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 church located in West Didsbury, which is part of Manchester, England. It serves the local community of West Didsbury and Withington, an area home to nearly 18,000 people. Many people see this church every day because it's right on the main road, the A5013 (Princess Parkway), as you enter Manchester.
Contents
History of Christ Church
Building the Church
Christ Church was built in 1881. It was a special gift to the community from a man named Mr. William Roberts. The church cost £13,000 to build, which was a lot of money back then! The person who designed the church was an architect named Henry Littler.
For many years, people called it 'Christ Church-in-the-fields'. This was because it was built in a countryside area. Today, the church is in a suburban area, surrounded by homes and businesses.
Changes Over Time
Between 1979 and 1981, the church had to close for a while. This happened because the Princess Parkway road was being made much bigger. During this time, the church was completely changed inside. It was also redecorated.
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 organ was removed. A different organ was bought and put together again in a new spot at the west end of the church.
Joining Parishes
In December 2006, Christ Church joined with St. Christopher's Church in Withington. They became one single parish, which is like a church district. The main leader of the church is called the Rector. The current Rector is Anne Pilkington. She came to Christ Church from William Temple Church in Wythenshawe.
Music at Christ Church
A Great Place for Concerts
Christ Church is a popular place for concerts. This is because it has excellent acoustics. Acoustics means how sound travels in a room. The church's design makes music sound really good, especially for chamber music. This is music played by a small group of instruments. The church also has a flexible inside space, which means it can be set up in different ways for events.
The Manchester Chamber Choir often performs here. So do The William Byrd Singers of Manchester.
The Church Organ
The church has a large pipe organ. It has 42 "speaking stops," which are like different sets of pipes that make various sounds. 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. These systems help control the organ's sounds. Repairs were also made to the wind system, which pushes air through the pipes.
There is also a smaller organ in the chancel, which is the area near the altar. This organ is a 2-manual Viscount Physis organ. It is used to play music with the choir. It can also control the big organ at the west end using a special connection.
