Wilton Street Unitarian Chapel, Denton

In 1875, a group of Unitarians in Denton decided to build a chapel. At first, services were held in the Co-operative Hall on Ashton Rd and here services were conducted by the Revd Henry Enfield Dowson BA of Gee Cross, Hyde, and the Revd Noah Green of Mottram.

In 1876 a Sunday school was started and members began to raise funds to build a chapel. By Jul 1876, they had started to build, the foundation stone being laid by Richard Peacock of Gorton Hall. Major donors were Thomas Ashton Jr JP of Hyde (first Mayor of Hyde in 1881), the British and Foreign Unitarian Association and the Memorial Hall Trustees of Manchester. The chapel opened on the 4 May 1879 and the first sermon was preached by the Rev Henry Enfield Dowson. In the evening, a public meeting was held and one of the speakers was Charles Sydney Grundy, the Mayor of Manchester. The chapel was registered for solemnising marriages on the 9 Feb 1881 by Benjamin Seymour, the Superintendent Registrar.

Left: Richard Peacock (9 Apr 1820-3 Mar 1889) was an engineer and one of the founders of locomotive manufacturers Beyer, Peacock & Co of the Gorton Foundry, Manchester. From 1885 until 1889 he was the Member of Parliament for Gorton. He was resident at Gorton Hall on Old Hall Drive, Gorton. Right: The Revd Henry Enfield Dowson BA (23 Nov 1837–20 Aug 1925) came to Hyde Chapel, Knott Lane, Gee Cross, in 1867 and for 51 years he was the minister there and for another seven years he was the minister emeritus. He was resident at the parsonage on Stockport Rd, Gee Cross, Hyde.

Left: Gorton Hall, late 19th century. The hall was demolished in 1905/06. Right: A facsimile of a plaque bearing the initials of Richard Peacock set into the wall of Gorton Hall Lodge.

The Revd Lawrence Scott became the first minister at Wilton Street Chapel and he was destined to play a prominent role in the life of Denton as both a minister and public benefactor He died at Denton on the 25 Nov 1930, aged 86 years.

The chapel and adjoining memorial hall were demolished in 2003 to make way for the construction of Crown Point North Shopping Park and the first service was held in the New Chapel, Clare St, off Ashton Rd, on Easter Sunday 2003.

Left: Wilton Street Unitarian Chapel and Russell Scott Memorial School viewed looking along Prestwich St. They are seen here prior to the construction of Wilde & Booth’s ‘Top End’ Works on the left-hand side of Prestwich St. Right: Wilton Street Unitarian Chapel and Russell Scott Memorial School. They are seen here prior to the opening of the Scott Memorial Hall that was built to the right and opened in 1936.
Wilton Street Unitarian Chapel, May 1999.
Chapel viewed from Prestwich St, May 1999.

In 1936, the Scott Memorial Hall was opened alongside the chapel. It was built to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of the chapel and to commemorate the benefactions of the Scott family and in particular the Revd Lawrence Scott who was the minister from 1879 until 1930. Besides being used as a Sunday School it was used to hold Bazaars, Carnivals, American Teas and for putting on plays. Particularly popular with audiences were plays with all female casts.


Scott Memorial Hall, May 1999.

Rolls of Honour for Wilton Street Unitarian Chapel, Denton, click here » Rolls of Honour