1865 – Accepted design for Ryde Church Competition

Accepted design in architectural competition but never constructed.

We refer our readers to what we then said as to the relative merits of the designs, simply repeating here that the selected design by Mr. Peachey, of Darlington, the contract for which, we believe, has already been under- taken, and bears out our idea of the cost, while presenting some good points — as in the breaking-up of the tower and spire — was not, in our opinion, entitled to carry the palm of success either in plan or general design. The plan we deemed too long and scattered in its main adjuncts, the transepts too long and disjointed for effective hearing, and, we may add, for compact aggroupment and unity of composition. We hope the seating eastwards of the officiating desks will be confined solely to the use of the choir, and not, as we inferred at the time of our review, for a portion of the congregation. The dying-away of the nave, clerestory, and parapet against the roofs of transepts is defective, and the ridges of the latter being so much lower than the nave ridge is certainly faulty. The view we give of it will speak for itself that we did not overstate these objections of this design. Whatever merits of detail belong to this design, and the proportion of west end of nave and aisles is one, we cannot say that its author has in this case been so successful as in other of his works. There is a redundancy of pinnacles and other useless post-Gothic accessories that reminds us of that mock Gothic air so prevalent when the Gothic revival was in its infancy.
The Building News, June 5 1865