Church Of St Peter

MANCHESTER

698-1/3/548 OLD MARKET STREET 20-JUN-88 BLACKLEY (North side) CHURCH OF ST PETER

II*

Church. 1844, by E.H.Shellard. Coursed sandstone rubble with ashlar dressings, slate roof. Six-bay aisled nave embracing west tower, 4-bay chancel with north vestry and south chapel. Early English style. The 4-stage tower has set-back half-height buttresses continued as corner pilasters, octagonal corners to the belfry stage and a plain parapet; a 2-centred arched west doorway with shafts and roll-moulding, a 3-light west window, an oculus in a crocketed diamond surround, a clock face, and coupled louvred belfry windows moulded in 2 orders, with shafts. The west ends of the aisles have tall lancets with shafts, and corner pinnacles; the south aisle is buttressed and has coupled lancets in similar style, and a double-chamfered doorway in the 1st bay, with shafts and a steep gable; the north aisle is much plainer, having plain chamfered lancets. The chancel has a large 5-light east window with bar tracery and coupled lancets to the sides. INTERIOR: chancel has carved stone reredos of 1887 with marble shafts. Carved communion rail. Choir stalls with shafted Early English blind arcading to front. Encaustic tile floor of 1867. Stained glass to east window of 1869 and probably by Lavers and Barraud. Panelled roof with arched braces supported on corbels. Nave has arcades with quatrefoil piers and open truss roof with hammerbeams and curved braces. Galleries on 3 sides, with shafted Early English blind arcading to the front; complete set of box pews in the galleries with some open benches to the west end. Complete set of Gothick box pews in the nave and aisles with poppyhead shaped ends and higher churchwardens' pews to the west end; arcaded Early English style pulpit and font; some C19 heraldic and patterned stained glass to the lower part of the aisle windows. On the west wall are a large Royal Arms and a collection of C18 and early C19 memorials from the earlier church on the site. History: Commissioners' church, cost î3,162 (Pevsner). This church is particularly impressive for its complete C19 interior with the extremely unusual survival of all the fine box and other pews.

Listing NGR: SD8564502998