St James Church George Street Manchester. Alterations

ST JAMES’S CHURCH, GEORGE-STREET, MANCHESTER - This is one of the old-fashioned city churches, built about the end of the last century, with high boxes for pews, three-decker pulpit in the centre of the nave, and no chancel, but only a very shallow sacrarium. Designs have recently been made by Messrs Medland and Henry Taylor, architects, of Manchester, for the recasting of this church so as to render it more fit for the seemly and reverent conduct of divine service. During the last few months a portion of the design viz, the formation of a Achorus cantorum@ or quasi-chancel, has been proceeded with. This consists of a tiled platform, raised three steps above the nave floor, on the north ad south sides of which are ranged the choir stalls. It is enclosed by a low parclose or screen, surmounted by light ironwork. There is another step at the altar rail and a foot-pace for the Lord’s table. A choristers’ vestry has been formed at the north-east corner of the nave, divided off from the church by a suitable wooded screen. The organ has been brought down from the western gallery to the south-east corner of the nave and the font has been moved to the west end of the central passage. The complete scheme includes a wrought iron archway, with a lofty cross above, and also metal gates at the western end of the Achorus cantorum.@ This, as there is no chancel arch, serves to mark it off well and distinctly from the body of the church. The position of the Achorus cantorum@ is still further emphasised by a panelled ceiling above. There will be a reredos of appropriate design, and the whole of the eastern wall, by slight alterations, will be brought into harmony with the rest of the new work. The windows in the east wall are intended to be filled with stained glass. An arch is to be thrown across the present shallow recess. The central part of the western facade will be re-cased externally with brickwork, and by this and other slight alterations a fairly church-like appearance will be given to the whole front. There is also to be a simple ironwork gable and arch over the west gateway. The cost of this quasi-chancel, with its stalls, tiling, altar-rail, lectern, new pulpit, new choir, vestry etc. is only ,262. The woodwork is pitch pine and mahogany. The very handsome wood of the old Athree-decker@ pulpit is re-used as far as possible. Previously to the commencement of any of the work, a faculty was obtained, without any opposition, for the whole of the contemplated alterations. The existing church, being in what is called the Aclassic@ style of architecture, there has been no attempt to Gothicise it either outside or in, but only to render it church-like, attractive and harmonious as a whole. The contractor for the work is Mr T Darnbrough of Rusholme. In this parish of St James there are thousands of persons of the poorer class, most of whom rarely, if ever, enter a place of worship, and it is to be hoped that this endeavour to improve the appearance of the building, accompanied as it will be by a more attractive rendering of the Liturgy by means of a choral service, will result in drawing some to church who have never been there before. St James’s being situated, as it is, in the centre of perhaps the wealthiest quarter of Manchester warehouses, there should not be much difficulty in obtaining the necessary funds for these alterations and improvements. The church is to be re-opened today (Thursday), there being holy communion at mid-day and service in the evening, at which the sermon will be preached by the Rev F C woodhouse, rector of St Mary’s, Hulme.[Manchester Courier Thursday 30 November 1871 Page 6 Column 2]

Reference    Manchester Courier Thursday 30 November 1871 Page 6 Column 2
Reference    Builder 9 December 1871 Page 272-273