Congregational Schools Radcliffe

OPENING OF THE NEW CONGREGATIONAL SCHOOL, RADCLIFFE  - Last Thursday week the opening services in connection with this school were commenced.  The school, which is also intended to be used for the purposes of a chapel, is a plain structure in the Gothic architecture, and is 75 feet long by 45 feet broad. The interior of the room measures 62 feet by 42 feet, exclusive of the minister's vestry and two class rooms' on the ground floor. There are also three class rooms on the first floor, which are entered from an open balcony, and a cellar for cooking purposes, in which is also placed the heating apparatus. The exterior elevation is of brick, with circular headed windows and ornamental coloured brick arches, with two porches on one of the side elevations, having stone pillars with handsomely carved capitals. The building will seat about 500 persons, and is so arranged as to admit of a chapel being built on the ground. Mr. Maxwell, of Bolton-street, Bury, is the architect. The school has cost about £900, which with the purchasing of the land, furnishing, etc, will make a total of about £1,350. [Bury Times 9 March 1867 page 8]

Reference    Bury Times 24 March 1866 page 2 – contracts
Reference    Bury Times 9 March 1867 page 8 - opening