Church School, Oldham. (Architectural Competition)

Design credited to William Dawes, The school was built under Dawes' supervision.

OLDHAM (LANCASHIRE) - The foundation-stone of a new school-church at Oldham has been laid. The building will stand as directly east and west as the irregular nature of the ground will allow, and will consist of a nave 53 ft. by 35 ft., and a chancel 9 ft. by 15 ft., semi-octagonal in form, which will be used for school purposes during the week and for divine service on Sundays. The whole of the seating, etc., will be moveable. In the basement will be a room 26 ft. by 25 ft., which will be used as vestry, class-room, tea- room, and for general purposes. Adjoining this are the heating-chamber, 9 ft. 9 in. by 8 ft., and boiler-room, 15 ft. 6 in. by 8 ft. The height of the basement will be about 9 ft. The porch floor stands 8 ft. above the Middleton-road, and is approached by steps and an asphalted slope running along the north wall of the building, and inclosed by iron palisading. The style is Early Gothic. The walls will be built of Platt's red bricks, and the arches, bands, and patterns will be of black bricks. The walls internally will be faced with picked bricks, and whitewashed: patterns in bricks slightly projecting will be left red. The chancel arch will be formed of moulded bricks. The church will accommodate about 300 persons. The total height from the floor of the basement to the top of the ornamental bell- turret, which saddles the main roof at the west end, will be about 60 ft. The slates of the roof will be of two colours, green and blue, laid in broad bands. The cost of the building will be about £1,000. Mr. W. Dawes, of Manchester, is the architect; and Mr. Wrigley, of Oldham, is the contractor. [Builder 1 July 1865 page 473]

The school-church in York-street was built in 1865, at a cost of about £1,000; is in the early English style; and consists of nave and semi-octagonal chancel.