Building Name

St Andrew’s Church Eccles

Date
1877 - 1879
Street
Chadwick Road
District/Town
Eccles
County/Country
GMCA, England
Work
New Build

  • Completion of Tower by J S Crowther

At a recent meeting of the committee to decide upon the plans submitted for the new church at Monton-Lane, Eccles, it was resolved "That the designs of Mr Herbert E Tijou, architect of Manchester, be accepted," The other competitors were Messrs Speakman Son & Hickson and Messrs Corson & Aitkin all of Manchester. There will be a tower at the east end of the south aisle and a rectory will be built near the extreme end of the church. [British Architect 3 March 1877 Page 133]  Note: Speakman Son & Hickson’s unsuccessful competition design entry was illustrated in the British Architect 30 March 1877 Page

NEW CHURCH AT ECCLES - On Saturday afternoon the Bishop of Manchester laid the foundation stone of the church of St Andrew, Monton lane, Eccles. The building, the walls of which are already rising, is near the most populous parts of this thriving district and, when complete, it will supply a much felt want. .....  Contracts have been let which the building committee are prepared to meet to the amount of £6,500 and it is estimated that the church when completed, with the parsonage house, will cost £10,000 or £12,000. It will accommodate about 800 persons. The building, the external walls of which are of stone, will be of an unpretentious but substantial character. A tower forms part of the design, but the completion of this will be put off until ample funds are forthcoming. Mr H E Tijou is the architect and the contracts have been let separately.

The church was scheduled for completion on St Andrew’s Day 1878. Unusually, Bishop Fraser further commented on the design of the building in his address, remarking: “The building will be of a plain but substantial character trusting for its effect not to frivolous and flimsy ornamentation which was a mode of producing an effect he always regretted to see adopted in our smoky atmosphere, but to proportion, amplitude and solidity and these seemed to him to be the three most successful elements in producing a satisfactory architectural result.” [Manchester Guardian Monday 8 October 1877 Page 6]

ECCLES. - The new church of St. Andrew, Eccles, was consecrated on Wednesday. The designs were prepared by Mr H. E. Tijou, of Manchester. The length of the building, which will seat 800 persons, is 126 feet 6 inches by 55 feet; the height is 60 feet. It is built of Durnford Bridge parpoints, with dressings of Storton Park stone. The cost of the building is £8,000, but the tower is incomplete, and it is not intended to proceed with it at present. [Building News 18 April 1879 page 429]

A memorial window to the memory of the late Mr Henry Boddington of this city and of Silverdale, Westmorland has during the past week been erected in the chancel of St Andrew’s Church, Eccles, by his son, Mr Robert S Boddington. The window, which is the work of Messrs Kempe of London is representative of four scenes at the birth of Christ. The deceased was a large contributor to the building fund of St Andrew’s [Manchester Guardian 13 August 1888 page 6]