Rusholme Congregational Church Wilmslow Road Rusholme

RUSHOLME—The ceremony of laying the foundation stone of a new Congregational church and school-rooms, at Rusholme, near Manchester, was performed on Saturday, by Mr. G. Hadfield, M.P. The church will front Didsbury-road, almost opposite the end of Dickenson-road, and will be ši ft. long by 62 feet wide, internally. It will be of brick, with Greenshill-stone dressings. The style will be Romanesque, with detached shafts to the windows. Its principal feature on the exterior will be a gabled clock tower, surmounted by a slated spire, to the vane of which the height will be 120 feet. The church will seat about 850 individuals. At the several corners there will be a porch, class-room, organ chamber, and vestry. The roof will be high. pitched, but instead of being open to the top it will have a plastered semi-circular ceiling. The school- rooms will accommodate 350 scholars. They will communicate with one of the galleries of the church from the second storey, where the principal school- room will be situated. On the ground floor will be half a dozen class-rooms. The entire cost is esti- mated at £4,000, towards which £1,000 has been voted from the Bicentenary Fund. The architect is Mr. A. Waterhouse, whose plans have been entrusted to nearly a dozen contractors. [Building News 12 June 1863 page 457]

RUSHHOLME CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH AND SCHOOLS – A soiree in celebration of the opening of this church was held last evening. The building occupies a commanding position in the centre of the village, and is seen to great advantage on approaching from the Didsbury side. The road there seems to be made to lead up to it so completely does the tall spire at the angle of the building close up the vista, owing to a slight bend of the road, which has been taken advantage of in designing this church. The style is Gothic; but the round arch has taken the place of the more usual pointed form. The material used is red brick, with Grinsel stone dressings. The roofs, including the spire, are covered with Bangor blue slates. The two principal fronts are towards the Didsbury Road and Steyn Street. The tower stands at the corner, and on either side rises a lofty and imposing gable 66 feet high to the top of the stone cross. Above the base is a range of low windows under the gallery, and above, a group of three each. At the foot of the tower are the two main entrances, and in the upper part two belfry windows in each side surmounted by clock dials. Each side of the tower is terminated in a steep gablet from the head and foot of which spring the main lines of the slated spire. The total height to the top of the finial is 100 feet. It is intended to place in the tower an illuminated clock, which will be well seen at a great distance on every side. The position of the tower appears to have a little decided the plan of the church, which is cuneiform. Its extreme length internally is 79 feet from north to south by 61 feet 6 inches from east to west. The lower part of the roof principals are framed of semi-circular ribs. These suggest the form of the ceiling, which though polygonal, nearly follows them. All the main timbers of the roof are visible and varnished. The spaces between are panelled in plaster and tinted. The upper part of the ceiling is 43 feet 9 inches from the floor In a recess on the north side stands the pulpit. High above it is a rose window, filled with stained glass, the gift of Mr E R Langworthy. On either side is an arcade leading to the organ chamber on the right and the vestries on the left. The organ chamber is at the north-east corner and on the ground floor, and is merely divided from the body of the chapel by two lights and elegant screens of pitch pine. At present there are only two galleries, on the east and west arms of the cross; ultimately there is to be one on the south also. This, it is anticipated, will be a great improvement to the interior of the church, both in appearance and acoustically. All the windows have been filled with stained glass by the liberality of Sir James Watts and other friends. There are four points of egress on the ground floor alone. The church will be lighted by a central pendant of clustered gaslights. The pews are open, the woodwork stained and varnished. All the seats on the floor of this church are fitted with crimson cushions. The pulpit is of pitch pine, and varnished. Behind are the school-rooms, approached from Steyn Street, and materially assisting the effect of the building as seen from the main road. They consist of one large room on the first floor (48 feet by 24 feet, well lighted and lofty) and seven classrooms. The large room communicates directly with one of the galleries of the church. The plan of the edifice is by Mr Alfred Waterhouse, and the structure has cost £4,500. [ Manchester Guardian 14 October 1864 page 2]

Reference    Building News 12 June 1863 page 457
Reference    Manchester Courier Friday 14 October  1864 page 3 - with notes
Reference    Manchester Guardian 14 October 1864 page 2
Reference    Building News 12 June 1863 page 457