Church of St Margaret and war memorial lych gate

Church of St Margaret and war memorial lych gate

This is a Grade II listed church with an associated war memorial lych gate, set within a churchyard east of the main building.

The Church of St Margaret is a substantial Victorian church constructed in phases. The main body—a three-bay nave with side aisles, chancel, and single-bay west end—was built in 1874-5, with the north aisle added in 1901 and the west end (including baptistery and main south porch) added in 1925-6. The building is designed in Gothic Revival style with Decorated tracery throughout.

Exterior features include buttressed side aisles with large traceried windows and tall two-light windows to the west end returns. The west end is dominated by a single-storey, flat-roofed, semi-octagonal apsidal baptistery with a parapet, paired and single light trefoil-arched windows, and an inscribed foundation stone. Heavy stud walls frame the baptistery, possibly constructed in anticipation of a west tower proposed in 1911 but never realized. Above the baptistery sits a large four-light West window with a bell cote of 1881 surmounting the west gable.

The main porch at the western end of the south aisle features an arched doorway with studded double doors and decorative strap hinges. A shallow raised gable topped with a cross finial frames a statue niche containing a figure of St Margaret of Antioch holding a large cross above a winged dragon lying defeated. Below is a carved sunken bas-relief inscription from Psalm 100:4 reading "Enter into his gates with thanksgiving and into his courts with praise". A smaller porch (Finney Porch) sits at the eastern end of the south aisle with a shouldered-head doorway. Both porches incorporate gableted buttresses.

The chancel features a three-light and two-light window to the south side. Its gabled east elevation is surmounted by a floriated octafoil with a large four-light East window flanked by full-height buttresses. A very small glazed quatrefoil sits at the gable apex, and a large ashlar stone in the lower gable wall bears a sunken bas-relief carved cross motif.

A single-storey vestry occupies the north-east corner of the chancel, with a raised doorway featuring a shouldered head and large ashlar lintel inscribed in relief lettering reading "Anno Domini mdccclxxv" (1875), and a door with strap hinges.

The transept (organ chamber) on the north side of the chancel displays a large four-light window in its upper wall.

Interior details include plastered walls throughout (the original floor is obscured by later carpet). The nave features a single-framed roof supported by octagonal piers with carved capitals and bases, with a chancel arch completing the main space. A segmental-arched opening at the west end of the nave contains carved spandrels and leads into the baptistery.

The baptistery has exposed stone walls and a raised floor. Its two-light stained glass window dates to 1950 and depicts a Scout, Guide, Cub and Brownie in 1950s uniforms, commemorating 40 years of Scouting and Guiding.

War memorials for both the First and Second World Wars (probably by Walter J Pearce) are located in the north and south side aisles respectively, each featuring colourful decorative tiles, tiled lettering, and strips of gold mosaic.

The south side aisle contains two stained glass windows: a three-light window of 1894 depicting Faith, Hope and Charity, and a two-light window of circa 1950 by TF Willford of Marple depicting images of Jesus Christ.

A modern slightly raised platform sits in front of the chancel arch. The chancel itself is accessed by three steps, with the lower wall portions exposing stone. It contains a carved timber reredos of 1885 with painted and gilded panels depicting saints and the Last Supper. The East window depicts "Hope of the Resurrection", flanked by two tall painted wall panels with gilded lettering recording the Ten Commandments. Above the East window hangs a large painted banner reading "This do in remembrance of ME".

Two stained glass windows in the chancel south side (circa 1920) were created by Manchester artist Walter J Pearce. The two-light window depicts "Reward for those who have fought the good fight and kept the faith", while the three-light window depicts "Heroes of the faith, Joshua, David and St George". All chancel windows were installed as First World War memorials.

The north wall contains a credence shelf with a traceried pointed head and hoodmould. An off-centre doorway with stone steps leads down to the vestry, which has a parquet floor and built-in cupboards.

The organ chamber behind the large arch on the north side of the chancel contains a panelled screen of 1885 and an organ of 1973. A similarly styled but smaller arch and screen to the west return faces the north aisle; this screen is believed to have been erected in 1914 in recognition of the ministry of the church's second minister, Reverend T A Schonberg.

The lych gate stands east of the church, directly in line with the East window. It features timber framing with low red sandstone side walls surmounted by Gothic arched openings and timber gates to the east end. The tiled roof has decorative carved bargeboards and crown-post trusses to the east and west ends. A memorial inscription in stylised lettering on the east face of the tie beam of the eastern truss reads "1914 TO THE MEMORY OF THE BRAVE 1918".

Two original small carved timber figures of a soldier and sailor once flanked the lych gate entrance but have since been removed. An inscribed memorial stone of yellow sandstone ashlar set into the north side wall commemorates 36 men of the parish who died during the First World War.

The lych gate is flanked by low curved walls of red sandstone surmounted by very low cast-iron railings, some of which are missing on the north side.

An enclosed walkway (circa 2003-4) attached to the west side of the main south porch and a connected modern parish hall of the same date are not considered to be of special interest and are excluded from this listing.