley, of Cross-street, in this town, whose design has been selected by the trustees out of upwards of twenty. The edifice will have transepts, and lofty square tower at the west end. Its external dimensions are, length, 100 feet; width across the transepts, 80 feet; width of the body of the church, 47 feet; height of the tower, 80 feet. The tower will surmounted by four elegant octagonal pinnacles, terminating in a point. The principal entrance, or west door, will be of elaborate workmanship, and deeply recessed. Above it will be a large window, also in the western face of the tower, consisting of clustered columns; and above that a clock, with three faces, looking to the west, north, and south. There will be four Norman windows on each side, similar to those of the round church at Cambridge. The transepts will be lighted with triple Norman windows, with a small wheel window above each, in the facade. Each transept will have buttresses at the corners, terminating in small pinnacles. The east end will be surmounted by a neat cross. The chancel is deeply recessed, and lighted from the sides. The church will provide accommodation for 800 persons, and great part of the sittings will be free. It will have an open roof, and no galleries. It is expected to be completed in about twelve months, and will be dedicated to the Holy Trinity. The cost will be £2,100, of which sum a great part has been contributed by the trustees of Hulme's Charity.  The contractors are—for the masons' work, Messrs. Paton and Hollis, of Ashton; for the joiners' work, Mr. William Briscoe, of Ashton; and for the plasterers' painters', and plumbers'and glaziers' work, Mr. John Kay, of Port-street, Manchester.

In a cavity in the bed of the stone a sealed bottle was deposited, containing the coins of the present reign, and some inscriptions. These were covered by A zinc plate, bearing the following inscription “The corner-stone of this Church, dedicated to the Holy Trinity, and elected the expense the Trustees of the estates devised William Hulrne, Esq., aided by subscriptions from the Right Hon. the Earl of Stamford and Warrington, the Chester Diocesan Church Society, Jonah Harrop, Esq. the Fairbottom Colliery Company, and John Justice Southam, Esq., was laid by Jonah Harrop, Esq., on the 9th day of June. STARKEY & CUFFLEY. Architects. Thomas Darwell, Junior Secretary.”  [Manchester Courier 10 June 1843 page 5]

BARDSLEY NEW CHURCH. - This structure from its elevated site, may now be seen for many miles in every direction. It is a most beautiful specimen of the Norman architecture of the twelfth century. The architects are Messrs Starkey and Cuffley. It is cruciform in figure, the transepts contributing greatly both to the external and internal elegance of the whole structure which is in a light, easy, and chaste style. The stone-work of the nave, transepts and vestry is covered in, ready for the internal finishing, which will be commenced next week. The tower is raised to the level of the roof of the church, and will be completed next month. The first stone was laid on Whit-Friday 1843 by Jonah Harrop Esq., of Bardsley House, and dedicated to the Holy Trinity. The presentation is in the hands of the trustees of Hulme’s Charities, who have given the land and contributed munificently to the building and endowment of the church. A parsonage and Sunday Schools will be erected in the field adjacent to the burial ground, which is in a spacious plot of land of a gravelly soil. [Manchester Guardian 27 April 1844 page 6]

BARDSLEY NEW CHURCH. - This structure from its elevated site, may now be seen for many miles in every direction. It is a most beautiful specimen of the Norman architecture of the twelfth century. The whole design and execution reflect the highest credit on the architects, Messrs Starkie (sic) & Cuffley. It is cruciform in figure, the transepts contributing greatly both to the external and internal elegance of the whole structure which is in a light and chaste style. The stone-work of the transepts and vestry is complete, and ready for the internal finishings, which will be commenced next week. The tower is raised to the level of the roof of the church, and will be completed next month. The first stone was laid on Whit-Friday last year by Jonah Harrop Esq., of Bardsley House, and dedicated to the Holy Trinity. The presentation is in the hands of the trustees of Hulme’s Charities, who have given the land and contributed munificently to the building and endowment of the church. A parsonage and Sunday Schools will be erected in the field adjacent to the burial ground, which is in a spacious plot of land of a gravelly soil - Manchester Advertiser. [The Builder 4 May 1844: Page 232]

The sides still with long thin lancets and the W tower very naive. No aisles but transepts as usual c 1840. No galleries. Parapet a kind of Elizabethan openwork. But the main external feature is the oversized and overhanging pinnacle pyramids. [Pevsner Page 360]

Reference    Manchester Guardian 25 February 1843 page 4
Reference    Manchester Courier 25 February 1843 page 1
Reference    Manchester Guardian 25 March 1843 page 1
Reference    Manchester Guardian 1 April 1843 page 1 - contracts
Reference    Manchester Guardian 3 June 1843 page 1- foundation stone
Reference    Manchester Courier 10 June 1843 page 5]
Reference    Manchester Guardian 10 June 1843 page 6 –stone laying ceremony
Reference    Manchester Guardian 27 April 1844 page 6 – opening
Reference    The Builder 4 May 1844: Page 232
Reference    Pevsner Lancashire South Page 360.