Christ Church, West Didsbury facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Christ Church, West Didsbury |
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| The Parish Church of Christ, West Didsbury, Manchester | |
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 Christ Church, West Didsbury
Location in Greater Manchester
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| 53°25′25″N 2°15′24″W / 53.4235°N 2.2567°W | |
| Location | West Didsbury, Manchester |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| History | |
| Founder(s) | Mr. William Roberts |
| Dedication | Christ |
| Consecrated | 6 August 1882 |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade 2 |
| Years built | 1878 - 1882 |
| Specifications | |
| Capacity | 350 |
| Materials | Sandstone & Brick |
| Bells | 8 |
| Administration | |
| Parish | West Didsbury & Withington |
| Deanery | Withington |
| Archdeaconry | Manchester |
| Diocese | Manchester |
| Province | York |
Christ Church, West Didsbury is a special church located in West Didsbury, which is part of Manchester. It also serves the area of Withington. This church is important to nearly 18,000 people who live in its parish.
Many people see Christ Church every day. It sits right on the A5013 (Princess Parkway), a main road into Manchester. This makes it one of the most well-known churches in the city.
Contents
Discovering Christ Church's History
This church was built in 1881. It was a generous gift to the community from a man named Mr. William Roberts of Darleydale. The building cost £13,000, which was a lot of money back then! The church was designed by an architect named Henry Littler.
For many years, people called it 'Christ Church-in-the-fields'. This was because it was built in a quiet, countryside-like area. Today, the area around the church is much busier and more like a suburban neighborhood.
Changes Over the Years
Between 1979 and 1981, the church had to close for a big project. The Princess Parkway road was being made much larger. During this time, the church building was completely changed and redecorated inside.
The old entrance on the west side was closed off. A new entrance was made on the east side, where the organ used to be. The old Jardine organ was removed. A different organ was bought and rebuilt in a new spot at the west end of the church.
In December 2006, Christ Church joined with St. Christopher's Church in Withington. They became one larger parish. The current leader of the church, called the Rector, is Anne Pilkington. She came to Christ Church from William Temple Church in Wythenshawe.
Music and the Church Organ
Christ Church is a popular place for concerts. This is because it has amazing acoustics, which means sound travels really well inside. It's especially good for chamber music, which is played by small groups of musicians. The church also has a flexible space inside that can be set up for different events.
Two groups, the Manchester Chamber Choir and The William Byrd Singers of Manchester, often perform here.
The Church's Pipe Organ
The church has a large pipe organ with 42 "speaking stops." These stops control the different sounds the organ can make. This organ was originally built by JJ Binns of Leeds. It was brought to Christ Church in 1981. It was rebuilt and made larger in a new case at the west end of the church.
More recently, in 2013, the organ was rebuilt again by A. J. Carter of Wakefield. During this work, new digital systems were added to control the organ's sounds. The wind system, which powers the pipes, was also repaired.
There is also a smaller 2-manual Viscount Physis organ in the chancel, which is the area near the altar. This organ is used to play along with the choir. It can also connect to the main organ at the west end and control it using a special link.
