Carrs Lane Church, Birmingham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Carrs Lane Church |
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The church in April 2011
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| 52°28′46.62″N 1°53′35.02″W / 52.4796167°N 1.8930611°W | |
| Location | Birmingham |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | United Reformed and Methodist |
| Previous denomination | Congregational |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Denys Hinton and Partners |
| Groundbreaking | 1968 |
| Completed | 1971 |
Carrs Lane Church, also known as The Church at Carrs Lane, is a special church located in Birmingham, England. It is famous for having the largest free-standing cross in the entire country. This church is a place where two different Christian groups, the United Reformed Church and the Methodist Church, come together to worship.
Contents
History of Carrs Lane Church
The church started as an independent chapel in 1748. An independent chapel was a place of worship not controlled by the main Church of England. In 1812, the building was made bigger. This cost £2,000 and allowed 600 people to attend services. This was partly because of the popular sermons given by John Angell James.
Building Changes Over Time
The church was made even larger in 1820. The architect Thomas Stedman Whitwell designed these changes. Later, in 1876, the front of the church was redesigned by Yeoville Thomason. In 1832, the church became part of the Congregational Union.
The Modern Church Building
The current church building was started in 1968. It was designed by Denys Hinton and Partners. The construction was finished in 1971. In 1972, the church became part of the United Reformed Church. This happened when the Presbyterian and Congregational churches joined together.
Remembering Important People
A special blue plaque was put on the church in 1995. The Birmingham Civic Society placed it there. It remembers Dr. Robert William Dale, who was a minister at Carrs Lane from 1854 until he passed away. He was a very important speaker who promoted something called the "Civic Gospel". This idea encouraged Christians to work for the good of their city and society.
A Church for Everyone
After the Methodist Central Hall, Birmingham closed, the Methodist community started sharing the Carrs Lane Church building. Now, it is a shared space for both the United Reformed and Methodist congregations. This partnership is known as "The Church at Carrs Lane". It shows how different church groups can work together.
The Church Organ
Carrs Lane Church has a large pipe organ. It was built in 1970 by a company called Hill Norman and Beard. A pipe organ is a musical instrument that makes sound by sending air through pipes. You can find more details about this specific organ on the National Pipe Organ Register.
Organists at Carrs Lane Church
Many talented musicians have played the organ at Carrs Lane Church over the years. Here are some of them:
- Samuel Stanley (composer) (1792 - 1803)
- Adam Wright (1845 - 1876)
- William C. Stockley (1876 - 1889)
- Walter Humphreys (1889 - 1895)
- C.H. Pett (1895 - 1901)
- Maurice Davies (1901 - ????)
- R.A. Ernest Payne (???? - 1915)
- Charles William Perkins (1915 - 1920)
- Graham Godfrey (1920 - 1930)
- Cyril Stanley Christopher (1930 - 1967)
