1839.] 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



397 



lixed ready for turning ■, twenty-t'onr are ready for the imposts, which arc in the 

 ground ; the piers for the remaining six are commenced, and are about half 

 Iiuilt. The number of centres in use, and of hands employed, enable the con- 

 tractors to turn one arch daily; the whole, therefore, will require hut six. 

 weeks, unless delayed by unfavourable weather. The south end of this contract 

 is terminated liy a cast iron oblique bridge over the Hyde Road. The piers and 

 abutment-^ of this bridge are in progress, and the whole of the iron work is cast, 

 and now Otled together. The contractors had not possession of the land for this 

 contract until Aprillast, hut have nevertheless undertaken to complete it simul- 

 taneously with theirother contract. No. 2. The state of the works as now reported, 

 and the arrangements made, are sufficient to justify a confident expectation of 

 tlie completion of the %vork accordingly. 



N(j. 4, or Henton Nurris Contr.ict.-^The excavation of Heaton Norris, and its 

 corresponding embankment, are the only heavy work, and they are in a forward 

 state. On the 13th of last month, the embankment from Heaton Norris to the 

 Hyde Road required but 50,000 cubic yards to complete it. This work, therefore, 

 has advanced consistently with its completion by the beginning of November 

 next, as stated in my Report of last half-year. At the same date there remained 

 in tlie Heaton Norris cutting 112,820 cubic yards. It will be observed that this 

 quantity exceeds that which is required to finish the embankment •, the surplus 

 ("being all sand) will he required for ballasting the permanent way. The em- 

 hnnkment at the south end of this contract extends to the north abutment of the 

 .Stockport Viaduct, and requires only 12,700 yards to complete it. The bridges 

 under the line are nearly all completed, except that wliich crosses the Stockport 

 Road, This is an oblique cast ix'on bridge, each from the patterns made for the 

 Hyde Road bridge. The iron work of both is in the same state of forwardness. 

 The erection of the bridges over the line has just commen.ed, and will, I have 

 no doubt, proceed with the energy necessary to bring the work to completion in 

 the specified time. It may be proper to observe, that three bridges could not 

 have been begun earlier, because the foundations are in sand full of water, which 

 could nol be eflectually drained until the culling was nearly linished. I have no 

 reason to appreliend any disappointment in the completion of this Contract iu 

 the proper time. 



No. 5, or Stockport Viaduct Contract. — The nortli abutment is built to the 

 level of the cornice. Three arches are tunied and backed ; the fourth is nearly 

 so ; the centering for the fifth is being fixed ; the sixtli and seventh piers are built 

 and the imposts are upon them ready for the centering j the base of the eighth 

 pier is complete, and that of the ninth is just begun. TJie cofferdam for the 

 north pier in the Mersey is finished, and that for the south is in progress. This 

 Contract is proceeding satisfactorily, and I think consistently with the comple- 

 tion in proper time. 



NOf 6, or Congh^ton Viaduct Contract. — Eight millions of bricks have been 

 made. The quantity will be sufficient to carry on the work until the return of 

 the brick-making season. The contractor is erecting his machinery, and the 

 first stone is expected to be laid in about a fortnight. 



I am, Gentlemen, your most obedient Servant, 

 Manchester, Sept. 5th, 1839. ' Geo.W. Buck. 



NE^V CHUnCHSS, &' . 



NurthnmherUtnd. — On the 9th ult. the foundation stone was laid of a new 

 church to be erected at Tynemouth. The architects, Messrs. John and Benja- 

 min Green, have selected for the style of architecture, the gothic of the 15th 

 century, having the perpendicular character in the subdivision of the muUions of 

 the windows, &c., which was prevalent in this country about the time of Henry 

 tlie 7th, and other features which mark the style. The building will be highly 

 ornamental to Tynemouth, being placed at the west end of the village, where the 

 Preston and Shields roads divide. The plan of the church is in the form of a 

 cross, with a transept at the north and south sides, and a chancel at the east 

 end, beyond which is a robing room. There will be a tower or turret, and sur- 

 mounted by a spire 95 feet high from the ground. The length of the church 

 inside is 83 feet, including the chancel, and the breadth 41 feet, exclusive of the 

 transepts, which project 9 feet on each side. The number of sittings provided 

 for at present is 500 (on the ground floor), of which 250 are free ; but the interior 

 is arranged so that galleries may hereafter be erected, whenever it is found ne- 

 cessary to increase the accommodation. The site on which the church is built 

 has been presented by his Grace the Duke of Northumberland, together with a 

 donation of 200/. towards the evection.-— Newcastle Chronicle. 



