Christ Church, Bradford-on-Avon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Christ Church, Bradford-on-Avon |
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| General information | |
| Architectural style | Victorian |
| Town or city | Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire |
| Country | England |
| Coordinates | 51°21′04″N 2°14′56″W / 51.351°N 2.249°W |
| Completed | 1841 |
| Technical details | |
| Structural system | Oolitic limestone masonry walls with iron clamps |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | G. P. Manners |
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Listed Building – Grade II*
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| Reference #: | 1036077 |
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Christ Church is a historic Anglican church located in Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire, England. You can find it in the northern part of town, in an area called Hillside Terraces. This church is part of the Bradford Deanery, which is a local group of churches within the Diocese of Salisbury.
Contents
Christ Church: A Historic Building
This church was built a long time ago, in the 1800s. It was created to serve the people living in the northern part of Bradford-on-Avon.
Why Was It Built?
In the early 1800s, many people in this area found it hard to go to their main church. That church was called Holy Trinity. It was located down the hill in the town centre. People thought it was in a "bad part of the town." Also, the old Holy Trinity church needed a lot of repairs. Because of these reasons, people wanted a new church closer to their homes.
Designing the Church
So, a new church area, or "parish," was created for Christ Church. A famous architect named G. P. Manners from Bath was chosen to design the building in 1839. The church was officially opened in 1841. When it was first built, it had a simple design. It had plain walls, clear glass windows, and stone floors. It was built in a style called the Perpendicular style.
Changes Over Time
Later on, people in the Victorian era liked churches to be more fancy. So, in 1875, the church was "restored" by Sir George Gilbert Scott. This means it was updated and made more elaborate. The east end of the church was rebuilt. An extra section was added to create a special area called a sanctuary. After Scott passed away in 1878, his son, John Oldrid Scott, continued the work inside the church. More changes happened in 1884, like adding a porch on the south side. In 1919, C.E. Ponting added a south chapel. This chapel was built as a memorial to C. Eric Moulton, who died in the war.
The Church Bells
Christ Church has a set of eight bells that can be rung. These bells were made in 1923 by a company called Gillett & Johnston in Croydon.
A Special Building
In 1952, Christ Church was given a special status called Grade II* listed. This means it is a very important historic building. It is protected so that it can be preserved for the future. A famous expert named Nikolaus Pevsner described it as a "big, prosperous church." Today, Christ Church is part of a larger group of churches called the North Bradford-on-Avon benefice.
