Christ Church, Marylebone facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Former Christ Church, Marylebone |
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|---|---|
| Greenhouse Centre | |
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| 51°31′18″N 0°9′59″W / 51.52167°N 0.16639°W | |
| Location | 35 Cosway Street, Marylebone, Westminster |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| History | |
| Status | closed |
| Dedicated | 1825 |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Thomas Hardwick Philip Hardwick |
| Style | Neoclassical |
| Years built | 1822–1824 |
| Closed | 1977 |
Christ Church, Marylebone, also known as Christ Church, Lisson Grove or Christ Church, Cosway Street, is a historic building in Marylebone, London. It was built in the 1820s as a Church of England church. The church was designed by Thomas Hardwick and Philip Hardwick.
This building is very important, which is why it is a Grade II* listed site. This means it has special historical or architectural value. After being a church for many years, it closed in 1977. It then became an antiques market and a restaurant. Today, it is a busy sports centre called the Greenhouse Centre. You can find it on a lively street between Paddington Station and Regent's Park.
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A Church for a Growing City
Christ Church was one of the first "Commissioners' churches." These were new churches built across England between the 1820s and 1850s. The government provided a lot of money to build about 600 new churches. This was because cities were growing fast, and more places of worship were needed for the increasing population.
The church is a great example of Neoclassical style, which was popular in the Georgian era. It looks like ancient Greek or Roman buildings. The outside is covered in light-colored limestone, while the inside walls are made of brick. At the front, it has a grand entrance with four tall Ionic pillars. There are also pairs of pillars on each side of the building.
Above the church, there is a square tower with clock faces. This tower has Corinthian pillars, which are fancy and decorative. On top of the tower is an eight-sided cupola (a small dome-like structure) with a bell-shaped roof.
Inside, the church has a long hallway called a nave. It features an arcade with eight sections, also decorated with Corinthian pillars. Windows high up, called clerestory windows, let in light. The nave has a low arched ceiling with decorative ribs and oval panels. The church also had galleries, which are like balconies for more seating.
Unlike many churches, Christ Church did not have a graveyard. Instead, it had a large vault underground for burials. In 1887, some changes were made to the church by a famous architect named Sir Arthur Blomfield.
From Church to Sports Centre
In 1977, due to changes in the local church areas, Christ Church was no longer needed as a church. The building was sold and changed in the 1980s. First, it became a market for old items and a restaurant.
In 2014, a youth charity called Greenhouse Sports bought the church. They got help from Michael Sherwood, a former banker. Other groups like Sport England Lottery, the London Marathon Charitable Trust, and the People's Postcode Lottery also supported the project. They helped turn the old church into a modern multi-sports centre.
As part of this big change, the underground crypt (which was once used for burials) was turned into changing rooms and meeting spaces. The new sports centre, now called the Greenhouse Centre, was officially opened by Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and Prince Harry on April 30, 2018.
The Church's Area
The area served by Christ Church, called its parish, was created in 1825. It was one of four new church areas within the older parish of St Marylebone. The church also had a house for its leader, called Christ Church House.
George Saxby Penfold was the first leader, or Rector, of Christ Church. Later, in 1828, Robert Walpole, a well-known classical scholar, took over.
In 1892, a new Christ Church House was built. It had rooms for parish activities and a Boys’ Club in the basement. The Duke of Fife officially opened it.
In 1898, the St John's Wood Chapel became a "chapel of ease" for Christ Church. This meant it was a smaller church that helped serve the main church's area. During the Second World War, several church buildings, including Christ Church School and Christ Church House, were used by the Royal Air Force to house airmen.
Over the years, the church's parish area changed several times. In 1971, it joined with St Paul, Rossmore Road. Both churches served this new area until Christ Church closed in 1977.
Leaders of Christ Church
Here are some of the people who led Christ Church as its Rector:
- 1825–1828: George Saxby Penfold
- 1828–1856: Robert Walpole, whose great-uncle was Sir Robert Walpole, a famous prime minister.
- 1856–1889: John Llewelyn Davies, who was also a special chaplain to the Queen.
- 1891–1899: Oswald Wardell-Yerburgh
- 1899–1907: Harry Alsager Sheringham
- 1907–1923: George Mould
- 1923–1941: Thomas George Brierley Kay
- 1941–1948: Oswin Harvard Gibbs-Smith
Other Famous Connections
Many interesting people have connections to Christ Church:
- Constance Lloyd, who later became a writer and married Oscar Wilde, was baptized here in 1858.
- In 1850, when he was just fifteen, Arthur Sweatman started teaching at the Sunday school. He later became an Archbishop in Canada.
- Charles Wheatstone, a famous scientist and inventor, got married at Christ Church in 1847.
- John Percy Groves, a military writer, married here in 1873.
- Edward William Cox, a writer and publisher, married his second wife at the church in 1844.
- In 1830, John Sterling, an author, married Susannah at Christ Church.
See also
- Lisson Grove
