St Matthew’s Church: Hyde Road/Devonshire Street Ardwick Manchester

ST. MATTHEW'S CHURCH, HYDE ROAD - On Saturday, the foundation stone of this church was laid by Mr. Hugh Birley. The site of the new church is on the plot of land at the corner of Devonshire-street with the Hyde Road. The axis of the church is parallel with the Hyde Road, and a chancel is turned in an easterly direction, towards Devonshire-street. The accommodation provided is for about 850 people, and the cost will be about £6,000. The materials are stone for the whole of the exterior. The interior is to be lined with red and white bricks in bands and patterns. There is a nave with two aisles of four bays each, ending towards the west with a narthex-like porch, divided from the nave by a double arch similar to those between nave and aisles. At the south-western corner is the baptistery, marked off by arches from the church, and at the opposite corner an enclosed porch, forming the main entrance from the Hyde Road, Eastward of the nave is the chancel, of two bays in length, (over the western one stands the tower). The choir will sit here. The more easterly bay is raised a step or two more to receive the communion rails and the Lord's table. There will be seven steps in all up from the nave. Triple sedilia and a credence shelf are formed by recesses in the wall. North and south of the choir are quasi transepts,-  the one for the school children, with a separate door, - the other for the organ and choristers. The minister's vestry is beyond the organ chamber. Externally, and next to the tower the main feature Is the great chancel window-the sill of which is 20 feet from the ground-the window being about 25 feet high. This it is s proposed to fill with stained glass of high artistic merit The nave Is of considerable height, and has a well-developed clerestory, The church will be very light, and the light will come chiefly from above - the most pleasant and effective arrangement. The architectural style is an “'early decorated Gothic.” The foundations up to the ground line have been put in by Messrs. Ellis and Hinchcliffe. The architect is Mr J. Medland Taylor, of St. Ann's Churchyard. [Manchester Times 29 September 1866 page 6]

Consecrated     15 August 1868

Reference    Manchester Courier 23 September 1866 page 3
Reference    Manchester Times 29 September 1866 page 6
Reference    Builder 27 October 1866 Page 802
Reference    Pevsner: Lancashire: South