St Michael’s (RC) Church 40 George Leigh Street Ancoats
FOUNDATION STONE LAYING OF ST MICHAEL’S GREAT ANCOATS - On Saturday afternoon the ceremony of laying the foundation stone of a new Roman Catholic place of worship called St Michael’s in George Leigh Street was performed by the Very Rev Edmund Canon Cantwell. The site of the church is situated in a densely populated district in the angle formed by Great Ancoats Street and Oldham Road, the inhabitants in the vicinity being for the most part of the working class. The ground on which it is to be erected has been purchased at a cost of ,1,200 and the estimate for the building, exclusive of fittings, amounts to ,2,000. The church, which is to be in the Early English style, will consist of nave, aisles, chancel, lady chapel and vestry and the principal entrance will be from George Leigh Street. The nave will consist of five bays with pillars of red polished granite, and will be lighted by three windows from the roof. The length of the building will be 87 feet, the breadth 61 feet, and the height of the bell turret 71 feet 6 inches. The church is to be seated to accommodate 1,000 worshippers. The architect is Mr W Nicholson of this city. [Manchester Guardian 14 September 1868 page 2]
On Saturday last the foundation stone of a new Roman Catholic Church was laid at Great Ancoats, near Liverpool. The style of the building, which is dedicated to St. Michael, is Early English, and the plan consists of nave, aisles, chancel, lady chapel, and sacristy. The length will be 87ft., the breadth 61ft., and the height of bell turret 71ft. 6in. Accommodation will be provided for 1,000 persons. Mr. W. Nicholson, of Liverpool, is the architect. [Building News 18 September 1868 page 642] Building News confused as to location
LAYING THE FOUNDATION STONE OF ST MICHAEL'S, GREAT ANCOATS. MANCHESTER. (from Our Own Correspondent.) The laying the foundation stone of the new church of St. Michael's, in Ancoats, Manchester, took place on Saturday last, in the presence of an immense multitude. The ceremony was performed by the Very Rev. Canon Cantwell, Rector of St. Patrick's, and rural dean. The site of the church is in a densely -populated district of the working classes, and the ground on which it is to be erected cost £1,200, and the estimates for the building, exclusive of fittings, amount to £2,000. Thai church, which is to be in the early English style, will consist of nave, aisles, chancel, lady-chapel, and vestry and the principal entrance will be in George Leigh-street. The nave will consist of five bays, with pillars of red polished granite, and will be lighted by three windows from the roof. The length of the building Will be 87 feet, the breadth 61 feet, and height to the bell turret 71 feet. The church will seat 1,000 persons, and the architect is Mr Nicholson, of this city, upon whom the design reflects the highest credit. A silver trowel, bearing a likable inscription, was presented to the worthy rector, which was used on the occasion. At the conclusion of the ceremony, The Rev. Father Porter, S.J., of the Church of the Holy Name, addressed the assembly. At the conclusion of the proceedings, the amount laid on the stone as offerings from the faithful amounted to £118. [The Tablet Saturday 19 September 1868 page 596-597]
OPENING OF A NEW ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH - The solemn opening of the new Roman Catholic Church took place yesterday. The foundation stone of this church was laid on 15th (sic) September, and it has been erected in connection with St Patrick’s Church, Livesey Street, for the accommodation of a large Roman Catholic population in the neighbourhood of George Leigh Street. It is in the Early English style of Gothic, and consists of a nave, aisles, chancel, lady chapel and sacristy. The principal front is in George Leigh Street, where there are three entrances, and this portion is built of Yorkshire pierpoint stone, with Halifax ashlar dressing, the rest of the building being of brick. The dimensions are: length, 90 feet; breadth, 60 feet; and height to the pitch of the roof, 65 feet. The clerestory gable in George Leigh Street is surmounted by a belfry. The church has accommodation for 1,000 persons, and the seats are of pitch pine, polished. The high altar is a very elaborate piece of workmanship. It is of Caen stone, with green marble shafts, the entre panel being an emblem of our Lord, and the other emblems of the Evangelists. The church being closed up by houses on each side, it is lighted chiefly from the front and back. Over the principal entrance, in George Leigh Street, is a three-light window, and above the altar is a similar one with a representation of the crucifixion in the centre, and the figures of St Michael and St Gabriel on either side. The architect is Mr William Nicholson, Mosley Street, and the builder Mr J J Finigan, Rochdale Road. The entire cost is ,3,000. [Manchester Guardian 2 August 1869 page 3]
OPENING OF ST. MICHAEL'S CHURCH, MANCHESTER - The solemn opening of the new Catholic Church of St. Michael, George Leigh-street, took place on Sunday last. The foundation-stone of this church was laid on the 18th (sic) of September, 1868, and it has been erected in connection with St. Patrick's Church, Livesey-street, for the accommodation of a very large Catholic population in the neighbourhood of George Leigh Street. It is in the early English style of Gothic, and consists of a nave, aisles, chancel, Lady chapel, and sacristy. The dimensions are: Length, 90 feet; breadth, 60 feet; and height to the pitch of the roof, 65 feet. The church has accommodation for 1,000 persons. The high altar is a very elaborate piece of workmanship. It is of Caen stone, with green marble shafts, the centre panel bearing an emblem of Our Lord, and the others emblems of the Evangelists. Over the principal entrance is a three-light window, and above the altar is a similar one, with the representation of the crucifixion in the centre, and the figures of St. Michael and St. Gabriel on either side. The architect is Mr. Wm. Nicholson. The entire cost is £3,500, of which about £1,000 has still to be raised.[The Tablet Saturday 7 August 1869 page 314]
ST. MICHAEL’S ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH, ANCOATS On Sunday, the new Church of St. Michael, George Leigh-street, Ancoats, was solemnly dedicated by the Bishop of Salford. This church has been erected in the midst of a dense Catholic population. It is in the early English style, consisting of nave and aisles, chancel, Lady Chapel, and sacristy. There is, also, a commodious gallery. The church will accommodate 1,000 persons. It has been erected, from designs furnish by Mr William Nicholson, architect, of Mosley-street, by Mr. J. J. Finnigan, of Alexandra-street, Rochdale Road, at a cost of £3,000. Internally the nave consists of four beautifully proportioned bays, with columns of Coloured Stone, the effect of which is very, fine. The high altar, of Caen stone St and marble, is the work of Messrs. Williams and Mooney, of City Road. Over the high altar is a three-light window, by Edmondson, filled with stained glass. The seats of the church are of pitch-pine, and have been much admired for their style. A stone pulpit, now in course of erection, will soon be placed in the church. [Manchester Times, Saturday 7 August 1869, page 6]
Reference Manchester Guardian 14 September 1868 page 2
Reference Building News 18 September 1868 page 642 - foundation stone
Reference The Tablet Saturday 19 September 1868 page 596-597]
Reference Manchester Guardian 2 August 1869 page 3- opening
Reference Building News. 1869: II: 138
Reference The Tablet Saturday 7 August 1869 page 314
1956 Rebuilding
Architect Geoffrey Williams. Greenhalgh and Williams Bolton
Reference Dr Robert Proctor: Roman Catholic Church Architecture in Britain 1955-1975.2014
Several of Williams’ churches relate to the social democratic ideal in post-war modernism to a liturgical understanding. Williams frequently declared his intention that everyone in the church should see the liturgy at St Michael’s Ancoats, a rebuilding of Manchester’s Italian church in 1956, he explained that people have an uninterrupted view of the high altar, because he had eliminated columns that must have previously obscured the view for many in the original Victorian Church.