St Cuthbert's Church
Grade II* Listed 02.09.98 (upgraded to II* on 07.11.11)
Summary of Building
Roman Catholic church, 1890-91, with minor later alterations, by WH & JH Marten. Interior with Stations of the Cross and sculptures by Eric Gill.
Reasons for Designation St Cuthbert's RC Church, constructed in 1890-1 by WH & JH Marten, is designated at Grade II* for the following principal reasons:
Artistic interest:
The interior contains rare early-mid C20 works of art of exceptional quality by the internationally renowned artist, Eric Gill, including 14 Stations of the Cross, a relief of St Anthony, and a sculpture of the Madonna, which showcase Gill's great skill and mastery of linear expression * Artistic symbolism: Gill's sculpture of the Madonna (1937-8) depicting the Virgin Mary as a mill girl is a particularly bold and striking portrayal that makes direct references to the church's industrial location in Manningham and the occupations of some of the church's original congregation
Historic interest:
The church has significant historic interest derived from its association with Mgr O'Connor, the parish priest at St Cuthbert's from 1919- 1952. Mgr O'Connor was the inspiration for GK Chesterton's Father Brown and had a unique relationship with Eric Gill to whom he was a close friend and mentor, collaborating with Gill on the controversial 'Song of Songs' and 'Song of the Soul' amongst other works
History By c1890 St Patrick's parish in Manningham had outgrown the chapel and school it had converted from a terrace of back-to-back houses in 1876. In preparation for a new church, land on the west side of Wilmer Road overlooking Heaton Reservoir was bought, and the foundation stone for the new church was laid on 14 June 1890. The church was completed in August
1891 to the designs of WH & JH Marten, at a cost of approximately £3500 excluding internal decorative work. St Cuthbert's RC Church was dedicated on 19 August 1891 by Bishop Gordon of Leeds. The church was re-ordered in the 1970s.
The internationally renowned artist Eric Gill (1882-1940) converted to Catholicism in 1913 and he designed and carved a set of fourteen Stations of the Cross in 1920-4 for Father John O'Connor (designated as a Monsignor in 1937) and St Cuthbert's RC Church. The inscriptions were chosen by both Gill and O'Connor. Gill also carved a statue of the Virgin Mary and a relief of St Anthony for the church, and he designed a statue of St Joseph (carved by May Bateman). Mgr O'Connor was Gill's friend and mentor and is said to be the inspiration for GK Chesterton's fictional Father Brown.
MATERIALS: Coursed rubble stone, with ashlar dressings, Welsh slate roofs, coped gables, and terracotta ridge tiles.
PLAN: Church is aligned north-west to south-east. Nave with side aisles set underneath separate roofs, single-storey narthex with octagonal baptistery set to south-east (ritual west) end, polygonal apse to chancel, gabled confessionals and side chapels to north-western ends of each side aisle.
EXTERIOR: Nave and chancel set underneath a single steep roof. Windows with ashlar surrounds and leaded glazing (some with stained glass). South- east (ritual west) elevation has a single-storey, lean-to narthex in front with a central, Gothic-arched doorway with double plank doors and carved angel imposts.
Doorway is flanked by single lancets set within pointed brick arches, gableted buttress to right and far right flanking a graduated triple lancet window set within a wide, pointed brick arch. Single-storey, octagonal baptistry to far left of narthex with a polygonal roof and two-light pointed-arched window to each face. Gabled nave front above and behind narthex surmounted by a stone cross finial. Large four-light ritual West window with cusped tracery, stained glass and an attached statue of Christ on the cross. Window is flanked by two smaller blind cusped lancets all set within a wide, pointed brick arch. Gable is flanked by single octagonal turrets with short stone spires rising to same height as nave apex. North-east end return of narthex facing Wilmer Road with a coped gable containing a Gothic-arched doorway with double plank doors, gable is surmounted by an Iona cross finial and is flanked by short square turrets with graduated pyramidal roofs and gableted buttresses. Buttressed, single-storey side aisles lit by small chamfered lancets. Clerestory above with five graduated, triple-lancet, ashlar windows to each side set within pointed brick arches. Octagonal turret to north-east side breaks through nave roof and marks the junction between nave and chancel, and incorporates a bellcote and conical, red tiled roof. Two gables (facing on to Wilmer Road) with gableted buttresses to north-west end of north-east side aisle. That to left projects forward slightly and contains confessionals, that to right contains the Lady Chapel and is slightly larger with stained glass sexfoils to the north-east side and north-west end return. Further confessionals and side chapel to south-west side aisle without gables but side chapel also lit by two sexfoils. Chancel with single three-light pointed-arched window to north-
east side in same style as those to clerestory, octagonal apse lit by five tall, stained glass lancets. Enclosed, single-storey link containing sacristy to north-west end of church connects to attached presbytery, which is covered by a separate list entry.
