St Mary Reddish Road /Broadstone Hall Road, South Heaton, Reddish

No tower, The window details are remarkably incorrect. Decorated with colonnettes as mullions (Pevsner: Lancashire: South )

OPENING OF ST. MARY'S CHURCH, AT REDDISH. The new church of St. Mary's, Reddish, built on a site of land presented by E. H. Greg, of Styal, was yesterday opened for Divine service. The church, which is built entirely of stone, of the early geometric style and Gothic ecclesiastical architecture, consists merely of a nave and chancel. The architects are Messrs. Shellard and Brown, King-street, Manchester; and the builders Messrs. G. and J. Langton, of Heaton Norris; their contract was about £1,600, but the expenditure has been little less than £2,500. The corner-stone was laid the 27th August, 1862, by Major Harper, of Northwich, in the name of Captain Fox, of Statham Lodge, and Warrington, who is one of the landowners in that locality, though the site of the church was given by Captain E. H. Greg, of Styal.

There are to be no interments the yard, the earth of which has been thrown up so as to make a terrace walk wide enough for vehicles to pass round the church. The vestry is at the east end of the organ chamber, with a door into the chancel. The main entrance at the south-west corner of the nave, where a tower is expected to be placed at no distant period, resting on stone archways internally, supported on a large circular stone column, with an ornamental base and a carved capital. At this point the entrance door screened off internally a panelled wood partition, forming a sort of inner porch or vestibule. The other entrance is at the chancel aisle. The chancel stands towards the high road leading from Stockport to the Reddish railway station, the church being set out as usual—east and west —showing a gable and two aisles, having sloping roofs, with a large five-lighted Gothic window with shafts and carved capitals between each light or opening, and ornamented tracery over; a two-light Gothic window, with shaft and carved capital, in the ends of the aisles on either side. The west end of the nave shows a pointed gable, an ornamental circular window being the principal feature. Both sides of the nave have three windows, and similar one in a gable nearest the chancel (where transepts are frequently placed) in order to break the monotony of the roof. These windows have traceried Gothic heads, in two divisions, separated by a stone shaft, with carved capital; the chancel aisle being lighted with cusped windows with shafts to match. The roofs have a covering of red Staffordshire tiles, laid in different patterns upon prepared felt, ornamental crest being fixed in the ridges or tops. Internally the church shows open-timbered roof, with a centre aisle, having pews on either side. The pulpit and prayer-desk are placed on each side the chancel steps. The font is at the extreme or west end, and against the wall, and near the main entrance. All the roofs, open pews, and fittings, are stained to imitate old oak. The church is calculated to hold 400 persons, including; the free sittings, and will be heated, ventilated, and provided with gas for evening service. [Manchester Courier 26 August 1864 page 3]

Reference    The Builder 7 June 1862 Page 410
Reference    The Builder 1862:718.
Reference    Manchester Courier 26 August 1864 page 3 - opening
Reference    Manchester Courier 24 March 1865 page 4 - consecration
Reference    Builder 1 April 1865 page 233