Church Of St Luke

SJ 99 NW, 3/140

DUCKINFIELD, KING STREET,

CHURCH OF ST LUKE

II

Anglican parish church. 1889: designed by John Eaton & Sons of Ashton-under-Lyne. Red brick with stone and terracotta dressings and decorative detailing; Welsh slate roof with red cresting tiles. PLAN: nave of six bays with narrow aisles (not registered externally); internal transepts (that to N containing the organ); uninterrupted single-bay chancel with no aisles, and polygonally apsed sanctuary. W. narthex, W bellcote; S baptistry (W bay of nave); SE vestry. EXTERIOR. W. front, a well-managed composition. 3-bay narthex with parapet and regular triple lancets to each bay: central gable with coping; both ends of the narthex are canted with principal entrance to right (depressed doorway arch with blank arcaded tympanum under gable). At the angles (i.e. between W and canted faces of the narthex) are two large buttresses which above the parapet become flying buttresses and connect with the W wall of nave where they receive polygonal turrets, and flank the large 5-light stepped lancet windows under superordinate arch with hood moulds. Nave with sprocketted roof; side walls: each bay with double lancets and continuous label/impost string course. Gabled transepts similarly treated. INTERIOR. Arcades with continuous hood moulds over square-section piers with demi-shafts to E and W only which support the inner order. Transverse arches to aisles set very low. Large and impressive canted, boarded roof to nave; principal over chancel rest on stone carbel shafts. Contemporary fittings of a high Victorian character with much punched tracery to choir stalls, reading desk, and polygonal pulpit (the latter- usually for the date - with Soundboard) altar table and reredos. Decorative tiling throughout.

A good example of a late - C19 church by a little-known architectural practice that did, however, contribute considerably to the townscape of the Ashton and environs, and was well versed in current architectural trends.

Listing NGR: SJ9405497533