INTERIOR: Tiled and floorboard floors to nave and side aisles, and original wooden pews. Boarded and painted ceilings throughout apart from that to the chancel, which is of painted plaster with ribs (some of which are corbelled) decorated with plaster crosses and foliate decoration, and a centrally placed roundel depicting a cross. Original painted and stencilled decoration to church interior now painted over. Stained glass, including that to the nave, side aisles, baptistry, and Lady Chapel, is mostly later and by Leonard Walker (1877-1964). Original chancel windows dedicated to the Fattorini family, well- known Bradford jewellers.
Gothic-arched nave arcades supported on coloured marble columns with ornate carved capitals. Ornate carved timber screen, painted white, to south corner with decorative wrought iron gates leads into baptistery containing a marble and stone font, with a ceiling of painted plaster and slender, applied ribs. Tall carved panel by Eric Gill depicting St Anthony holding an infant Jesus aloft attached to wall of south-west side aisle in front of baptistry entrance, stone shelf below. Fourteen low-relief Stations of the Cross (1920- 4) carved of Beer stone by Eric Gill (aided by his assistant, Desmond Chute) embedded within the walls of the side aisles with contrasting red lettering and Christ's nimbus picked out with gilding. Those to the north-east aisle incorporate Latin inscriptions, those to the south-west aisle incorporate Greek inscriptions, all chosen by Gill and Father O'Connor. Two confessionals set towards north-western end of each side aisle with decorative carved panelled doors incorporating stained leaded glazing and a crocketed, pinnacled balustrade above.
Organ to south-east end of north-east side aisle. Paired arched openings to north-west end of each side aisle lead into Lady Chapel, side chapel and adjacent inner passageways leading to sacristy and presbytery.
Chancel arch supported by short corbelled columns, flanked by two statues set upon tall stone plinths. The Statue to the left (1940-2) is of St Joseph holding an infant Jesus in Red Mansfield stone (designed by Gill and carved by May Bateman of Edinburgh). To the right is a statue (1937-8) of the Madonna known as 'The Annunciation' also of Red Mansfield stone, carved by Eric Gill with Mary depicted as a mill girl with her head looking upwards to receive angel Gabriel's message and her right hand placed on her womb referencing
Mary's self-chosen title the 'Handmaid of the Lord'. 'The Annunciation' was exhibited at the Royal Academy's summer exhibition in 1938 and Gill's daughter, Joanna, modelled for the drawings. Ornate carved, painted and gilded timber altar rail with an integral octagonal pulpit below the chancel arch. Large arched openings just behind chancel arch to each side containing carved and pierced timber screens with crocketed-arched upper panels. Series of blind pointed arches with columned surrounds to chancel; later inserted doorway to arch to south-west side, two credence shelves and a
piscina to arch to north-east side. Triple-arched sedilia to north-east side of chancel. Five tall eastern lancets above blind arches also with columned surrounds.
Carved stone altar to centre of chancel, two short altar pillars to tabernacle originally formed part of altar.
Selected Sources
F. MacCarthy, Eric Gill, 1989 J. Smith, The Elusive Father Brown: The Life of Mgr John O'Conner, 2010
S. Taylor & K. Gibson, Manningham: Character and Diversity in a Bradford Suburb, 2010 City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council:
Manningham Conservation Area Assessment (June 2005) Saint Cuthbert & First Martyrs of Rome, Our Worship, http://www.scfm.org.uk/ourworship/, 06.10.2010
Manningham Mills
The largest and most imposing of the Bradford mills and a major landmark. Manningham Mills were built in 1873 for Samuel Cunliffe Lister, later Lord Masham. This vast industrial monument consists of 2 long six-storey blocks, a grandiose Composite chimney, boiler house, large sheds and reservoirs, in all providing 16 acres of floorspace. The frontage to Heaton Road extends to 350 yds and the return to Lilycroft Road 150 yds. Lister commissioned Andrews and Pepper as architects and in keeping with the scale of the mill they produced a boldly modelled Italianate design, directly related to the style of the Little Germany warehouses. The most striking feature is the unique campanile chimney stack, square in section and 250 ft high. The elevations are of finely masoned sandstone ashlar rising from rusticated basements. The
multi-storey blocks have arcaded windows on sill bands and bold dentil cornices with crowning deep panelled parapets breaking forward over corner and centre breaks. The block fronting Patent Street was originally used as a warehouse, and the mill block has a central feature to Heaton Road of a staircase tower, elaborately detailed and with a steep slated French pavilion roof surmounted by iron cresting and a flagstaff. The long shed range to Heaton Road has terminal pavilions with battered bases and a monumental portal to the south end of the frontage with heraldic achievement in the parapet: “Fides parit integritas”. The first 200 ft of the chimney shaft are decorated with full height round headed panels, 2 to each face, rising from a massive pedestal base. Boldly projecting cornices define the base and crown of the 50ft top stage, treated as a campanile. The scale, richness of decoration and the unique chimney make Manningham Mills the grandest industrial monument of the worsted trade.
FOUNTAIN INN
Anyone remember the days of the ‘lean to’ at Heaton’s historic Fountain Inn?
A recent report on the old pub sparked fond memories for Marje Wilson, who worked behind the bar in the 1970s.
