The church dedicated to St Philip was erected in this spot in 1825. The architect was Sir Robert Smirke who went on to design the Bank of England and the British Museum.
The church’s purpose was not limited to the spread of gospel. It was one of the so-called “Waterloo churches” intended to prevent the dissemination of the dangerous ideas of the French Revolution. Bizarrely, it was consecrated on St Matthew Day, and it didn’t go without a few hiccups.
One notices the imposing design of the church, and it is a particularly fine site, if seen from Chapel St. The commissioners wanted Smirke to place the grand porch and circular tower in the south end of the church, rather than the western end. In his turn, Smirke wanted his church in classical style. All in all, this is one of the most original buildings in Greater Manchester, and apparently boasts a copy on Leonardo’s Last Supper.
