Church of Christ the King, Bloomsbury facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of Christ the King, Bloomsbury |
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Church of Christ the King
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 Church of Christ the King, Bloomsbury
Location in Central London
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| 51°31′24.5″N 0°7′53.7″W / 51.523472°N 0.131583°W | |
| OS grid reference | TQ296822 |
| Location | London |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Catholic Apostolic Church |
| History | |
| Dedication | Christ the King |
| Dedicated | 25 December 1853 |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade I listed |
| Architect(s) | Raphael Brandon |
| Years built | 1850–1854 |
| Groundbreaking | 27 June 1851 |
| Completed | 1856 |
The Church of Christ the King is a historic church in Bloomsbury, London. It is located in Gordon Square, near Dr Williams's Library and University College London. This beautiful building is owned by the Catholic Apostolic Church trustees. It is also used by other church groups today. For example, Euston Church holds Sunday services here. The English Chapel inside is used by Forward in Faith for weekday services. The church has been a very important "Grade I listed building" since 1954. This means it is a building of special historical interest.
Contents
Building the Church: Design and Style
The Church of Christ the King was built between 1850 and 1854. The architect was Raphael Brandon. He designed it in the "Neo-Gothic" style. This style looks like the old Early English churches from the 1200s. The church is shaped like a cross, which is called a "cruciform" plan. It is made from Bath stone and has a tiled roof.
The church was never fully finished. It was supposed to be longer and have a tall tower with a 150-foot spire. But these parts were never built. The church has a main area called the nave, side aisles, a special area called the sanctuary, and a Lady Chapel. All the outside corners have cool octagonal towers with spires.
Main Features of the Church
The main entrance is at the east end, on Gordon Street. You enter through a gabled porch. This porch connects to the Lady Chapel. There is also another entrance on the north side.
The nave is the long central part of the church. It has a high timber roof that looks like a "hammer beam roof". This roof has carved angels and snowflake designs. The nave also has a special seat called a cathedra. This seat is for the church's 'angel', which is like a bishop.
The middle part of the church, where the nave and transepts meet, is called the crossing. It has large arches. The transepts are the parts that stick out on the sides, making the cross shape. The south transept has beautiful original windows. These windows show Christ, saints, apostles, and angels. There is also a round window, called a rose window, designed by Archibald Keightley Nicholson. It shows a dove and musician angels.
The sanctuary is the area around the altar. It has a stone-vaulted roof with carved decorations. It also has a special lamp designed by Augustus Pugin. Beyond the sanctuary is the Lady Chapel. It has a richly painted timber roof and stone angels.
The Church Organ
In 1853, a wonderful organ was installed in the church. It was built by Gray and Davison. This organ had three keyboards and pedals. It had many different sounds, called "stops." One of the first people to play the organ here was Edmund Hart Turpin. Later, in 1903, another part was added to the organ. You can find more details about the organ on the National Pipe Organ Register.
University Church Role
From 1963 to 1994, this church was known as the University Church of Christ the King. It served as a church for students and colleges in London. It was a place of worship for students living nearby. It was also used for bigger events for all of London's universities. Music was a very important part of the services during this time.
The church's new role began on October 6, 1963. The Bishop of London led the first service. A special service was held on November 27, 1988, to celebrate 25 years of the church serving universities. A memorial service for Nikolaus Pevsner, a famous historian, was also held here in 1983.
The last Sunday service for the university chaplaincy was in June 1992. However, weekday services continued in the English Chapel. The university's lease on the church ended in June 1994. For several years, there was also a popular student café called the Crypt Café in the church's basement.
Euston Church Today
Since September 2015, Euston Church has been using the building. Euston Church is a new church group from St Helen's Church, Bishopsgate. They hold services on Sundays at 11 AM, 3 PM, and 5 PM.
Forward in Faith Services
The Lady Chapel, also known as the English Chapel, is used by the Anglican Forward in Faith group. They hold services there every weekday at 12:30 PM.
