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

Victorian Victorian or Victorians may refer to: 19th century * Victorian era, British history during Queen Victoria's 19th-century reign ** Victorian architecture ** Victorian house ** Victorian decorative arts ** Victorian fashion ** Victorian literature ...

Gothic revival. 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 denominatio ...

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 Glossop is a market town in the Borough of High Peak, Derbyshire, England. It is located east of Manchester, north-west of Sheffield and north of the county town, Matlock. Glossop lies near Derbyshire's borders with Cheshire, Greater Manche ...

, Derbyshire, the son of Joseph Hadfield and Mary Hadfield (née Ellison). He attended Woolton Grove Academy in

Liverpool Liverpool is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the List of English districts by population, 10th largest English district by population and its E ...

, 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 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 List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, 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 dow ...

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

St Catherine's Church, Littlehampton St Catherine's Church is a Roman Catholic Parish church in Littlehampton, West Sussex, England. It was founded in 1862, built in stages afterwards and designed by Matthew Ellison Hadfield. It is situated on Beach Road backing on to St Catherine's ...

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 recorde ...

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

, and those of the East Lincolnshire Railway together with Sheffield's Wicker Arches viaduct, in the neo-classical style, in 1848.

Other buildings by Hadfield & Son

St Mary's Church, Worksop St Marys Church is a Roman Catholic parish church in Worksop, Nottinghamshire, England. It was built from 1838 to 1840 by Weightman and Hadfield in the Gothic Revival style. It is located on Park Street to the south of the town centre. It was pai ...

(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 Fitza ...

Sacred Heart Church, Hillsborough Sacred Heart Church is located in Forbes Road in the Hillsborough district of the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England at . It is a Roman Catholic church in the Diocese of Hallam and is a Grade II listed building. The church is situated ...

(C.M.Hadfield) * Glossop Town Hall * St Mary's Church, Grimsby *

St Mary's Church, Llanfair-yng-Nghornwy St Mary's Church, Llanfair-yng-Nghornwy is a medieval parish church in the north-west of Anglesey, north Wales. The date of foundation of the church, which is in the village of Llanfair-yng-Nghornwy, is unknown, but the oldest parts date from the ...

(restoration 1847, Weightman and Hadfield) * Kenmure Castle, New Galloway, Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland. 1879, additions and remodellin

*

Monastery of The Holy Spirit, Sheffield The Monastery of The Holy Spirit, known locally as Kirk Edge Convent is a Carmelite monastery for nuns. It is situated on Kirk Edge Road between the villages of Worrall and High Bradfield within the boundaries of the City of Sheffield, England. It ...

*Chapel at

St Michael's Cemetery, Sheffield St Michael's Cemetery is a Catholic burial ground in the Rivelin Valley area of Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. The cemetery stands on a steep hillside on the south side of Rivelin Valley Road at its junction with Rivelin Road and Hollins L ...

St Vincent's Church, Sheffield St Vincent's Church is a redundant Roman Catholic church situated on Solly Street at its junction with Hollis Croft in the centre of the City of Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. The church fell into a worsening state of disrepair since clos ...

(Chapel-school) *

Sheffield United Gas Light Company Offices Canada House, formerly known as Panache House, is a Grade II* listed building situated on the northern side of Commercial Street in the centre of the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. It was built as the head offices of the Sheffield ...

Thornbury Thornbury may refer to: Places ;Australia *Thornbury, Victoria * Thornbury railway station, Melbourne ;Canada * Thornbury, Ontario ;England *Thornbury, Devon * Thornbury, Herefordshire *Thornbury, Gloucestershire **Thornbury Castle **Thornbury (UK ...

, Sheffield *

St Joseph's Church, Stockport St Joseph's Church is a Roman Catholic Parish church in Stockport, Greater Manchester, England. It was built from 1861 to 1862 and designed by Matthew Ellison Hadfield. It is situated on St Petersgate, south west of the High Street. It is the onl ...

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