Wesleyan Chapel & Schools. Park Street, Bolton

BOLTON -The Wesleyan Chapel in Park-street, Chorley-road, has been opened for divine service. The buildings comprise the chapel and school room, large vestry, ministers' and choir vestry, also four class-rooms in the second story over the vestries; the whole of these being grouped together; the side wall of the vestries and the north gable of the school forming a continuous line with the transept gables. Detached from these and standing at the north-west corner of the plot, will be a residence for the chapel-keeper. The total length of the principal group of buildings is 111 feet 4 inches, and the greatest breadth externally, 80 feet 4 inches. The' chapel is calculated to accommodate 950 persons, and the school 260 scholars. The style adopted is Decorated Gothic, of the later period of the thirteenth and the beginning of the fourteenth centuries. Externally, the walls are faced with Yorkshire pierpoints, and the dressings of Wrexham stone. The plan of the chapel is cruciform, and comprises nave, with north and south transepts, and a chancel, in which the organ is placed. The roof of the nave is separated from those of the chancel, front of gallery, and transepts, by pointed arches, springing from carved Caen stone corbels, supported by polished pillars, those to the front gallery being granite, and the others Devonshire marble. The internal dimensions of the nave are 84 feet long and 42 feet wide, each transept 17 feet by 28 feet, and the chancel 13 feet by 2fi} feet. The height from floor line to top of ridge in the nave is 56 feet 9 inches, and in the transepts and orchestra 46 feet 2 inches; the height to the wall-plate in all being 23 feet 6 inches, and the spring of roof inside about 2 feet higher. The whole of the roofs are supported by trusses springing from carved Caen stone corbels, and are open, with the exception of the upper portion of that to the nave, which has a flat coiling at the level of the ridge to transept roofs. There is a gallery over the front vestibule. The central portion of the nave in front is separated from the south porch and staircase on the north by buttresses, those to the latter surmounted by an octagonal turret, pierced by arches on each side, supported by pillars with carved capitals, having carved cornice over, from which springs a spirelet, divided into two stages. A lightning conductor of patent copper coil, 1-inch diameter, descends from the platina point. The height from the ground to the top of the cross is 93 feet. The largo vestry is 23 feet by 16 feet, on the north side of the chancel. The ministers' vestry, 18 feet by 12 feet, with lavatory and closet attached; and the choir vestry, 11 feet by 10 feet, are on the south side of the chancel. The school-room is on the west side of the meeting vestry and chancel, 52 feet by 53 feet wide in side, with a recess 27 feet by 5 feet against the end of the latter, in which will be placed the library, with a small gallery over for a school choir. The height from floor to wall-plate is 12 feet, and to the top of ridge of roof 36 feet. The roof is open, supported by trusses springing from stone corbels. The contractor for the stonework was Mr. A. Pilling; joiner and carpenter's work, Messrs J B Statham and Sons, Pendleton; plastering, painting, and varnishing, Mr W H Lomas, Manchester; glazing, Mr Edmondson, Manchester; carving, Messrs. William and S. Green, Manchester; gas fittings and wrought-iron work, Mr Skidmore, of Coventry. The tiles for the front vestibule, from Messrs. Minton's, have been supplied through Mr. T Oakden, of Manchester, who also procured the granite and marble pillars. The gas-fittings and ornamental metal-work were furnished through the same agency. The heating apparatus has been set np by Messrs. Redfern. The clerk to the works was Mr. Jepson; but Mr George Woodhouse, the architect, has exercised a general supervision over all the works. The total outlay for the whole, exclusive of land, is about £9,500. [Builder 28 March 1863 page 228-229]

Reference    Manchester Courier Saturday 16 March 1861 Page 12 Col 2
Reference    Builder 28 March 1863 page 228-229
Reference    Building News 17 April 1863 page 301-302
Reference    Building News 22 May 1863 page 394