Wesleyan School Chapel, Fern Street, Pikes Lane, Bolton

BOLTON - The chief stone of a Wesleyan school chapel has been laid in Fern-street. The new building will occupy the whole of an old school and yard adjoining, as well as an additional plot beyond, which has been purchased, and which adds 10.5 lineal yards to the length of the plot. A continental style of Gothic architecture has been adopted, the principal features being confined to the front, extending along Fern-street to the fall length of the land available. The main building will be lighted by five windows on each side, and the class-rooms, placed at each end of the structure, will have for those on the ground-floor, two windows each, and three windows each to those on the upper floor. The internal dimensions of the large room are — length, 51 ft. ; width, 39 ft. 7 in. ; and height, 26 ft. to the ceiling, which, in order to gain additional light, will be formed part way up the roof. There will be two front entrances from Fern-street, opening into vestibules, and having doorways leading into the large room, [as well as passage to the class-rooms, extending from the front to the back doors at the north and south ends of the large room respectively. The south entrance, or the nearest Pike’s-lane, will give access to the infants’ class-room on the left of the passage. Over the infants’ class-room, the passage and the vestibule will be placed on a large band-room or class-room, which can be made useful for week-night services, tea meetings, etc. Underneath the infants’ class-room there will be a cellar, which will be fitted up with apparatus for preparing tea, and hot-air appliances for heating purposes. All the class- rooms can be used without throwing open or lighting the large room, and vice versa j and ss the building will be used for chapel as well as school requirements, and consequently occupied for many hours on Sundays, special provision will be made to secure efficient ventilation. The estimated cost is £1,192., which, however, is reduced by £50. by the contractor purchasing the old school as it stood; but that sum does not include the cost of warming and other internal fixtures, nearly all of which have yet to be agreed upon. It is proposed to provide, at low rents to defray current expenses, benches or seats in the large room, sufficient to receive 100 persons. The remaining space will be devoted entirely to school purposes, and there will be accommodation in the large room and class-rooms for about 350 scholars, exclusive of the infants’ class-room, which will have a gallery for the benefit of the younger portion, and also exclusive of the large class-room over, which will bold 100 additional children, and may be used, if required, for junior scholars. The large room, when arranged for either service or public meeting, will contain 500 persons. The architect is Mr. Thomas Ormrod, of Bolton j and the contractor for the work, so far as it has been definitely decided upon, is Mr. William Donaldson, builder. [Builder 29 October 1870 Page 871-872]

BOLTON - The new Wesleyan school-chapel in Fern-street, Bolton, has been opened. The corner-stone was laid in September last, as intimated in the Builder of October 29th, 1870, when an architectural description of the building was given. Mr. William Donaldson was the general contractor for the principal works, and the sub - contractors were as follow: — For foundations and mason work, Messrs. Pilkington & Smith; brickwork, Messrs. J. & H. Brown; slating, Mr. John Hodson; plumbing and glazing, Mr. Thomas Nelson; plastering and painting, Messrs. C. & J. Stewart, - all of Bolton. A few of the class-rooms are warmed by opened fire-places, the remainder, as also the chapel, by Messrs. Whittaker and Constantino's warm-air apparatus. The gas pipes and fittings have been supplied and fixed by the Bolton Gas Company. The pulpit, communion, singing - pews, and sixteen pews (fixed in the body of the chapel), all of which are of pitch pine, lightly stained and varnished, have been contracted for and fixed by Mr. Charles Dickinson, of West Houghton. The space of the chapel not occupied by pews, communion, aisles, etc, has been furnished with movable pitch-pine benches, having cast-iron standards supporting a rail for back rest. These have been supplied by Mr. J. Key wood, of Manchester. The total cost has been upwards of £1,400, including value of old materials, also pews, pulpit, furnishing, lighting and heating, etc. The whole works have been executed under the personal supervision of the architect, Mr. Thomas Ormrod, of Bolton [ Builder 19 August 1871 page 653]

Reference        Building News 16 September 1870 Page 213
Reference        Builder 27 August 1870 Page 694 (tenders)
Reference        Builder 29 October 1870 Page 871-872
Reference        Builder 19 August 1871 page 653