Christ Church, Walmsley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Christ Church, Walmsley |
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Christ Church, Walmsley, from the northwest
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| 53°37′25″N 2°26′20″W / 53.6236°N 2.4389°W | |
| OS grid reference | SD 711,142 |
| Location | Blackburn Road, Walmsley, Egerton, Greater Manchester |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Website | [1] |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Consecrated | 3 October 1839 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II |
| Designated | 19 August 1986 |
| Architect(s) | Edmund Sharpe |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Years built | 1837-1867 |
| Groundbreaking | 1837 |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Walmsley |
| Deanery | Walmsley |
| Archdeaconry | Bolton |
| Diocese | Manchester |
| Province | York |
Christ Church is a special old church located in Blackburn Road, Walmsley, a village near Egerton in Greater Manchester, England. It's an active church that belongs to the Church of England. This beautiful building is officially recognized as a Grade II listed building, which means it's an important historical and architectural site.
Contents
History of Christ Church
Walmsley was the old name for the village we now call Egerton. The very first church building here was a small chapel that helped the main church in Bolton le Moors. We don't know exactly when this first chapel was built, but records show it existed as far back as 1500.
The original chapel was rebuilt in 1771. However, it was taken down in 1839 to make way for a new church. In the early 1900s, someone dug up the old site and found three older layers of buildings underneath. The oldest layer might have been from the late Saxon times, shaped like a cross.
The current Christ Church was finished in 1839. It was designed by a famous architect named Edmund Sharpe from Lancaster. This was one of the first big churches he designed with aisles (the side parts of a church). The church cost about £3,557 to build. It had enough seats for 512 people.
The church was officially opened on 3 October 1839 by Bishop John Bird Sumner. Later, in 1867, more parts were added to the church. These included the Chancel (the area around the altar), an organ room, and Transepts (the parts that stick out on the sides, making the church look like a cross). These additions were designed by Edward Paley.
Architecture of the Church
Outside the Church
Christ Church is built from strong Pennine sandstone, which is a type of local stone. It has a slate roof. The church's design includes a long main area called a nave with six sections. It also has side aisles and parts that stick out on the north and south sides called transepts.
At the west end of the church, there's a tall tower. This tower has three levels, separated by stone bands. You can see twin lancet windows (tall, narrow windows) on the lower level. The top level has stepped lancet windows with openings for bells. The top of the tower has a plain wall with decorative supports and corner buttresses that rise to pointed pinnacles.
Inside the Church
Inside, the main arches (called arcades) are supported by huge piers (columns) made from single pieces of stone. These piers are about 12 feet (3.7 meters) tall.
The back gallery, at the west end, is held up by two cast iron columns. The reredos (a decorated screen behind the altar) was added in 1872. It has beautiful pictures made from tiny pieces of colored glass or stone, called mosaics.
In the south transept, there's a small chapel with an altar and a special cover called a canopy. This chapel also has an old painted predella (the base of an altarpiece) from the 1400s. It shows three scenes: Christ before Pilate, the Man of Sorrows, and the Lamentation. These scenes are separated by fancy gilded patterns.
The church also has a war memorial from around 1920, made of alabaster (a soft stone). It shows an angel and a wreath. The colorful stained glass windows are very old. The east window, from 1872, was made by William Wailes. The south transept window, from 1896, was made by Ballantyne and Gardiner. Even more special are the windows in the nave, designed by the famous artist Edward Burne-Jones and made by Morris & Co. in 1889.
The font (where baptisms happen) was moved here in 1952 from another church. It has a dedication from 1845. The church's large organ has three keyboards and was built in 1934. It actually came from the Bolton Odeon Cinema and was installed in the church in 1968!
External Features
The churchyard, which is the area around the church, is also a special place. It contains the graves of seven soldiers who died in World War I. There are also graves for a soldier, an airman, and a Royal Navy sailor who died in World War II. These graves remind us of the brave people who served their country.
See also
- List of architectural works by Edmund Sharpe
