Our Lady Help of Christians Church, Tile Cross facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of Our Lady Help of Christians |
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| 52°28′50.08″N 1°46′16.28″W / 52.4805778°N 1.7711889°W | |
| Location | East Medway, Tile Cross, Birmingham |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| History | |
| Status | Church |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* listed |
| Architect(s) | Richard Gilbert Scott |
| Style | Brutalist |
| Groundbreaking | 1966 |
| Completed | 1967 |
| Administration | |
| Deanery | Birmingham East |
| Diocese | Archdiocese of Birmingham |
Our Lady Help of Christians is a special Roman Catholic church located in Tile Cross, Birmingham, England. It was built between 1966 and 1967. The church was designed by the architect Richard Gilbert Scott. It is still an active church, holding Sunday services for its community. A nearby school, Our Lady's Catholic Primary School, is also connected to the church. This building is considered very important and is listed as Grade II* listed, meaning it has special historical or architectural value.
The Church of Our Lady Help of Christians
Its Unique Design
The church was designed by Richard Gilbert Scott, whose father, Giles Gilbert Scott, was also a famous architect. The building has a unique T-shape with slightly angled walls. This design allows the altar to be placed in the middle, so everyone in the congregation can gather around it.
Above the altar, the roof has amazing curved concrete beams that look like ribs. These beams are covered on the outside with copper. Inside the church, you can see beautiful stained glass windows created by an artist named John Chrestien.
The design of the church shows new ideas from the Catholic Church in the 1960s. These ideas focused on making the altar closer to the people and having a more central layout for worship. The church is a great example of how architecture, engineering, and art can work together.
The Church of Our Lady Help of Christians was featured in a book called 100 Buildings, 100 Years. This book was published in 2014 by the Twentieth Century Society, which celebrates important buildings from the 20th century.
The Church Organ
Our Lady Help of Christians church has a special organ. It is a Rowntree & Brennan II Box Organ, which was installed in 1975. You can find more details about this organ on the National Pipe Organ Register.
