Wesleyan Chapel, Moss Side, Manchester.

In a competition for a new Wesleyan Chapel at Moss Side, Manchester, the design submitted by Mr. Geden, of London, has been selected for execution. A special award of £10 has been made to Mr. Frank Mee, of Manchester, for his design. [British Architect 1 January 1886 page 3]

WESLEYAN CHAPEL, MOSS SIDE, MANCHESTER. - The design for new Wesleyan chapel, Moss Side, Manchester, which we illustrate to-day, was selected in limited competition at the close of last year. According to the terms of the competition, the cost (including pulpit, seating and other such fittings) was limited to £3,000, exclusive of tower. Necessarily the plan had to be little more than four walls, nave, and aisles being out of the question; the detail is also very plain and simple.

An open arcade in front leads to an inner lobby; on either side are porches communicating with this lobby and containing the gallery stairs. The right-hand porch is carried up as the tower. The glazed screen between the outer arcade and inner lobby already exists in the present school, and special arrangements had to be made in order appropriately to incorporate it in the new building. The seats on the ground floor are in three blocks with four passages for access; there is a three-sided gallery round, with central pulpit at one end, and with communion table and rails under. Behind the pulpit is an arched recess containing on gallery level choir seats with organ behind. In rear of building are two vestries with lavatory accommodation and large staircase for access from school to gallery. A covered connecting corridor communicates with the existing school adjoining. Externally the walls are faced with grey end bricks, relieved with stone and red stock bands and dressings, the diaper patterns in spandrels and gables being in terra-cotta blocks; the stone to be sydnope new stone from Darley Dale. The roofs are slated and the windows glazed with cathedral glass in lead lights. Internally the walls are plastered and finished in distemper; the roof is wagon-shaped, boarded on back of spars, with solid framed principles of pitch pine; the whole roof is to be left clean as from the tool, without paint or varnish. The seats are pitch pine varnished, the existing seating in school being re-used so far as possible. The work is to be carried out by Mr. L. C. Webster, of Brook Street, Chorlton-on-Medlock., Manchester, for the sum of £2,980 for the main building, including seating, pulpit, etc., and a further sum of £400 for the tower. The architects are Messrs. Dunk and Geden, of Sydney Chambers, 36 and 37, Leadenhall Street, London, E.C.

Reference    British Architect 1 January 1886 page 3 - competition
Reference    British Architect 28 May 1886 page 565 and illustration