Christ Church, Higher Bebington facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Christ Church, Higher Bebington
Christ Church, Higher Bebington
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OS grid reference	SJ 319 851
Location	King's Road, Higher Bebington, Wirral, Merseyside
Country	England
Denomination	Anglican
Website	Christ Church, Higher Bebington
History
Consecrated	24 December 1859
Architecture
Groundbreaking	1 August 1857
Completed	1859
Specifications
Materials	Sandstone, slate roofs
Administration
Parish	Christ Church, Higher Bebington
Deanery	Wirral, North
Archdeaconry	Chester
Diocese	Chester
Province	York

Christ Church is a beautiful church located on King's Road in Higher Bebington, which is part of Wirral, Merseyside, England. It is an active Anglican church, meaning it is a place of worship for Christians who follow the Church of England. This church is very important, so it is listed as a Grade II listed building on the National Heritage List for England. This means it is a special historic building that needs to be protected.

History of Christ Church

Building the Church

Christ Church was built a long time ago, between 1857 and 1859. A person named Walter Scott designed it. The very first stone, called the foundation stone, was put in place on August 1, 1857. The church was officially opened and blessed on December 24, 1859, by the Bishop of Chester, John Graham.

Changes Over Time

Later, a tall, pointed tower called a steeple was added to the church. This happened between 1884 and 1885. Sadly, the very top part of the spire (the pointy bit of the steeple) was damaged and lost in 1980.

Church Design and Features

Outside the Church

The church is built from sandstone that came from a place called Storeton quarry. Its roofs are made of slate. The church's style looks like buildings from the 13th century.

Parts of the Church

The church has a long main area called a nave. It also has side sections called aisles on both the north and south sides. At the front, there is a special area for the altar called the chancel. There's also a room for the clergy (church leaders) called a vestry and a place for the organ.

Windows and Entrances

If you look at the sides of the church, you'll see windows that are paired lancets. These are tall, narrow windows with pointed tops. The main window at the front (west side) of the nave has four sections with fancy stone patterns. Below this window, there's an entrance with a pointed roof. The chancel has a large four-section window at the east end.

The Tower and Spire

The church has a tall tower with strong supports called buttresses. It has an entrance on the west side and windows with stone patterns. The openings where the bells are have special covers called louvres and pointed tops. On top of the tower is a shingled broach spire, which is a pyramid-shaped roof that rises from a square base.

A Special Stone

Look closely at the wall of the porch! You might find a stone with a fossilized footprint on it. This footprint belongs to an ancient creature called a Chirotherium, which was a type of archosaur (a group of reptiles that includes dinosaurs and crocodiles). It's like a little piece of prehistory right on the church wall!

Inside the Church

Main Hall and Roofs

Inside, the main hall (nave) has rows of arches called arcades. These arches are supported by columns that are sometimes round and sometimes octagonal. The roofs inside the church have a special design called "scissor-braced," which helps support them. The chancel roof is held up by carved stone supports called corbels, which look like angels.

Special Furnishings

The screen that separates the chancel from the rest of the church was made in 1912. It has beautiful carvings of patterns, cherubs (little angels), and vines. The pulpit, where sermons are given, is made of stone and has carvings of arches and supports. The font, used for baptisms, is supported by carved shafts and has panels with symbols.

Stained Glass Windows

The church has many lovely stained glass windows. The window on the west side was made in 1862 by R. B. Edmundson. There used to be a similar window at the east end, but it was destroyed during the Second World War. It was replaced in 1951 with a new window showing the Nativity (the birth of Jesus), designed by T. F. Wilford.

Other stained glass windows include one from 1905 by C. E. Kempe on the south side of the chancel, and one from 1961 by A. V. Holloway on the north side. The windows in the north aisle were made between 1927 and 1937 by a company called Morris & Co..

The Organ

The church also has a large pipe organ with three manuals (keyboards). It was built in 1936 by a company called Rushworth and Dreaper.

See also

• Listed buildings in Bebington