Mission Church West Leigh Mill Leigh

LEIGH - On Easter day a small mission church was opened in a populous district of Leigh, near West Leigh Mill. The building is cruciform in plan and comprises a nave about 20 feet wide, of which only a portion is at present completed; transepts about 20 feet square, with boys and girls' porches attached; and a chancel 30 feet by 20 feet. On the north side of the building are a small sacristy and a class-room or library. The structure is crowned with a bell turret over the chancel arch and presents a very picturesque exterior. The walls, both externally and internally, are of the red brick of the locality, relieved with bands cornices and alternated voussoirs of straw-coloured firebricks and blue headers sparingly introduced. The roofs, which are high pitched, are open to the ridges internally and are covered with blue Bangor slates of the smallest size, into which are worked diaper patterns of green and purple Velinheli slates (from Llanberris); the ridges being of blue Staffordshire tile. All the works have been separately executed by local tradesmen, from designs and under the direction of Messrs Hayley and Son, architects, of Manchester. The floors are laid with red and blue Staffordshire tiles. The seats are chairs or forms, they will accommodate about 300 worshippers. The nave and transepts will be used for day and evening schools on weekdays. The chancel is screened off.   ...... report continues with details of opening ceremonies [Manchester Courier 26 April 1862. Page 7 Col 1]

MISSION CHURCH, WESTLEIGH MILL, LANCASHIRE -This church, just erected under the auspices of the Vicar of Leigh, near Bolton le Moors, Lancashire, is intended to be used as a school during week days and as a mission church on Sundays. It comprises a nave, about 20 feet wide, of which only a portion is at present completed; transepts about 20 feet square, with boys' and girls' porches attached, and a chancel 30 feet by 20 feet. On the north side of the building are a small sacristy and a class room or library. The walls, both externally and internally, are of the red brick of the locality, relieved with bands, cornices, and alternated voussoirs of straw-coloured firebrick and blue headers, sparingly introduced. The roofs, which are open to the ridges internally, are covered with blue Bangor slates of the smallest size, into which are worked diaper and other patterns of green and purple Velinheli slate, the ridges being of blue Staffordshire tile. All the works have been separately executed by local tradesmen, from the designs and under the direction of Messrs Hayley and Son, architects, of Manchester.

Reference    Manchester Courier 26 April 1862 Page 7 Column 1
Reference    Building News 4 April 1862 Page 234 and illustration