De Trafford Chantry Chapel, Barton on Irwell

The de Trafford Chantry Chapel was commissioned by Sir Humphrey de Trafford in 1863, following completion of the Church of St Ann at Stretford. Few records of the building of the chantry chapel have survived, but the builder was probably Glaister of Liverpool who was responsible for both St Ann's Church, Stretford, and the remainder of the work at All Saints. The metalwork and stained glass by Hardman & Co. of London and Birmingham. The chantry chapel was erected at a cost of £3,000.  The chapel formed a single space of thirty by fifteen feet divided into three structural bays with the main axis running east to west. The height to the ridge is approximately thirty feet with the internal ceiling height set at fifteen feet approximately. It may originally also have had a porch, the existing north porch appears to be concurrent with the main body of the church, started some years later. The external walls are of reducing courses of rock-faced sandstone with dressed limestone to the parapets, quoins, plinths, string courses and window and door openings. The chapel was built in the Decorated style, the windows complete with hood moulding and carved stops. The stops to the east window are carved with the heads of the donors. Stone plaque with the sculptured kneeling figures of Lord & Lady de Trafford, he with a model of the church. French influences are apparent in the steeply pitched hipped roof, the wrought iron finials, the decorative fretted ridge, the east rose window and the wheel motif in the tracery to the pointed windows to the north elevation. Ruskin's influence is also apparent in the polychromatic patterns of the roof slates. Entrance to the chapel is from the north porch through a pair of doors with stained glass incorporating the coats of arms of the de Trafford and Talbot families. The stone rib vaulting with figuratively carved bosses. On the south side the slender shafts of the chapel are linked to the heavier chancel arcade by trefoil pointed arches, a detail used previously by Pugin at Knill Chantry Chapel (Southwark Cathedral) 1856 and Chapel of St Aloysius, Ushaw (1859). The floor of the chapel is covered with encaustic tiles by Minton, the de Trafford coat of arms alternating with the de Trafford monogram. At the east end the floor rises one step the altar. The reredos is of Caen stone elaborately carved while the altar is supported on an arcade of four short columns of polished black marble. Within the space created under the altar rests a figure of Christ. Slater notes that the decorations all refer to death and the hope of a glorious resurrection.  Under the chapel was the family vault, later extended under the sanctuary of the church. Access to the vault was by means of external stone steps at the east end.

Reference: James Slater - A Catholic history of Barton & Eccles.  1897