The church was built in 1874–75 and designed by the Lancaster partnership of Paley and Austin.[3] It was consecrated on 15 March 1875 by the Bishop of Manchester.[4] It initially consisted of a three-baynave, a chancel and a south aisle, providing seating for about 200 people. The site for the church was given by Lord Egerton of Tatton Park.[5] In 1881–82 the same architects added the bellcote,[6] followed by the clergy vestry, a reredos and the organ screen in 1885.[7] In 1901 the successors in the practice, Austin and Paley added the north aisle at a cost of £3,000 (equivalent to £410,000 as of 2023).[8][9] Further work was carried out on the west end of the church by the same practice in 1925–26, and a baptistry, and two porches were added.[10] In 1998 the oak pulpit and choir stalls were removed, and the pews were replaced by chairs.[4]
Architecture
St Margaret's is constructed in sandstone.[4] Its plan consists of a three-bay nave, north and south aisles, a south porch, a baptistery, and a chancel.[3] The architectural style is Decorated.[11] In the Buildings of England series, the authors describe the interior as "well-proportioned", and with a "single-framed roof".[3] The reredos dates from 1885. The memorials to the World Wars have been designed to match the reredos; the inscriptions are on small tiles, separated by gold mosaic. The stained glass includes a window in the south aisle dated 1894 depicting Faith, Hope and Charity. In the south wall of the chancel is a window dating from about 1920 by Walter J. Pearce, and in the east of the south aisle is a window from about 1950 by T. F. Wilford. Also dating from 1950 is a window in the baptistery depicting Scouts, Guides, Cubs and Brownies.[3] The two-manual organ was built by George Sixsmith and Son in 1973.[12] It replaced an earlier three-manual organ.[13]
Brandwood, Geoff; Austin, Tim; Hughes, John; Price, James (2012), The Architecture of Sharpe, Paley and Austin, Swindon: English Heritage, ISBN978-1-84802-049-8
Price, James (1998), Sharpe, Paley and Austin: A Lancaster Architectural Practice 1836–1942, Lancaster: Centre for North-West Regional Studies, ISBN1-86220-054-8