Weight: 1344 lbs Diameter: 41.75" Bell 1 of 1
Founded by John Warner & Sons
Dove Bell ID: 52215 Tower ID: 19093 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Cheetham: St John the Evangelist
Diocese of Manchester
Closed Church, 624117
This church is on the Heritage at Risk Register (verified 2025-11-06)
View more information about this church on the Heritage at Risk website
Overview
Grid reference: SD 840 9
Designed and built 1869-71 by Paley and Austin, architects of national interest. The building is considered an important work by them.
Visiting and facilities
Building is closed for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
Aisled nave with clerestory and west porch. South-west tower. Chancel with south chapel and north organ chamber and vestries. Boiler house beneath north-west corner.
Dimensions:
[Approximate] Nave 22.5m (24 ft) x 9 m (29 ft), chancel 11 m (36 ft) x 9 m (29ft), aisles 3.5 m (12 ft) wide.
Footprint of Church buildings: 794 m²
Description of Archaeology and History
Neolithic and Roman finds within a kilometre of the site suggest early settlement. The A56 to the west follows the line of a Roman road. The Cheetham more familiar to us today was established in the mid-19th century to house the expanding population of Manchester. There was also some industry in the area. There was a tram route down Waterloo Road that presumably ran to the centre of Manchester. The area has been heavily redeveloped in a number of phases including tower blocks, low-rise housing and terraced housing in closes. It is one of Manchester’s most culturally diverse suburbs.
The church was designed by Edward Graham Paley [1823-1895] and Hubert James Austin [1841-1915], significant Victorian architects responsible for the design of many churches. Their most famous works date from this period when Austin joined the partnership, from the late 1860s through to WWI. St John’s was built in 1869-71, and was one of their first (as a new partnership) commissions for a large church. Brandwood describes it as ‘their most important church in Manchester’ and writes ‘Like St Chad’s [Kirbky, 1868] it ranks amongst the most powerful of all mid-Victorian churches.’ He explains that Austin brought new muscularity to their work and this can be seen at St John’s in the tower.
The church was built at the expense of a wealthy banker, Mr Lewis Loyd [1811-91] as a memorial to his parents (Loyd also gave the reredos, the vestries and the site of the school). Brandwood explains that Loyd had family connections with Sharpe, the founder of the architectural practice, which is likely to have gained the pair the commission. The church cost around £10,000 to build. Lieutenant Colonel Edward Loyd of Tillesden, Hawkhurst, Kent, laid the foundation stone in 1869. The church was consecrated by Bishop Fraser on 10th August 1871. A west porch was added in 1894 and within the last 15 years, simple pods have been inserted at the west end of the north aisle and roof repairs have been made.
The archaeological potential of the site is low. There are no known designations relating to the ecology of the plot.
Exterior Description
St John’s is a sizeable church with a prominent tower which is visible from some distance. The church has a single continuous roof, which wraps around the east end. Brandwood describes the stone exterior as having an ‘early French character’.
The north and south elevations have few buttresses. Single lancet windows with hoodmoulds and headstops are placed within the lean-to aisles with a continuous stone sill beneath and two-light lancets in the clerestory above with a continuous hoodmould above them. A dentil cornice runs around the building above that, replaced by a dog-tooth design around the chancel and sanctuary. The ground stage of the tower is tall and the door at ground level is set within four orders, with a carved tympanum above. This was the main entrance before the west porch was added. Blind arcades with attached stone columns in the upper stages. Above it are two louvred lights on each side. The west end has a lean-to narthex with a pair of square-headed entrance doors within pointed arches under gabled labels. The tympana carry carved decoration. A small addition to the south provides a south porch. There are three pointed lancets in the nave wall above the narthex with a cusped roundel set above them.
Attached to the north-east corner are two vestries in the Early English style which links to the former rectory.
Building Fabric and Features
Nave
19th century aisled
Clerestory
19th century
Porch
19th century west
Tower (component)
19th century south-west
Chancel
19th century
Chapel (component)
19th century south
Organ (component)
19th century north chamber
Vestry
19th century x2
Boiler Room
19th century beneath north-west corner
Building Materials
Sandstone
19th century coursed squared rubble sandstone
Clay
19th century red clay plain roof tiles and crested ridge tiles
Interior
Interior Description
The interior is accessed through the narthex. The original west door within has an inscription with the date of the building in the tympanum above, 1871 [This church dedicated to S: Iohn Evan & built by Lewis Loyd in grateful remembrance of his father and mother was consecrated Aug. 10 1871]. It is a vast space with bare brick walls with sandstone surrounds, banding, details and dressings and an uninterrupted view up the nave to the chancel. Four-bay arcades (three on south side to make room for tower) with quatrefoil piers to north side and octagonal to south. The east responds have foliate capitals and arches are pointed and have three orders, the outer two keel-moulded rolls and the inner plain chamfered. The clerestory has paired lancets with stone shafts with roll and hollow moulded capitals between the bays.
The continuous roof high above is of open timber. The common rafters have collars and scissor bracing and the principal trusses additional arched braces (appearing five-sided), tie-beams with king struts and braced wall posts. At the east end, the apse is turned with plain-rafters. The principle rafters come to rest on decorated stone corbels between each bay.
