Congregational Church, New Road, Bury.

OPENING OF NEW ROAD CHURCH, BURY. The handsome new building situated in Rochdale Road opened on Wednesday. when Dr. Allon, of London. preached afternoon and evening. At the opening service he said New Road Chapel was founded in 1792. The building was completed and opened in April 1792, on the present site. then called Church Field. Schools were added. and the chapel was enlarged from time to time as occasion required and was closed on March 2nd, 1884 The corner stone of this building was laid on June 21st, 1884. It is now finished.

 The new building is in the Gothic style of the late decorated period. and occupies the site of the old chapel, together with that of the old school and part of the graveyard. The arrangement of the plan differs considerably from the usual Nonconformist form of church. the pulpit, instead of being in the centre of the building, is placed on one side as is customary in episcopalian churches. There is also a chancel in which the choir is accommodated, and a raised dais still further in the rear, upon which the communion table is placed, and containing seats for the officiating minister and the deacons. The general form of the church is a parallelogram spanned by a broad, open panelled timber roof, with hammer beam principals of massive construction. The chief entrance is under the end gable, where handsome porch admits to a spacious vestibule encased on all sides by open pitch-pine framework, filled in with coloured glass in leaded frames. There are also two side entrances leading into the vestibule, and to the right and left are ladies' and gentlemen's cloakrooms. The vestibule is ceiled in pitch-pine and the floor is finished with tile Mosaic of broad and simple design. The seating on the ground floor is divided into three bays by passages. The benches are of pitch-pine of solid design and the ends are relieved with American walnut panels. In addition to the seats in the body of the church there are also a number on a higher level behind the choir; and besides these considerable accommodation is provided in a large end gallery over the vestibule, and approached by broad staircases from the side entrances, and in a side gallery overlooking the chancel. The gallery pews are of pitch pine enriched with American walnut panels. The interior of the chapel is lined with red Ruabon pressed bricks for a height of several feet above the panelled pitch pine dado, nod from this to the roof with buff Ruabon bricks pointed in white mortar and relieved with red terra cotta bands. The effect of this combination of colour is bright and harmonious, and has an appearance of stability and repose, contrasting pleasantly with the tawdry effect too often obtained where colour in temper is used upon plastered walls. The roof is constructed in pitch-pine left clean off the plane without varnish. The soft texture of the wood thus retained harmonises with the buff tint of the walls in a satisfactory manner. The body of the church is divided from the chancel and side recesses by three-pointed stone arches carried upon stone piers and granite columns. This treatment is also repeated between the chancel end the galleries on each side and again behind. In the rear of these arches appears an arcade of Ruabon terra cotta, and above this, three elaborate tracery windows filled with coloured glass from which the chancel derives its principal light. The furnishing of the chancel has been very thoroughly carried out in dark oak. The pulpit is an elaborate piece of framing, with ebony columns and carved caps, resting upon a stone base. The choir stalls, communion table, and minister's and deacons' seats are also made of the same durable material, upon which a considerable amount of skilled labour has been bestowed with happy results. The floor of the chancel is covered with mosaic work of a rich design. The windows throughout are of coloured glass in lead frames and add much to the richness and colour of the interior. The minister's vestry occupies a convenient place on the pulpit side of the chancel. and over this room is the organ gallery communicating with the church and the chancel by means of the Gothic arches before referred to. In the rear of the church are two large vestries for choir use and other church purposes. They are well lighted and have a separate entrance from the side street. The exterior of tile building is simple in outline. The walls are built of Ruabon pressed brick with Yorkshire stone dressings and are finished on all sides with the same materials. The west front consists of a porch with bold doorway, enriched gables, and pinnacles at each side, flanked with single light windows; and above the porch are two four-light tracery windows. This front is relieved by carrying the centre portion with gable to the height of the main roof with bold pinnacles on each side and extending the sides as into transept gables. The side walls are each pierced with four two-light tracery windows, in addition to the large four-light window. over the side porches and the windows lighting the side galleries. The accommodation provided for is 730 worshippers. The architects of the building are Messrs. Maxwell and Tuke of Manchester and Bury. The contractors for the masonry and brickwork, Messrs. Newhouse and Wrigley; for the joiners' work, Messrs. Thompson and Brierley. The slating was done by Mr. Diggle; the plumbing by Mr. Caton; the plastering and painting hy Messrs. Berry and Sagar; the coloured glass by Mr. Collins; the pulpit, communion table, and choir stalls were made by Mr. J. Crompton; the deacons' seats by Mr. Larmuth the beautiful mosaic work in the entrances aisles, and chancel by Oppenheimer. The front has been carved by Mr. Milsom. The heating has been carefully executed by Messrs. Smith and Law; the iron railings and gates and the internal iron fittings by Mr. Collier. [Bury Times - Saturday 24 October 1885 page 7]

Reference    Bury Times - Saturday 24 October 1885 page 7