Building Name

Mural Tablet St James Church, Oldham

Date
1879
District/Town
Hope, Oldham
County/Country
GMCA, England
Work
New Build

OLDHAM - A mural monument to the memory of the late Rev. R. S. Gooday. M.A., for over thirteen years vicar of St. James' Parish, Oldham, has just been erected in the church in which he was for so many years minister. The tablet is from the design of W. Kenyon Knapp, Esq., architect. Manchester, who has also superintended the work. The sculptor is Mr. Wm. Green, also of Manchester. The mural tablet is composed of richly-coloured and white alabaster and coloured marble. The general design rises from a sill, under which is a carved stringcourse of natural foliage, terminating at each end with corbel angels. From the upper side spring the buttresses and columns, forming jambs to marble panel, on which is placed the inscription. Over the inscription is a double cinquefoil- headed canopy, richly moulded, the label mould being enriched with crockets and finial intersecting the moulded cornice. From the finial of each canopy spring the angle buttresses and columns which form the jambs to the upper niche containing the statue of the "Good Shepherd," which stands upon a carved corbel, composed of vine-leaves and grapes. The lower panel and upper niche are connected together by flying buttresses. Over the upper niche there is a moulded canopy, with carved crockets, and the whole terminating with a finial at apex. [Building News 18 July 1879 page 83]

Reference           Building News 18 July 1879 page 83

The British Architect of the same date refers to a mural tablet at St James Church Hope Pendleton also by Knapp - error?

Reference           British Architect Supplement 18 July 1879 Page ix