All Saints' Church, Whitefield

Built between 1821 and 1826, All Saints' Church is one of the many Commissioners' churches built to celebrate the defeat of Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. The land on which the church and vicarage were built was given to the parish by the Earl of Derby. The architect Sir John Soane was invited to design the church to accommodate about 1,800 people, and to cost no more than £12,000. He declined and passed the commission to Charles Barry. This church was Barry's first commission. Its design was similar to his design for St Matthew, Campfield. Manchester (which has since been demolished); differing in being provided with a tower, rather than a spire. A grant of £13,812 (equivalent…

Inside the church are galleries on three sides carried on slender Perpendicular piers. The plaster ceilings are vaulted. The altar, screen and pulpit date from 1921, the choir stalls and side screens date from 1937; all of these were designed by the Lancaster architects Austin and Paley. The stained glass in the east window dates from 1841 and is by D. Evans of Shrewsbury. Elsewhere are windows by Lavers, Barraud and Westlake, and by A. L. Moore, the latter dating from 1921. The monuments include one by Sievier dating from 1826 depicting a lady lying on a chaise longue. The original organ was built by Samuel Renn in 1827 and situated in the west gallery. It was moved in 1880 to the north…