At the west end, the west doorway has a lintel with a central support and above is a pointed tympanum with a mosaic of Christ in majesty surrounded by angels. Records show it as the work of Powell & Sons (Whitefriars) executed 1877. This is flanked by blind arcading (with polished granite shafts). To the south, at the west end of the south aisle, is the base of the tower which forms the baptistery and is also used for storage. Tall, wide pointed arches open into the nave and aisle and a door in the south-west corner accesses the tower.
The nave has a cleared, carpeted area at the west end. The original fixed pine pews remain on raised boarded platforms further east and a stone central aisle extends between the two sides. The pews are quite plain with the bench ends decorated with trefoils and moulded tops. The pews have been removed from the aisles to either side though the raised boarded floors remain in place. In the north aisle simple boxy pods provide WCs towards the west, at the east end a door accesses onto two vestries. To the south the aisle has been cleared and a tea-point has been set up. Raised by a step at the east end is the south chapel behind a wood screen (open work panels with tracery and cresting above, inscription, 1906). The chapel is carpeted and seated with modern plastic metal-framed chairs.
Original light fittings extend out into the nave at clerestory level. These are large Y-shaped wrought-iron brackets fixed to the wall below the clerestory window sills with an angled stay fixed to the dividing mullion between the two lancets. Modern electric light fittings are suspended on chains from the front of the bracket.
There is no structural division between the nave and chancel, the change being marked by triple wall shafts and by three steps and a low stone screen which incorporates the pulpit on the north side. The choir floor is carpeted. Pine choir stalls are fixed to raised wood board platforms on either side. These have arcaded fronts, pierced seat backs and shaped bench ends displaying carved circles, sun flowers (also seen on the pulpit, they are an example of the up to the minute decoration and the architect Nesfield was using a similar motif at the same time inspired by Japanese design which he termed ‘pies’) and stars. Upholstered PVC chairs are laid out in front of the stall frontals. The side walls each have arcades of two bays, piers are octagonal on the north and circular on the south. The east responds have foliate capitals and arches are of three roll and hollow moulded orders with cusped roundels in the spandrels. The clerestory has two lancets on each side. The organ chamber on the north is a continuation of the aisle as is the chapel on the south which is separated from the chancel by a plain metal screen painted black and decorated with gilded leaves and roundels.
The apsidal sanctuary is raised by two steps and laid in decorative encaustic floor tiles. The altar is raised once more. The east wall has two tiers of blind arcading with trefoiled heads and circular shafts of polished granite and a stone bench built into the curved wall. At the centre of the lower tier is the reredos in a wider triple-arched setting and above within the arcade are mosaics of St Michael, St Gabriel, St Raphael and St Uriel. Five lancet windows at clerestory level. A plaque in the chancel records that these were given by the parish in thanks to the benefactor Lewis Loyd. Records show the mosaics as the work of Powell & Sons (Whitefriars) executed 1897.
Fixtures and fittings
Altar
19th century High altar - oak table with a plain panelled front; south chapel altar of oak, plain panelled.
Reredos
19th century Low relief panel depicting the Last Supper. Plaster painted to resemble marble with alabaster shelf beneath.
Pulpit
19th century Semi-octagonal pine on stone base projecting from chancel screen – ambone-like / built in.
Lectern
20th century Carved oak eagle presented for G Hargreaves, d.1912.
Font (component)
19th century Square, dark-grey veined marble, with slightly sloping sides standing on a circular stem with four shafts. Lead-lined bowl. Incised chevron pattern to upper edge. A suspended oak spire-like font cover recorded in 1998, not seen.
Rail
19th century Wooden rail with wrought-iron lattice below.
Stained Glass (window)
19th century Those in the north and south aisle walls by C E Kempe arranged with saints on the south and those of "our realm" on the north, c.1880s.
Plaque (component)
19th / 20th century • North aisle, brass plaque, Harriet Connie Swindells, d. 1908; • North aisle, brass plaque, Pickering Butterworth Edleston, d. 1879. "Fell asleep on voyage to Melbourne"; • Chancel, brass plaque made by Thomason and Co Birmingham recording the mosaics as a gift from the parishioners in memory to Lewis Loyd August 1897; • South aisle, brass plaque, John Turner Wilkinson, d. 1891; • South aisle, brass plaque, William Collinge, d. 1905.
Organ (component)
19th century 3 pipe organ by Hill & Son c.1860s, relocated from a church in London.
Bells
Churchyard
Grid reference: SD 840 9
Burial and War Grave Information
It is unknown whether the building is consecrated.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has been used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard is used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has war graves.
National Heritage record for England designations
There are no records of National Heritage assets within the curtilage of this site.
Environment
Ancient, Veteran & Notable Trees
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
There are no records of Ancient, Veteran or Notable Trees within the curtilage of this site.
Renewables
| Renewable | Installed |
|---|---|
| Solar PV Panels | No |
| Solar Thermal Panels | No |
| Biomass | No |
| Wind Turbine | No |
| Air Source Heat Pump | No |
| Ground Source Heat Pump | No |
| Ev Charging | No |
Species summary
There are no records of species within the curtilage of this site.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
'Seek advice' Species
More information on species and action to be taken upon discovery.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
Further information
Sources
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