St Matthew's Church, Manchester facts for kids

St Matthew's Church was an important Anglican church in Manchester, England. It was designed by the famous architect Charles Barry between 1822 and 1825. The church was built in the Gothic style, which means it looked like old medieval churches.

St Matthew's was located on Liverpool Road. It was a special type of church called a Commissioners' church. These churches were built in the 19th century to serve growing populations. Sadly, St Matthew's Church was taken down (demolished) in 1951-1952. However, its old Sunday school building is still standing today. It has been changed into offices and is now known as Gunn House.

History of the Church

For many years, St Matthew's was one of only three churches in Manchester that had its own official area, or "parish." This meant it was responsible for the people living in that specific part of the city. The main church for the whole area was Manchester Collegiate Church.

Over time, the number of people attending St Matthew's and other nearby churches began to change. In 1914, there was an idea to combine St Matthew's with a close church called St John's Church. This was because the number of people attending St Matthew's parish was changing.

The merger didn't happen right away. Instead, in the 1920s, St John's Church became part of St Matthew's. Fewer people were going to St John's because the area around it was becoming more about businesses than homes. Also, St Matthew's was very close by, so having two churches so near each other seemed unnecessary.

In 1927, the Manchester diocese decided to formally combine the two churches. St Matthew's Church was chosen to stay because it was newer and in better condition. St John's Church was then demolished in 1931.