Christ Church, Weston Point facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Christ Church, Weston Point |
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Christ Church, Weston Point
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| 53°19′43″N 2°45′40″W / 53.3287°N 2.7610°W | |
| OS grid reference | SJ 494,815 |
| Location | Weston Point, Runcorn, Cheshire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| History | |
| Consecrated | 21 December 1841 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Redundant |
| Heritage designation | Grade II |
| Designated | 5 April 1990 |
| Architect(s) | Edmund Sharpe |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Completed | 1841 |
| Specifications | |
| Spire height | 95 feet (29.0 m) |
| Materials | Sandstone |
Christ Church is an old church in Weston Point, Runcorn, England. It used to be an Anglican church, but it's not used for services anymore. It's considered a special building, listed as Grade II, which means it's important to protect.
Contents
History of Christ Church
Why the Church Was Built
Back in 1720, people started making the River Weaver better for boats. This helped transport salt from mines in Cheshire to the River Mersey. This new waterway was called the Weaver Navigation.
In 1839, workers on the Weaver Navigation asked to have Sundays off. They wanted to rest and go to church. Laws already said that boat workers shouldn't have to work on Sundays. So, on August 12, 1839, the people in charge of the Navigation made a rule. It said no boats could travel between Saturday midnight and Sunday midnight.
Building the Churches
On August 4, 1840, a special law was passed. It allowed the Weaver Navigation leaders to use some money to build churches for their workers. Christ Church in Weston Point was one of these churches. The others were Holy Trinity, Northwich, and Christ Church, Winsford.
A famous architect named Edmund Sharpe from Lancaster designed all three churches.
Construction and Changes
The first stone for Christ Church was laid by Sir Richard Brooke. The church was officially opened on December 21, 1841. The Bishop of Chester, John Bird Sumner, led the ceremony. The church could hold about 400 people. The stone used to build it came from a nearby quarry, given by its owner, John Tomkinson.
In 1898, the church's tall spire had to be rebuilt after a fire.
An Island Church
When Christ Church was first built, it stood on a piece of land sticking out into the River Mersey. But then, the Manchester Ship Canal was built on one side. The Runcorn and Weston Canal was built on the other side. This left the church on its own little island! For a while, it was said to be the only church in Britain used on an island where no one lived.
On June 1, 1995, the church was no longer used for services. On June 10, 2004, it was allowed to be used as an office, for storage, and as a historical monument. In 2002, thieves broke into the church and stole everything inside. Today, the building is inside the Port of Weston. This means the public cannot visit it. As of 2011, the land around the church is owned by the Stobart Group and used by FLX Logistics.
Architecture and Design
Building Materials and Style
Christ Church is built from local sandstone. It is designed in a style called Geometric Gothic. This means it has a specific look with pointed arches and detailed stone carvings.
Church Layout
The church has a cross-shaped layout. It has a main long part called the nave, a shorter part at the end called the chancel, and two side parts called transepts. There's also a small porch and a tall tower with a pointed roof, called a broach spire, at the west end.
The Tower and Spire
The tower is 95 feet (29 meters) tall. It has three main sections and is supported by strong corner supports called buttresses. The sections are separated by stone bands. The bottom part of the tower has blocked-up windows and a doorway. The middle and top parts have different windows, and there's a clock on the south side.
The spire is eight-sided and has three levels of small, gabled windows called lucarnes. At the very top, there's a decorative finial and a cross.
Windows and Details
At the east end of the church, there's a large window with three sections and decorative stone patterns. Each section of the nave has two tall, narrow windows. The transepts have two-section windows on their east and west sides. They also have a three-section window with a trefoil window above it in their gables. At the bottom of the tower, there's a small room called a vestry.
The roof used to have stone crosses on the north, south, and east ends. Now, only the north and south crosses remain. The floor inside the church is made of Yorkshire stone. This stone was brought to the church site using the Leeds and Liverpool Canal. The church bell was made in 1842 by Thomas Mears.
The church used to be surrounded by a rectangular area with spiked iron railings and a pair of gates on the south side.
See also
- Listed buildings in Runcorn (urban area)
- List of architectural works by Edmund Sharpe
