Christ Church, Chatburn facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Christ Church, Chatburn
Christ Church, Chatburn, from the southwest
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OS grid reference	SD 769,442
Location	Chatburn, Lancashire
Country	England
Denomination	Anglican
Website	[1] www.ChristChurchChatburn.org.uk
History
Status	Parish church
Founded	22 June 1837
Founder(s)	Dixon Robinson
Dedication	Jesus Christ
Consecrated	18 September 1838
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Heritage designation	Grade II
Designated	27 April 1984
Architect(s)	Edmund Sharpe Frederick Robinson
Architectural type	Church
Style	Romanesque revival
Groundbreaking	1837
Completed	1883
Administration
Parish	Christ Church, Chatburn
Deanery	Whalley
Archdeaconry	Blackburn
Diocese	Blackburn
Province	York

Christ Church is a beautiful church in the village of Chatburn, Lancashire, England. It is an active Anglican parish church, which means it's a local church for the community. It belongs to the Church of England. The church is officially recognized as a Grade II listed building, meaning it's an important historic place.

History of Christ Church

Building the Church

Work on Christ Church started in 1837. The first architect was Edmund Sharpe from Lancaster. This was one of his earliest projects. He designed it in the Romanesque style. This style looks a bit like old Roman buildings, with round arches.

The church was started by Dixon Robinson. He was a very important person in the area. Dixon and his older brother, William, helped pay for a lot of the church. The first stone was laid on June 22, 1837. A special bottle was placed under the stone. It held coins, medals, and a newspaper from that time.

A newspaper article even said that Christ Church was the first church to start being built during the reign of Queen Victoria. Building the church cost about £950 back then. A group called the Incorporated Church Building Society gave £250 to help. The church was big enough for 364 people to sit inside. It was officially opened and blessed on September 18, 1838. This blessing was done by the Bishop of Chester.

Changes Over Time

On May 3, 1854, something dramatic happened. Lightning struck the church's spire! This damaged both the spire and the tower.

Later, in 1881, people decided the church needed to be bigger. Frederick Josias Robinson, Dixon Robinson's son, was chosen to design the changes. He was an architect working in Derby. The main part of the church, called the nave, was made wider. This was done by adding side sections called aisles. The area near the altar, called the chancel, also got bigger. A north transept was added for the organ, and a south transept for the choir. These changes happened between 1882 and 1883. It's amazing how well the new parts match the old ones!

Church Design and Features

Outside the Church

The original parts of Christ Church are made from limestone. It has special sandstone details and a slate roof. The spire, which is the tall pointy part, is made of sandstone. When the church was made bigger in 1882–83, they used red sandstone from Runcorn. They also used Bath stone for decorations.

The church tower has three main sections. The bottom part has two blank arches on each side. It also has two round-headed windows on the front. The upper sections have similar windows. The very top section has clock faces. The church's shape includes the tower and spire at the west end. It has a main hall (nave) with side aisles and a porch. There's also the chancel, which ends in a rounded shape called an apse.

Inside the Church

Inside the church, at the west end, there is a gallery. This is like a balcony. The church also has a two-manual organ. This means the organ has two keyboards. It was built in 1890 by a company called Brindley & Foster from Sheffield.

Outside the Church Grounds

The churchyard is the area around the church. It contains special graves for soldiers who died in wars. There are graves for three soldiers from World War I. There are also graves for a soldier and an airman from World War II. These are called war graves.

See also

• Listed buildings in Chatburn
• List of architectural works by Edmund Sharpe