The T&A recently reported that locals feared for future of the landmark building, once home to Bradford City Supporters Club, after workmen removed stone roof slates.
Built in 1856, The Fountain takes its name from the spring flowing into a nearby trough. At one time the inn had a fountain in it.
It was a small corner pub until 1984 when it was bought by Frank Lee, who rebuilt it. One room was devoted to Bradford City, as Mr Lee was an associate director of the club.
The building has been empty for several years and was damaged by fire last year.
Marje worked behind the bar when the landlord and landlady were Edgar and Margaret Hilton.
“I worked Tuesday and Thursday evenings, and on Saturdays when the landlord got a special licence to open all day. It was the ‘clubhouse’ after matches for Bradford Salem Rugby Club – we would half-fill all the pint glasses with lemonade, in a row on the bar, ready to make shandies, which was the players’ first pint coming from the matches thirsty. Pie and peas were served to sometimes three teams,” recalls Marje.
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“The front door was then in Syke Road and at the side of it was a wooden ‘lean to’ – which was the gents’ toilet!
“There were three small rooms – a lounge, snug and taproom – plus the ‘Jug and Bottle’, a small square to the left of the front door where we served in customers’ own jugs. The lounge and bar drew many locals, it was a happy community of people.”
With no automatic till back then, Marje says a grasp of basic maths was vital.
“The till was just a drawer for takings so the bar staff added rounds and orders in their heads,” she says. “A busy pub was quite hectic, especially when we changed from old money to decimal. Our wages were six shillings an hour.”
Marje says the now-empty space around the pub square contained a row of cottages, with access through a cobbled passageway.
“In the little square there was a stable which eventually became Ivan’s Garage,” she says.
In 1979, Marje joined other bar staff, licensees and regulars in a sponsored jog for the Sports Aid Foundation.
She left the Fountain in the 1980s: “The old beer pumps were a bank of three – two bitter and one mild. The landlord sold them to a German for £300, so I sadly left, refusing to pull beer through electric pumps.”
Now retired, Marje spends much of her time renovating and maintaining a section of Heaton’s graveyard. “I’m on less than the 30p an hour I was on at The Fountain because I’m voluntary!” she laughs.
From T& A 31/1/2012
Launch of a trail delving into Jewish community's past
Monday 23rd September 2013
The booklet, launched tomorrow at the Bradford Synagogue, has been developed over the past 18 months with the support of a £49,000 Heritage Lottery Fund grant.
It has been put together by Benjamin Dunn and Nigel Grizzard, of Making Their Mark, which raises awareness of Bradford’s Jewish history.
The city’s Jewish community has been diminishing since the 1970s, and last year saw the closure of its Orthodox Synagogue in Shipley.
This year marks the 140th anniversary of the forming of a Jewish community in Bradford, notably by German Rabbi Dr Joseph Strauss, who arrived in 1873, forming a core of community members from the many Jewish families and individuals who had settled in the city from the 1820s and 1830s, drawn here by the wool trade.
The Grade II-listed Bradford Reform Synagogue – Yorkshire’s oldest synagogue – opened in 1881, when the adjacent part of Manningham was known as Bradford’s Jewish Quarter.
The Making Their Mark project runs tours of the synagogue which also take in parts of the city centre with a Jewish connection, including Little Germany, where many Jewish merchants ran export businesses and goods warehouses.
The Bradford Jewish Heritage Trail booklet has taken more than a year to research and features articles on Bradford’s Jewish endeavours, from the connection to the wool trade to the city’s first Jewish Mayor, to the artists, actors and Bradford City footballers the community has produced.
Jews migrating to Bradford in the 19th century were from wealthy business backgrounds, attracted to the prosperous textile trade.
“They were sent to learn about the wool trade,” says Nigel.
“As well as big enterprises like Drummonds Mill and Salts Mill, owned by a Jewish family after Sir Titus Salt, there were smaller Jewish businesses; shops, tailors, jewellers, photographers.”
Bradford’s biggest Jewish population influx came after the war, when refugees settled in Manningham, Shipley and Heaton. Today there are about 200 Jewish people here.
“The Jewish population is dwindling now, as younger people have moved on.
“It remains a close-knit community though,” says Nigel.
The booklet will be launched at the Bradford Reform Synagogue, Bowland Street, tomorrow as part of the European Day of Jewish Culture and Heritage.
The event, starting at noon, includes the premier of a documentary about Bradford’s Jewish community.
For more information visit bradfordjewish.org.uk, contact Nigel Grizzard on 07798 855494 or e-mail bradfordjewish@gmail.
BOOKS ON WEB ABOUT AREA
http://www.yorkshirecdbooks.com/pdf/ManninghamEtcPages.pdf
http://www.archaeology.wyjs.org.uk/documents/archaeology/MannDev.pdf
http://www.manninghammasterplan.co.uk/documents/W23758%20Manningham%20History%20Walk%20Leaflet.pdf
http://www.bradford.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/9C0FDF04-DA5F-412B-88A8-CD7355CDC3F8/0/HeatonEstatesCAA.pdf
