United Presbyterian Church Coupland Street Greenheys

UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH - OPENING OF A NEW CHAPEL, COUPLAND STREET GREENHEYS. On Sunday last the new Presbyterian Church in Coupland Street was opened for public worship. In June 1849, the Lancashire presbytery recommended the formation of another congregation in Manchester. After assembling for twenty months in the old Manor Court in Lower King Street, this new congregation opened a school-chapel in Coupland Street on 24 April 1851; erected by voluntary subscription from the plans of J E Gregan. At the annual meeting of the church and congregation in January 1852 it was resolved to proceed with the building of the chapel on the adjacent land, again from the plans of J E Gregan.

The Guardian provided a description as follows:  Without it is an unassuming brick edifice, with facings and decoration of stone and stock brick. The principal entrance is from Coupland street, and the visitor is almost startled at finding himself, after passing through the vestibule, with its double set of inner doors, within a lofty, well-lighted and chastely-elegant Roman basilica, lacking only the apse to be a free transmission of that ancient form of Christian church to our 19th century. In our days, when we are in some danger of being a little overdone with mediaeval forms of Gothic architecture - often slavishly copied, open spoiled in clumsy adaptation - we confess to considerable gratification a seeing a Christian church in Manchester of a widely different character. Mr Gregan has judiciously availed himself of some of the leading characteristics in several metropolitan specimens of ecclesiastical architecture of that great genius, Sir Christopher Wren. The result is a structure whose interior reflects by its harmonious proportions and pure chaste style, the highest credit on the architect. The chapel is 82 feet long, by 48 feet wide, within the walls. The main entrance, with a spacious vestibule (as we have said) is in the end next Coupland Street, and the pulpit at the opposite end. Galleries, which are approached by staircases to the right and left of the main entrance, extend along the two sides and across the north end over the vestibule. The side galleries rest on octagonal columns with Ionic capitals, over which rises a upper range of circular columns supporting a clerestory. The ceiling of the central part, or nave, is a panelled semi-circular vault, the apex of which is 40 feet high from the ground floor. This vault springs from the level of the clerestory window sills, and semi-circular arches over these widows intersect with and groin into it. The flat ceilings of the aisles over the galleries are divided into square coffered compartments by the beams which cross from each pillar to the wall. The principal ornamental mouldings are a dentil below and a modillion cornice above. The building is lighted with gas, in perpendicular pendants, and heated by a warm water apparatus, placed in a fireproof chamber beneath. In the body of the chapel the pews are 3 feet wide from centre to centre and in the galleries 12 inches less. With a view to the comfort of the sitters, the seats are broad with low and sloping backs. The chapel is capable of accommodating about 700 persons. There are various adaptations at which we can only hint; as gallery stairs leading direct from the school to the seats appropriated to the scholars. The cost of erection of the chapel is about £2,700 and, with the handsome iron palisading which is to surround it, gas warming apparatus etc, will not amount to more than £3,200. It was erected by Messrs Hay, Nish and M’Kean and does them much credit. The seats throughout are uniformly fitted with cushions of rich dark crimson moreen; and this and the other upholstery work has been satisfactorily executed by Mr Standage of Ridgefield. [Manchester Guardian 27 April 1853 page 5 ]

Reference    Manchester Guardian 27 April 1853 page 5 – opening
Reference    Manchester Courier 27 April 1853 page 5
Reference    Builder 14 May 1853 page 310