Matthew Ellison Hadfield (8 September 1812 – 9 March 1885) was an English architect of the Victorian

Gothic revival Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic, neo-Gothic, or Gothick) is an architectural movement that began in the late 1740s in England. The movement gained momentum and expanded in the first half of the 19th century, as increasingly ...

. He is chiefly known for his work on Roman Catholic churches, including the

cathedral A cathedral is a church that contains the '' cathedra'' () of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually specific to those Christian denomination ...

churches of

Salford Salford () is a city and the largest settlement in the City of Salford metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. In 2011, Salford had a population of 103,886. It is also the second and only other city in the metropolitan county afte ...

and

Sheffield Sheffield is a city status in the United Kingdom, city in South Yorkshire, England, whose name derives from the River Sheaf which runs through it. The city serves as the administrative centre of the City of Sheffield. It is Historic counties o ...

Training

Hadfield was born at Lees Hall in Glossop, Derbyshire, the son of Joseph Hadfield and Mary Hadfield (née Ellison). He attended Woolton Grove Academy in

Liverpool Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a popul ...

, and subsequently, between 1827 and 1831, he worked for his uncle Michael Ellison (his mother's brother), agent of the estates of the

Dukes of Norfolk Duke of Norfolk is a title in the peerage of England. The seat of the Duke of Norfolk is Arundel Castle in Sussex, although the title refers to the county of Norfolk. The current duke is Edward Fitzalan-Howard, 18th Duke of Norfolk. The dukes ...

in Sheffield. From 1831 he was articled to the architectural firm of Woodhead and Hurst of Doncaster, and then to P. F. Robinson of

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

. He married Sarah Frith of

at around this time.

Career

Practising as an architect in Sheffield from 1834, Hadfield's first commission was the design of the Cholera Monument in Sheffield, a memorial to the 402 victims of the cholera epidemic of 1832 in the city. In 1838 Hadfield entered a partnership in Sheffield with

John Grey Weightman John Grey Weightman (29 March 1809 – 9 December 1872) was a British architect based in Sheffield. Career He was born on 29 March 1809 in Bawtry, West Riding of Yorkshire, the son of Robert Weightman and Mary Gray. He trained in the offices of ...

, which lasted until 1858. In 1850 they were joined by their former pupil

George Goldie Sir George Dashwood Taubman Goldie (20 May 1846 – 20 August 1925) was a Manx administrator who played a major role in the founding of Nigeria. In many ways, his role was similar to that of Cecil Rhodes elsewhere in Africa but he did ...

, and the partnership between Hadfield and Goldie lasted until 1860. From 1864 or 1865 Hadfield was in partnership with his son Charles Hadfield (1840–1916). After Hadfield's death in 1885, his son continued the practice, and was later joined in partnership by Hadfield's grandson Charles Matthew Ellison Hadfield (1867–1949). As an architect, Hadfield was an early follower of the Gothic revival movement led by

A.W.N. Pugin Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin ( ; 1 March 181214 September 1852) was an English architect, designer, artist and critic with French and, ultimately, Swiss origins. He is principally remembered for his pioneering role in the Gothic Revival st ...

. Hadfield designed numerous Catholic churches, including All Saints, Glossop, St. Bede's, Rotherham, St Hilda's,

Whitby Whitby is a seaside town, port and civil parish in the Scarborough borough of North Yorkshire, England. Situated on the east coast of Yorkshire at the mouth of the River Esk, Whitby has a maritime, mineral and tourist heritage. Its East Clif ...

, St Catherine's Church, Littlehampton and St Chad’s. His largest and most significant work was St John's Church in

(1844–1848) which in 1850 was elevated to cathedral status upon the restoration of the Catholic hierarchy in England and Wales. St John's was in the decorated style, as was St Marie's Church in

(1847–1850; elevated to cathedral status in 1980). A further cathedral commission, in the form of the Cathedral of the Annunciation and St. Nathy,

Ballaghaderreen Ballaghaderreen () is a town in County Roscommon, Ireland. It was part of County Mayo prior to 1898. It is located just off the N5 National primary road. The population was 1,808 in the 2016 census. History As of 1837, the town was recor ...

, in the diocese of

Achonry Achonry (; ) is a village in County Sligo, Ireland. The old name is Achad Cain Conairi. St. Nath Í ua hEadhra (O'Hara) founded a monastery here. The foundation gave the later diocese its name. The monastery was founded on land granted by the ...

, Ireland, came in 1855 (completed 1860). Hadfield also designed railway stations, including that at Glossop, and those of the

East Lincolnshire Railway The East Lincolnshire Railway was a main line railway linking the towns of Boston, Louth and Grimsby in Lincolnshire, England. It opened in 1848. The ELR ''Company'' had leased the line to the Great Northern Railway, and it was the latter whic ...

together with Sheffield's

Wicker Arches Wicker Arches form a long railway viaduct across the Don Valley in the City of Sheffield, England. They take their name from the thoroughfare Wicker, which passes through the main arch of the viaduct and was, until the completion of the Sheff ...

viaduct, in the neo-classical style, in 1848.

Other buildings by Hadfield & Son

* St Mary's Church, Worksop (Weightman and Hadfield) in 1838. *

Our Lady of Sorrows Church, Bamford Our Lady of Sorrows Church, Bamford is a Roman Catholic church in the village of Bamford, Derbyshire. The church dates back to the mid-19th century and is a Grade II listed building. It was designed by M. E. Hadfield and built for Henry Fitzalan- ...

* Sacred Heart Church, Hillsborough (C.M.Hadfield) *

Glossop Town Hall Glossop Town Hall, Market Hall, and Municipal Buildings is a complex in the centre of Glossop, Derbyshire, providing offices for High Peak Borough Council, a retail arcade, and covered market. The Town Hall was constructed in 1838 and signifi ...

St Mary's Church, Grimsby St Mary's Church or its full name St Mary on the Sea Church is a Roman Catholic Parish Church in Grimsby, Lincolnshire. It was built from 1880 to 1883. It is situated on the corner of Heneage Road and Wellington Street in the town centre. It was d ...

* St Mary's Church, Llanfair-yng-Nghornwy (restoration 1847, Weightman and Hadfield) *

Kenmure Castle Kenmure Castle is a fortified house or castle in The Glenkens, south of the town of New Galloway in Kirkcudbrightshire, Galloway, south-west Scotland. The site was occupied from the Middle Ages, and the house incorporates part of a 17th-century c ...

, New Galloway, Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland. 1879, additions and remodellin

* Monastery of The Holy Spirit, Sheffield *Chapel at St Michael's Cemetery, Sheffield * St Vincent's Church, Sheffield (Chapel-school) * Sheffield United Gas Light Company Offices * Thornbury, Sheffield * St Joseph's Church, Stockport

References

Sources

*Roderick O'Donnell, 'Matthew Ellison Hadfield', ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' {{DEFAULTSORT:Hadfield, Matthew Ellison 19th-century English architects Gothic Revival architects English Roman Catholics English ecclesiastical architects 1812 births 1885 deaths People from Glossop Architects of cathedrals Architects from Derbyshire Architects of Roman Catholic churches