Wigan Album
King Street & King Street West, Wigan
16 CommentsPhoto: RON HUNT
Item #: 32742
This grand building with beautiful architectured features was demolished to make way for Lennon's supermarket wasn't it, another church further up on the opposite side was also demolished to make way for Tesco which is now a night club. Later TSB was here, then a bar, now it's a car park - and they say its progress?
There is a car park now where Lennon's supermarket was.The church was demolished before the 'new' TSB bank was built and opened in 1974 ,next door.It was considered state of the art when we moved from the other premises,which are now occupied by Platt and Fishwick.
So sad to see churches like this demolished.As you say Cyril it was a grand building.
How soon demolished buildings fade from memory. It's nice to see them again and it makes me wonder how could I have forgotten it, although I never went inside. Must have past by many times going to the pictures.
You said it in one word Cyril....' progress ', I don't think so. Is housing people in towerblocks with ' iffy ' cladding, progress ?? These bulidings we see on WW were built to last.
The Church was demolished to make way for Tesco
Tesco was across the road from this church
It was next door to the SHAKESPEARE pub. If you look at the other photos on the site under King Street it is visible on a couple of them.
Curious to know if it was as opulent inside as it was outside, could there be long forgotten photos of the interior tucked away in a drawer somewhere.
A brief history of the church can be found here: https://www.wiganbaptistchurch.com/history
These letters from Samuel Harris to John Brown Wigan bookseller which mentions this church and others in Wigan may be of interest also.
https://www.wigan.gov.uk/Docs/PDF/Resident/Leisure/Museums-and-archives/archives/Harris-BrownLettersWLCTWALS.pdf
I remember running up and down the steps of this church when I was about 4 years old.
My Dad & his sister were both Baptised there. My Grandparents married there in 1904.
Cyril. From what I remember, I only went in there once, it was understated, as you would expect from a Baptist/Methodist Church.
What a let down Helen B, from looking at the outside one would imagine quite a grand interior, though I can understand why with many other churches just having unadorned or plain interiors, though looking on the bright side on the photo above the windows look to be leaded with patterned and most likely coloured glass.
On the other hand a photo of the interior of Greenhough St Methodist Church posted by Adrian Roxburgh, it shows a very nice intricate plaster frieze.
https://www.wiganworld.co.uk/album/photo.php?opt=5&id=32223&gallery=Greenough+Street%2C+Wigan&page=14
i was in the cubs there in the cellar early 1950s
It’s dreadful the destruction of buildings such as this. It really beggars belief. All for a supermarket that’s not even there anymore.
What a tragic loss to the King Street landscape. I think it had a fire before demolition, another of Wigans suspicious building burnings!