Christ Church, North Shields facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Christ Church, North Shields |
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| Christ Church, North Shields, Tyne and Wear | |
Christ Church seen from the south west
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| OS grid reference | NZ 353 936 |
| Location | North Shields, Tyne and Wear |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | About Christ Church |
| History | |
| Founded | 1654 |
| Dedication | Christ Church |
| Consecrated | 5 July 1668 |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade II |
| Architect(s) | Robert Trollope, John Dodds |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Georgian architecture |
| Groundbreaking | 1654 |
| Completed | 1793 |
Christ Church is an important Anglican church in North Shields, Tyne and Wear, England. It is officially known as a Grade II listed building. This means it's a special historic place that needs to be protected.
Contents
The Church's Story: How it Began
Christ Church was the very first church built in North Shields. North Shields started as a small fishing village way back in the 1200s. For a long time, people in North Shields and Tynemouth used an old church at Tynemouth Priory for worship.
But by the mid-1600s, a new church was needed. So, work on Christ Church began in 1654. We don't know who first designed the church. However, in 1663, an architect named Robert Trollope from Yorkshire was hired to finish it. The church was officially opened on July 5, 1668. This ceremony was led by John Cosin, who was the Bishop of Durham at the time.
Later, in 1786, a builder and architect from Newcastle named John Dodds started adding a tall tower to the west side of the church. This tower was finished in 1788. Then, between 1792 and 1793, John Dodds rebuilt almost the entire church. This meant that much of the earlier work by Robert Trollope was changed.
What Christ Church Looks Like
Experts like John Grundy and Grace McCombie have said that Christ Church, designed by John Dodds, is "less ambitious" than another church built around the same time, All Saints Church in Newcastle upon Tyne. Dodds had also submitted plans for All Saints, but a different architect's design was chosen for that church.
Outside the Church
Christ Church is built from sandstone blocks, which are carefully cut and shaped. Its roof is made of Welsh slate. The tall tower on the west side has three levels. It has a special top that looks like castle walls, called a battlement. You'll see double doors, round windows, and arched windows on the tower. There's also a belfry, which is where the church bells are kept.
The main part of the church, called the nave, has three sections. The middle sections on the north and south sides have doors with large round windows above them. These windows have pretty, fan-shaped designs. The other sections have arched windows. At the east end of the church is the apse, which is a rounded part that forms the chancel (the area around the altar). This part was made bigger in 1869.
The stone walls and pillars to the west and south of the church are also protected as Grade II listed buildings. There's also a separate building nearby with a sloped roof and windows similar to the church's. This used to be the vestry, a room where clergy prepare for services.
Inside the Church
Inside, all the side sections (aisles) of the nave are as tall as the rest of the church. The walls are smooth and plastered, and the ceilings are flat. The arches in the nave are wide and shallow, resting on thin columns.
During renovations in 1951, the galleries (balconies) on the north and south sides were removed. However, the west gallery, which is supported by strong cast iron columns, is still there. This gallery holds the church's organ. The organ used to be in the chancel. It is now housed in a beautiful mahogany case. This case even includes special wooden panels that came from a ship called HMS Calliope, which was a type of warship called a corvette built in 1884. In the south aisle, you can find an old font from the 1700s.
Old Memorials
Inside the church, at the east end, there are two old stone grave covers. One remembers Stephen Dockwray, who was a vicar (a type of priest) and passed away in 1681. The other remembers members of the Howlett family, who died in 1683 and 1694.
Outside the church, to the south of the tower, there is a special chest-shaped tomb. This tomb belongs to Edward Hodgson, who was a cordwainer (someone who made shoes) and one of the people who helped start the church. He died in 1690, and his tomb is also a Grade II listed building.
Images for kids
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Christ Church seen from the south west
