Parkside Hospital Chapel

MACCLESFIELD

SJ87SE VICTORIA ROAD 886-1/3/210 Parkside Hospital Chapel 25/09/89

II

Chapel to county asylum, now Parkside Hospital (qv). 1868-1871. By Robert Griffiths of Stafford. Coursed rubble with dressed limestone and rusticated plinth. Tiled roof with decorative banding. Free late C13 style. PLAN: cruciform, with a rather disproportionately long nave (designed to accommodate 700 patients). EXTERIOR: nave of 5 bays, alternating one and 2-light windows with continuous battered sill band; buttresses with set-offs, diagonally placed at W end. Bellcote to W. W window with a rose (clustered quatrefoils with central octafoil) under 4-pointed arch. Large 3-light window to transepts, the doorway flanked by lancets. Gabled porch to angle between transept and chancel, the latter with polygonal apse, the single-light traceried windows under flat arches. INTERIOR: well-handled especially on the crossing and chancel, the stonework detailing of a very high standard. Arch-braced roof to nave, chancel and transepts, with corbelled stone wall shafts. Open bracing with pendants to crossing roof. Recessed blind arcade of 3 bays forms a sedilia to S of chancel; double doorway from S transept into porch, with shouldered arches recessed under tall chamfered arch with sunken cinquefoil in tympanum. These features, together with the finely worked rear arches to all window arches and wall shafts give a rich texture to the whole interior, enlivened with a large area of coloured Minton tiling to chancel and crossing area. Good quality simple furnishings.

Listing NGR: SJ8970773780