SALFORD HUNDRED 



MANCHESTER 



enjoyed by the Bishop of Manchester as his suc- 

 cessor. 174 It was called St. Ann's, in compliment 

 to the reigning monarch and to Ann, Lady 

 Bland, lady of the manor, who resided at Hulme 

 Hall, and took an active part in the work. 175 The 

 building was begun in May, 1709, and consecrated on 

 12 July 1712. A district was assigned to it in i839. 176 

 St. Ann's is a good type of the classic town church of 

 its day, rectangular in plan with an apsidal east end and 

 a west tower. It is built of red sandstone which has 

 weathered so badly that the exterior has had to be 

 almost wholly refaced in recent years. 177 Externally 

 the building is of two stories with two tiers of large 

 round-headed windows on each side having moulded 

 sills, architraves, and keystones, but without impost 

 mouldings, the upper windows lighting the galleries, 

 and the wall being divided at half its height by a 

 shallow entablature supported by very flat coupled 



and balustraded parapet, but originally had a curious 

 cupola of three stages surmounted by a vane. This 

 was removed in 1777, as it appeared to be in danger 

 of falling, and was replaced by a steeple, which, how- 

 ever, stood only for a short time, the tower on its 

 removal assuming its present appearance. Externally 

 the general architectural effect is one of extreme flat- 

 ness, hardly relieved by the apse and porches. 178 The 

 interior preserves its galleries, but the original square 

 columns have been made circular, and a general restora- 

 tion in 1837 and subsequent improvements have made 

 the interior one of much dignity. There is a good 

 oak pulpit with inlaid panels and simple detail. The 

 font was the gift of Francis Lathom of London, 1711. 

 There is one bell, which bears the inscription, ' I to 

 the church the living call, and to the grave do 

 summon all. A. R., 1769.' 



The plate comprises twenty-five pieces, eight be- 



ST. ANN'S CHURCH, MANCHESTER 



Corinthian pilasters. In the upper stage the pilasters 

 are without capitals and support a cornice only, above 

 which is a square parapet formerly with balusters and 

 ornamented with urns and vases, but now quite plain. 

 There are entrances at the west end of the nave facing 

 north and south, with pediments supported by coupled 

 Corinthian columns, and the apse has fluted pilasters 

 of the same order its full height with an entablature 

 of good proportions the frieze of which is enriched 

 with carved ornament. The tower is of three stages, 

 the upper having a round-headed louvred belfry win- 

 dow flanked by coupled pilasters on each side. Below 

 is a clock. The tower now terminates in a cornice 



longing to the I7th century, fourteen to the i8th, 

 and three to the igth. The earliest is a complete 

 set consisting of two chalices, two cover patens, two 

 credence patens, a large flagon, and an almsdish of 

 1697, all with the mark of John Bathe. The flagon 

 is inscribed, ' Ex dono Johannis Sandiford,' the covei 

 patens, * S. Ann's Church, Manchester,' and the alms- 

 dish, * St. Ann's Manchester.' The other pieces are 

 without inscription. The 18th-century plate com- 

 prises a tankard of 1701, inscribed 'St. Ann's 

 Ch. M.' ; a plate and two tankards of 1716, all in- 

 scribed, ' Given to St. Ann's Church by Mr. Edward 

 Mosley, son of Oswald Mosley, Esq., of Ancoats in 



J 7 4 The patronage of this and other 

 churches held by the Bishop of Chester 

 was transferred to the Bishop of Man- 

 chester in 1859. 



V 6 Bardsley, op. cit. 1 2 ; the author 

 gives some reasons for supposing that it 



was built for the Whigs or Low Church- 

 men of the town. 



W Land. Gam. 29 Mar. 1839. 



*77 Church 1905, tower 1907. 



W There is a local tradition that Wren 

 or one of his pupils designed the building, 

 St. Andrew's Holborn being the model. 



247 



Dr. Byrom wrote to his wife in 1752 

 from London, ' Mr. Hooper, Clowes, and 

 I went in a coach and light at Holborn 

 and went into St. Andrew's Church. It 

 was the model, I believe, of the new church 

 at Manchester.' There is, however, no 

 evidence to substantiate the tradition. 