Staffordshire. — Tlie first stone of a new church in the parish of Walsall, was 

 laid l)y the Right Hon. the Countess of Bradford, on Monday, 14th ult. The 

 intended church will be a gothic structure, supported by buttresses, with em- 

 battled turrets and a tower, capable of accommodating 1,150 persons. About 

 700 sittings will be free. — Mr. Highway is the Architect, 



Jiye Church. — This ancient and spacious building is undergoing certain im- 

 provements, which, when completed, will add materially to its beauty and con- 

 venience. The gallery is to be considerably enlarged, chiefly for the accommo- 

 dation of the school children, and for the reception of the organ -, and a doorway 

 underneath, which is said to have been closed for at least 100 years, has also 

 just been opened. But the most material alteration will be made in the two im- 

 mense gothic windows, at the east and west of the edifice. A large portion of 

 the window at the chancel end, which is now 'bricked up, will be opened ; and 

 tlie plain glass will be replaced by either painted or stained glass. The same 

 alteration is to be made in the western window, which will greatly enhance the 

 beauty of the cIiuitIi, This is done at the suggestion of Jolin Haddock Jjardner, 

 Esq., who lias liberally oft'ered to defray the whole of the expense. — Brighton 

 Gazette. 



Dorsetshire,— It has been decided to build a new church at Marshwood, and 

 tenders have been advertised for, for carrying the work into execution. — Dorset 

 Countif Chronicle. 



Cheltenham. — The two new churches now building in our immediate vicinity 

 are fast approaching completion. That on the border-line of Leckhampfon 

 parish, the works of which had for a long time been suspended from want of 

 funds, is again in active prugreas, and the tow^r appears already rising consider- 



ably above the budv of the church, the interior of which is also in a very forward 

 slate; masons and plasterers being alike busily employed therein. Christ 

 Church, whose noble and cathedral-looking tower forms quite the crowning orna- 

 ment of the town's architecture, has been for some time in the possession of the 

 carpenters and painters, who are still actively engaged on the pews and general 

 fittings. The pulpit and reading-desks, which are of white stone, sculptured and 

 carved in harmony with the gothic style of the exterior style of the building, are 

 neai'ly linished, and judging from the present appearances, the church seems 

 likely to be quite ready for the perfonnance of divine service in the course of a 

 month, or six weeks at farthest. The second week in October has been named 

 as the probable time of consecration, but we believe nothing has yet been posi- 

 tively fixed on the subject. — Cheltenham Looker on, 



Chnrrh BnHdinff Commission. — The 19th annual report of the Commissioners 

 for Buihling New Churches has been just issued. At the time of printing their 

 last report the Commissioners state that 225 churches and chapels had been com- 

 pleted, in which accommodation had been provided for 297,912 persons, including 

 164,495 free seats appropriated to the use of the poor. Since that time they 

 report that 18 churches have been completed, atVording accommodation for 16,000 

 persons, including 9773 free seats for the poor ; making in the whole 243 churches 

 and chapels ; affording accommodation for 314,412 persons, including 174,270 

 free seats for the poor. In addition to these, 18 other now churches are now 

 building, and in a very forward state : the number to be accommodated in pews 

 is 7207, and in free seats 9949 ; toial 17,156. Plans for eight other churches 

 have been approved of, and it is in contemplation to build eight others, at vari- 

 ous places. Conditional grants of money have been made to 38 parishes, town- 

 ships, or places, in aid of building churches and chapels ; as also for providing 

 sites for churches and chapels in 46 other different places, interspersedly through- 

 out England. Applications for further church accommodation have been made 

 bv the inhabitants of 47 districts, situate respectively either in England ov 

 Wales. 



