Roby Congregational Church and Schools. Longsight Manchester.

ROBY CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH AND SCHOOLS. LONGSIGHT, MANCHESTER - These buildings in Dickenson Road, Longsight, have been erected out of the proceeds of the sale of the old Grosvenor Street Chapel and Roby Schools to the Royal Infirmary Board, and have just lately been opened for use. The church accommodates 650, with its church parlour and vestries, lecture‑hall used by senior school, intermediate school with eight classrooms, primary department, and babies' room, each department being provided with its own separate entrances (duplicate), cloakrooms, and lavatories for both sexes. A communicating corridor has been planned, so as to give access from each department direct into the church without going outside the buildings. On the first floor there is a library and men's room for social purposes, with the necessary cloakroom accommodation. The caretaker is provided for in a small detached house adjacent to the school buildings. The main feature of the church is that the whole of the 650 sittings are arranged to give an uninterrupted view of the pulpit. This desirable object has been obtained by roofing the main portion of the church with a large dome nearly 50ft. in diameter, springing from semi‑domes at each corner of the crossing. These semi‑domes each spring from three large stone piers carrying arches some 30feet in diameter, opening into shallow transepts on either side and into a short nave of about double the depth of the transepts and into the semi-circular chancel. The interior effect is spacious and simple and eminently suitable for Free Church services. The building is mainly dependent for lighting on the three large windows in nave and transepts, supplemented where necessary by smaller windows. At the main entrance in Dickenson Road ample cloakroom accommodation has been provided. The dome is plastered, as also the main walls, and a tile dado has been introduced along the walls, except where the stone piers occur. The seating is in oak. and is so arranged that the seats are kept away from all outside walls. Externally, the materials used are 2in. bricks with Alderley stone dressings. The plan dictated the form of the building, which is suggestive of Renaissance work, and the elevations are the outcome of an endeavour to give the building something of a monumental character. Messrs J. Harold France and Harry B. Laycock, of Chapel Walks, Manchester (whose design was successful in a limited competition) are the architects. The organ seen in the apse is only temporary. The permanent instrument will be located on the end wall above the corridor. [Building News 5 September 1913 Page 329]

Reference           Building News 5 September 1913 Page 329 with plan