The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-11-26 00:00:00

ENLARGEMENT OF ST. MARY'S CHURCH,
KIRKDALE.

We were much gratified by a visit, a few days ago, to
this place of worship, to find that it has not only been
greatly enlarged but surprisingly improved in architectu-
ral elegance, both exteriorly and interiorly, as well as in
additional comfort and convenience for the hearers of the
zealous and respected pastor, who ha s taken an unwearied
interest in the progress of the works that have for a con-
siderable time being going on, and are now drawing to-
wards final completion. The original building, it will be
remembered, was a rather neat, but, on the whole, plain
structure, in the Gothic style, of brick, with stone mould-
ings, &c., and had accommodation for a congregation of
about 960. This has been retained, and additions have
been made at each extremity, without destroying the
due proportionS of the whole. Sixteen feet of length
have been added to the cart end, ty which 266
sittings have been obtained ; and an alteration of the
west end gives 146 sittings more, so that the church
will now accommodate about 1372 persons. The
light and ventilation have also been greatly increased,
the latter by the interior of the roof (which was
before flat) being carried, in handsome gothic wood and
plaster work, above the principal beams—giving a greater
interior elevation, and a readier means of escapement for
the heated air, by means of two additional ventilators.
The principal object in view was to obtain additional
sittings for at least 400 of the. poor of the vicinity,
and these are in every respect consti noted on a principle
of Christian equality, as regards all who attend, being
equal in construction to the most commodious pews in the
church.

The pecuniary means for these alterations has been
principally collected through the ptrseverance of the Rev.
D. James, the incumbent ; and the inhabitants of Kirk-
dale deserve great praise for the promptitude and liberali-
ty with which they have met his energetic appeals in be-
half of "church extension." The style of the additions
is the " decorated gothic," approaching, in some points,
to the " floriated," though not so much so as—with the
ornamental addenda to the original part of the structure—
to destroy the harmony and consistency of the general
pile.
The east end, forming a front to the Walton Road. is
of mason work throughout, with a large four-light gothic
window in the centre, decorated with tracery at the top,
with chaste but bold mouldings. From the arched head
of this window springs a decorated corbel, supported by
a well-carved head of Wickliffe—in much better taste
than the numerous grotesque heads sometimes observable
in this style, and still more frequently indulged in in
Norman architecture. A handsome bed turret surmounts
this corbel, richly floriated below, and with buttresses
dying into slender pinnacles above. This, however, though
beautiful in itself, appears to be rather too massive, and
to rise rather too high over the roof for safety during
gales ; but we learn that it is in contemplation to do away
with this objection (if it may be so termed) by raising the
supporting masonry behind it. The wings, on each side
of the large window, include two large doors, with deco-
rated canopies, crockets, and finials, above each of which
is a small gothic window, chastely designed. Over one of
the wing doors is carved in alto, the Lion of England—
the Royal crest, and above it the Bible, on a cushion.
Over the other are the apostolic key and pastoral crook,
on a shield, as emblems of the Christian ministry, its
authority, and usefulness; and above the latter is the
crown.

The west end of the church (in this case the altar end)
is of brick work, with a large window of five lanc.t lights
in the centre, having, as tracery at the junction of the
arch, a handsome wheel. On each side of this, and in
what may be called the second story, or gallery, of the
building, there is a circular window, each comprising, in
the stone mullions, a decorative wheel, but of different
forms. There are also two windows on the ground floor
(where is a new vestry in a central recess) in keeping with
the others, giving the whole a pleasing effect. The tra-
cery of these windows was, we understand, designed after
examples in Exeter. On the peak of the roof, at t 1
end, there is also a highly ornamented stone cross, with
floriated arms, and perforated in a quatre-feuil in the
centre.

The principal difficulty, however, to be encountered in
the enlargement and renovation of the church interiorly,
has, by judicious management, been entirely over-
come. The framing which supported the old roof,
(before hid by plaster work below it,) and the additional
portions at each end are now ornamented with shafts,
archery, tracery, central pendants, &c., and the new
coved ceiling with ribs relieving it in square compart-
ments, with handsome bosses, &c. These are all painted
in dark oak, grained on a white ground. This interior
raising of the roof not only gives greater elevation and
dignity to the structure, but, if we mistake not, will im-
prove it as to hearing. There are three handsome per-
forated centre pieces in stucco, communicating with ven-
tilators. The roof is certainly one of the finest " open"
ones in this part of the country.
The new skreen, at the west end, (not yet com-
pleted,) is a fine specimen of the decorated gothic, with
six empanelled arches, surmounted by an embattled cor-
nice, with three ornamented canopies, buttresses, termi-
nating pinnacles, &c. This will evidently, when finished,
have a light, rich, and elegant effect. It was designed by
Mr. Arthur Holme, the architect for the improvemeeits,
and evinces much taste in the gothic style. Immediately
behind it is the vestry, a small but commodious room, and
over it the large west window. All the windows at this
end will be glazed with stained glass, from elegant designs
by Mr. James, which we have seen, and the whole will,
we doubt not, produce a splendour of effect rarely achieved
in our local churches.

There being a considerable deficiency in the funds, the
young people of the congregation have undertaken to col-
lect money for presenting the five-light window at the
communion end with stained glass ; and William Roth-
well, Esq., one of the commqtee, has offered to defray the
expense of glazing the two smaller ones on its right and
left, in a similar style. This offer the minister has
gladly accepted, as it will relieve him of a portion of the
heavy debt.

We have to congratulate Mr. James, and the committee
who have so strenuously acted with him, on the success
of their labours in this good cause ; and we venture to
express a hope that neither they nor the inhabitants of
Kirkdale will relax in their endeavours to attain yet fur-
ther improvements, and especially in the removal, if pos-
sible, of the range of cottage houses on the south side of
the church, which greatly cramp the yard-room, and mi-
litate against the desirable privacy of this now handsome
place of worship.

The church will be re-opened on Thursday evening
next. The appeal which will then be made by the Rev.
H. Stowell, and on the evening of Sunday next by the
Rev. H. M'Neile, will, we trust, produce such collections
as willconsiderably assist in making up the deficiency now
existing in the funds.