Christ Church, Birmingham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Christ Church, Colmore Row, Birmingham |
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Christ Church, now demolished
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| 52°28′47″N 1°54′07″W / 52.4798°N 1.9020°W | |
| Location | Birmingham |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) |
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| Groundbreaking | 1805 |
| Completed | 1813 |
| Construction cost | £26,000 |
| Closed | 1897 (building) |
| Demolished | 1899 |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 140 feet (43 m) |
| Width | 71 feet (22 m) |
Christ Church was a historic Church of England church building. It stood on Colmore Row in Birmingham, England. The church was built between 1805 and 1813. It was an important part of the city for many years. Sadly, the building was taken down in 1899. Today, a new church community in Birmingham also uses the name Christ Church.
Contents
Building a New Church in Birmingham
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People wanted a new church in Birmingham. So, they raised money from the public to build it. A man named William Phillips Ing gave the land for free.
The first stone was laid on July 22, 1805. George Legge, 3rd Earl of Dartmouth did the honors. He was there for King George III. The King had planned to be there himself but was too sick. King George III still helped by giving £1,000 towards the building. That's a lot of money, equal to about £60,182 today! The total cost to build the church was £26,000.
The first architect, or building designer, was William Hollins. He was from Birmingham.
Opening and Design of Christ Church
The church was officially opened on July 6, 1813. James Cornwallis, 4th Earl Cornwallis, who was the Bishop of Lichfield, led the ceremony.
Christ Church was special because all the seats on the ground floor were free. This was unusual for the time. Because of this, it became known as the 'Free Church'.
The building was made of stone. It was built in the Classical style. This means it looked like ancient Greek or Roman buildings. It had large, strong Doric columns at the front.
The church had a square tower on its west side. This tower was finished in 1814. On top of the tower was an eight-sided bell tower. Above that was an eight-sided spire, which is a tall, pointed structure. The first design for the church actually showed a cupola, which is a small dome, instead of a spire.
Underneath the church, there were catacombs. These were underground burial places. People believed that the remains of John Baskerville, a famous printer, were moved and buried there.
Changes and Demolition
In 1865, Christ Church became its own parish. A parish is like a local church district. Before this, its area was part of St Martin in the Bull Ring and St. Philip's Church.
The church building and its land were sold in 1897. The money from the sale was used to build a new church. This new church was St Agatha's Church, Sparkbrook. Christ Church was then taken down in 1899. Part of its parish was given to St Barnabas' Church, Birmingham.
Leaders of the Church
Many vicars, or priests, led Christ Church during its time. Here are some of them:
- John Hume Spry (1813 – 1824)
- Archdeacon George Hodson (1824 – 1832)
- John George Breay (1832 – 1840)
- George Lea (1840 – 1864)
- Charles Marson (1864 – 1871)
- Albert Workman (1871 – 1881)
- Rev Prebendary E.R. Mason (1881 – 1888)
- Rev Prebendary C.B. Willcox (1889 – 1897)
Music at Christ Church
The church had a special organ. It was built by Thomas Elliot from London. The organist, who played the organ, for many years was Thomas Munden. He played from 1818 to 1856.
Images for kids
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The original foundation stone of Christ Church, now found at St Agatha's Church.
