Description

OLDHAM

SD9205SE CHURCH STREET
780-1/5/23 (South side)
23/01/73 Church of St Mary and St Peter

GV II*

Parish church. 1827-30. By Richard Lane. Coursed and squared
rubble with Welsh slate roof.
West tower with clasping porches, nave and aisles under a
single roof. Simple gothic style.
4-stage west tower with doorway in Perpendicular arch with
shafts, flanked by foiled moulded panels, with corbel table
and quatrefoil frieze over. Large 3-light, 2 tier
Perpendicular window over with crocketed hood mould. Low stage
housing clock above, and acanthus frieze below 2-tier bell
chamber lights. Trefoiled frieze below embattled parapet.
Polygonal angle buttresses form pinnacles.
Narrow blind panelled bay with terminal polygonal buttresses
and pinnacles links the tower to the north and south porches
which clasp it. These have 2-tier 3-light windows in west
walls and buttresses on outer angles.
Doorways to north and south in wide shallow segmental arch
with shafts and crocketed hood mould over. Blind foiled niche
over doors, and embattled parapet.
Each aisle is identical, divided into 6 bays by buttresses
which terminate as pinnacles. Angles marked by heavier
polygonal buttresses and pinnacles with coronets. Each bay has
3-light 2 tier window with shafts. Additional entrance porches
to east of aisles, with shafts and moulding to archway.
Shallow chancel with high roof and trefoiled frieze below
parapet and polygonal buttresses. City arms in relief over
4-light east window which has slender tracery. 2 symmetrical
vestries added to east, 1967.
Interior: North and south entrance lobbies each with shallow
stone spiral staircase with cast iron balustrades giving
access to upper galleries. 6 bay arcade with slender (possibly
cast iron) clustered columns with high bases, foliate capitals
and roll moulded arches. Sexpartite vaulted ceiling with
bosses.
Galleried on three sides, with additional cast-iron columns
supporting the gallery across the west. Lozenge panelling with
quatrefoil decoration to front of galleries. Organ in western
gallery. Wide chancel arch to shallow chancel. Early C20 oak
fittings, including pews and dado panelling throughout.
Chancel has panelling with integral canopied sedilia, dated
1933. Triptych behind altar, by E.Stanley Watkins, 1908.
Christ in Majesty, in a neo-medieval style but including
representations of leading historical figures of the church in
England.
Side chapel in north aisle also has triptych of 1908 by
E.Stanley Watkins. Similar style though more ornate triptych
form with arched hinged panels.
The church was refitted circa 1975 by Stephen Dykes Bower:
complete frescoed interior with geometrical painted panelling
using late medieval emblems (quatrefoils, fleurs de lys etc),
in rich colours. Altar rails and lectern designed to echo the
simple geometry of the window tracery which was renewed at the
same time.
(The Buildings of England: Pevsner, Nikolaus: South
Lancashire: Harmondsworth: 1969-).

Listing NGR: SD9272905112

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Parish Church of St Mary with St Peter, Oldham at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q7085654

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Staffordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Cumbria: Cumberland, Westmorland and Furness (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  For the Record
• 
  Churches: An Architectural Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Buildings of England)