In transcribing the following passage from the Internet Archive online version I have expanded abbreviations and added paragraphing, links, and illustrations. — George P. Landow
The parish church, or St. Peter’s, stands in Kirkgate; was rebuilt in 1839-40, at a cost of £40,000; is in the Later decorated and early perpendicular styles; comprises nave, aisles, transepts, chanceL, and ante-chapels, with a beautiful north tower 139 leet high; measures 180$ feet by 86; affords accommodation to 3,000 sitters; was extensively repaired and re-decorated in 1861; and contains rich stained glass windows, a richly-carved oak screen, an elaborately-carved pulpit, a fine altar-screen of stone, and several very beautiful monuments. The previous church was partly Norman, and was cruciform, with a central tower; had a roof painted in fresco by Parmentier; and was taken down in 1838.
Left: St Peter, Kirkgate, Leeds, by R.D. Chantrell (1793-1872). Right: Interior of St. Peter. [Click on images to enlarge them.]
Some of the fragments of ancient crosses which we noticed in the historical paragraph, as discovered at the demolition of the old church, were found on comparison to form nearly the whole of one cross and the greater part of another; and a cross formed of them was setup in a garden not far from Brighton. St. John’s church, in St. John’s-street, was built in 1634; shows no feature of architectural interest except as a specimen of the taste-which prevailed at the time of its erection; was restored and improved in the course of 1867; and contains a black marble monument to John Harrison, who founded it and was a great benefactor to the town. Trinity church, in Boar-lane, was built in 1721, by a nephew of Hamson, at a cost of £4,560; is in the Roman Doric style; and has several good memorial windows. St. Paul's church, in St. Paul’s-square, was built in 1794, by R. M. Atkinson, at a cost of £10,000; is in a mixed Greek and Roman style; and has a very tine steeple. St. James' church was originally a dissenting chapel, and passed to the Establishment by purchase. St. Mark's church was built in 1825, at a cost of £10,456. Christ church, in Meadow-lane, was built in 1824, at a cost of upwards of £10,000; and is in the decorated English style. St. Mary’s church, at Quarry-hill, was built in 1824, at a cost of £10,951; and is in the early English style. St. George’s church, in Mount Pleasant, was built in 1837, at a cost of about £11,000; and has an altar-piece by Cope, and a fine organ. St. Luke’s church, in North-street, was built in 1841; and is in the early English style. St. Saviour's church, on Cavalier-hill. East-street, was built in 1845; is in the decorated English style; consists of nave, aisles, transepts, and chancel, with towered spire; and is fitted interiorly in the manner of ancient churches, with three sedilia, a piscina, and other antique features. St. Matthew’s church, at Little London, was built in 1851, and enlarged and beautified in 1862; and is now floored, on the communion and the chancel with Minton’s tiles. St. Andrew’s, St. Philip’s, St Thomas’, All Saints', St. Michael’s, and St. Stephen’s churches are modern erections. Eighteen other churches also are in the suburban or the rural districts of the parish. A resolution was taken in the summer of 1864 to build ten additional churches in the town, at a cost of £50,000; and the sura of £25,000 was subscribed toward it at a single meeting.
The Independent chapel at East Parade, with sides toward Greek-street and Russell-street, was built in 1841; has a hexastyle Doric portico of fluted columns; and contains 1,700 sittings. The Independent chapel in Beeston-road was built in 1835, at a cost of £2,300; is in the Italian style, with transepts and turrets; and contains 700 sittings. The Independent chapel in Marshall-street was enlarged in 1865. The Baptist chapel in Call-lane was enlarged and improved in 1862, at a cost of about £1,000; and now contains 800 sittings. The Baptist chapel in Woodhouse-lane was built in 1864, and is a commodious edifice. The Presbyterian chapel, in Woodhouse-lane, was built in 1856; and is in the early decorated English style. The Wesleyan chapel in Roscoe-place was built in 1862; and is a handsome cruciform edifice, in the decorated pointed style. Brunswick chapel, erected in 1825, has 2,500 sittings; Oxford-place chapel, erected in 1836, has 2,800 sittings; and St. Peter’s chapel, erected in 1835, has 2,500 sittings. The Unitarian chapel in Park-row was built in 1848, at a cost of £10,000; occupies the site of a previous chapel of 1673; and is an elegant edifice, in the later English style. The Roman Catholic chapel in Park-row was built in 1838; is a very handsome edifice, in the style of the 15th century; and consists of nave and aisles, with tower and spire 150 feet high. The Roman Catholic chapel in York-road was built in 1832; is ornamented with turrets and crosses; and has lancet windows and a large dome. The Jews’ synagogue in Belgrave-street was built in 1861, at a cost of £1,200; and superseded a previous one in Rock-ingham-street. There are also, in the town, two other Independent chapels, five other Baptist chapels, six other Wesleyan chapels, two other Roman Catholic chapels, five Primitive Methodist chapels, eight New Connexion Methodist chapels, eight United Free Methodist chapels, a Unitarian chapel, and three chapels for respectively Quakers, Inghamites, and Swedenborgians; and there are meeting-rooms for Plymouth Brethren, Latter Day Saints, and two small congregations of other names.
The proportions of church sittings among the various denominations, in 1851, were shown by the census returns of that year; and they may be proximately inferred, for the present time, from the same document. The places of worship, within the borough or parish, in 1851, according to the census, were 36 of the Church of England, with 25,436 sittings; 11 of Independents, with 8,305 s.; 13 of Baptists, with 5,781 s.; 1 of Quakers, with 1,100 s.; 3 of Unitarians, with 1,240 s.; 26 of Wesleyans, with 20,475 s.; 7 of New Connexion Methodists, with 2,717 s.; 13 of Primitive Methodists, with 3,900 s.; 10 of the Wesleyan Association, with 4,354 s.; 4 of "Wesleyan Reformers, with 200 s.; 1 of the New Church, with 850 s.; 2 of Brethren, with 250 s.; 5 of isolated congregations, with 280 s.; 1 of Latter Day Saints, with 240 s.; 2 of Roman Catholics, with 1,220 s.; and 2 of Jews.
The general cemetery near Woodhouse-moor was opened, in 1835; cost £4,000 at its origin, and about £11,000 thence till 1866; lies on a gentle acclivity, overlooking the town and the Aire’s valley; is beautifully adorned with walks, lawns, shrubs, and trees; has an imposing entrance-structure, in the Grecian style, containing the residences of the registrar and the sexton; and has, in the centre, an elegant chapel in the Grecian style. Three other cemeteries nave since been opened; one at Burmantofts, of about 16 acres; one at Woodhouse-hill, of about 10 acres; one on Beeston-hill, of about 9 acres; and all are tastefully laid out.
Bibliography
Wilson, John M. (John Marius). The imperial gazetteer of England and Wales: embracing recent changes in counties, dioceses, parishes, and boroughs: general statistics: postal arrangements: railway systems, &c.; and forming a complete description of the country. 8 vols. Edinburgh: A. Fullarton, 1870.Internet Archive online version of a copy in the Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center. Web. 17 September 2022.
Last modified 16 September 2022