All Saints Church, Douglas facts for kids
All Saints Church in Douglas, Isle of Man, was a special church built in 1967. It had a modern design and was part of the Anglican Christian faith. The church was officially recognized as an important building on the Isle of Man in 2001. It closed its doors in May 2017.
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A Church's Story
The very first All Saints Church was opened in 1898. People called it the "Tin Tabernacle" because it was made of corrugated iron, which looks a bit like tin. This first church was built to help the growing number of people in Douglas. Even though it was only expected to last about 15 years, it stayed in use until 1965!
After the "Tin Tabernacle" was taken down, a new All Saints Church was built. It was officially opened by Bishop Eric Gordon on April 20, 1967. This was the first new Anglican church built on the Isle of Man in over 50 years, and it turned out to be the last one for a long time too.
Modern Design and Special Features
The new All Saints Church had a very modern look, which was quite rare for the Isle of Man. It was designed by Claude Jennings Kneen. The building's style was inspired by famous modern architects like Auguste Perret and Le Corbusier.
Unique Parts of the Building
Some special things about All Saints Church included its curved concrete roof. It also had a cool screen made of pierced concrete blocks at the entrance. These features were not common on the Isle of Man.
Inside the church, there were many interesting details:
- Apostle Windows: On the north side of the main worship area, there were twelve 'Apostle' windows. These were made of thick, colorful glass from Gothenburg, Sweden. Each window had a different color.
- East Wall: The East wall was made from black limestone from Pooil Vaaish, a place on the Isle of Man.
- Font: The font, which is used for baptisms, was made of grey-green Irish limestone. It had a pattern carved into it that was also found on an old cross in Kirk Michael.
- Altar: The altar was made of a red stone called Rosso Francia. It had birds carved into its side. This was because one of the people on the church building committee loved studying birds!
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Exterior of the modern All Saints Church.
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The unique pierced concrete block screen at the porch.
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The interior of All Saints Church.
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The colorful 'Apostle' windows inside the church.
Why the Church Closed
Over time, the church building started to have problems. Leaks appeared, and the walls became very wet from condensation. In 2016, a study showed that it would cost around £400,000 to fix and update the building.
The church leaders decided that this cost was too high. They felt it was not fair to spend so much money on one building, given the needs of the church on the Isle of Man. So, they decided the church should close.
After celebrating the church's 50th anniversary on April 23, 2017, and holding a final service on April 30, worship moved to St George's Church. All Saints Church officially closed its doors on May 1, 2017. Just before it closed, a group called Culture Vannin took many photos and videos to remember the building.