Manchesfex. — The new Unitarian Chapel was opened for divine service at the 

 beginning of the last month, it is situate nearly opposite Clifford -street. Upper 

 Brook-street. The chapel (the corner stone of which was laid on the 8th Sept., 

 1837, the walls being at that time level with the floor) is a handsome stone edi- 

 fice, from an original design by Mr. Charles Barry (who was present during the 

 services), the architect of the new houses of parliament, of the free grammar 

 school of King Edward IV. Birmingham,9and of the Royal Institution and the 

 Athenaeum in this town. The style of architecture of this chapel, is what is de- 

 signated the mixed or English. The west, or entrance end, has a cathedral-like 

 appearance, chiefly the result of a bold arch, f nclosing gothic folding-doors, and 

 a double arched window above, between light elegant pillars. The corners, as 

 well as both sixles of the building, arc flanked by massive stone buttresses, sur- 

 mounted by crocketted pinnacles, and a high pointed roof, covered with green 

 slates. The sides of the chapel are respectively divided, but eight buttresses, 

 into seven beys, each containing a high arched window. The east or vestry end, 

 has a circular window, below which is an atiached, projected building, compri- 

 sing a convenient vestry and a committee-room, each about fourteen feet square. 

 The entrance to the chapel h:is two porches ; stairs on each side of the outer arch 

 communicate with the organ gallery and small galleries which form its wings, all 

 being over the porches, and not projecting at all into the body of the chapel. The 

 inner porch opens into lobbies, through which are entrances to the floor of the 

 chapel. The position and form of the west-end galleries, placed as it were iu 

 arched recesses, and there being no other gallery, contribute to a pleasing and 

 novel effect, which is produced in the interior by the lofty space terminating in an 

 arched roof, approaching to the pointed of or lancet form. The dimensions of 

 the chapel are 73 by 37 feet, inside measure. The chapel contains, on the floor, 

 88 pews, and four in the small galleries, and will furnish accommodation alto- 

 gether for 450 persons. There are two side isles, as in the late Mosley-street 

 chapel, dividing the pews into three tir^rs, all on the level; and the building can 

 be warmed by means of hot water passing under the flooring, and the ^^ arm air 

 from which ascends through gratings bordering the aisles. The cost of the land 

 around (which is hereafter to be surrounded with an iron palisading, in harmony 

 with the style that pervades the building,) and of the edifice itself, which was 

 erected by Messrs. Bowden and Edwards, is between 8,000/. and 9,000/.— ,1/aH- 

 chestet Advertiser* 



PUBIiIC EITIIjaJI^GS, &c. 



Plymoiith. — A meeting was held on the 18th ult. to take into consideration 

 the erection of a Public Hall of very spacious dimensions in this town. Mr. 

 AVightwick, the architect, submitted designs, and an estimate for the building, 

 which met with the general approval of the meeting. The design for the build- 

 ing exhibits a grand Corinthian Portico towards Lockyer-street ; and a neat front 

 towards the east, harmonising with the architecture of Princess-square. To 

 give an idea of the size of the great hall, it may be premised, that the ball-room 

 of the Royal Hotel is about 77 feet by 40 feet, while the ceiling of the room pro- 

 posed, measures 100 feet by 60. This will be surrounded with a gallery 10 feet 

 wide, along the sides and one end, and 20 feet wide at the otlier end. In the 

 eastern portion of the building are tv/o handsome rooms, 50 by 25 eacli ; and 

 below these are the entrance from Princess-square, with rooms for a resident 

 house-keeper. A great extent of basement is necessarily provided, to be appor- 

 tioned oft' for store cellarage as required. The great hall woulil be lighted by 

 tw® vast lantern ranges, extending from end to end, immediately under the cor- 

 nice of the ceiling ; and supported by opposite rows of lofty columns, or tintce, 

 standing forwards the width of the galleries from the outer walls ; so ihat the 

 interior, (divided, as it were, into a spacious lofty nave, and lower side aisles, 

 and having also galleries on smaller columns across botli ends,) will exhibit an 

 unusually rich and varied perspective. This design was, however, merely sub- 

 mitted by Mr. Wigbtwick, as a sketch, to be niodilied as occasion may require j 

 and as made out cliiefly with the view of obtaining definite information as to the 

 cost of such a h\\\\<\'\w^. -Plymouth Herald. 



Royal Euchanyc. -The joint conimiltee of the Gresham trust, and the Mercers' 

 company^ have applied to Sir Robert Smirkc, Mr. Hardwick^ and Mr, Barry, to 



