St Alphege Church, Solihull facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St Alphege Church, Solihull
St Alphege Church, Solihull
Denomination	Church of England
Churchmanship	Liberal Catholic
Website	Parish Website
History
Dedication	St Alphege
Administration
Parish	Solihull
Diocese	Birmingham
Province	Canterbury

St Alphege Church in Solihull, West Midlands, is a very old church. It is part of the Church of England and has been around since the 1200s!

A Look Back: History of St Alphege Church

This church is from the Middle Ages, first built in the 13th century. Imagine how many years that is! The church is named after St. Alphege.

The Spire and Bells

The church used to have a very tall spire, about 59 meters high. But it fell down in 1757. Don't worry, a new one was built soon after! The spire you see today is 57.34 meters tall. That's still super high!

Inside the church, there's a set of thirteen big bells. These bells were all remade and put back up in 1932. The church also has old records, called registers, that go all the way back to 1538.

Celebrating Milestones

In 2012, St Alphege Church celebrated a special event. It was 1,000 years since St Alphege died in 1012. Then, in 2020, the church celebrated its own 800th birthday! This also marked 800 years of Christianity in Solihull.

What the Church Looks Like Inside and Out

St Alphege Church has a special shape called a "cruciform" plan. This means it's shaped like a cross when you look at it from above. It's the only church like this from the Middle Ages in the Diocese of Birmingham.

How the Church Grew Over Time

The church started small in the late 1100s. You can still see parts of that first church today. Over the years, it got bigger and bigger.

• In the 13th century, a new part called the chancel was added. A special room and chapel for St Alphege were also built.
• Later, in the 14th century, more parts were added, like the transepts (the arms of the cross shape). The main part of the church, called the nave, also got wider.
• The very top part of the tower was built in 1470.
• The south side of the church had some problems and fell down in 1751. It was rebuilt quickly, but it needed more repairs later on.

Repairs and Restoration

Churches need a lot of care! St Alphege Church has been repaired many times. In 1879, the windows were fixed, and the roofs were repaired. In 1933, the chancel roof had to be rebuilt because of tiny bugs called deathwatch beetles. At the very top of the spire, there's a weather vane that shows which way the wind is blowing.

The Five Chapels

Inside the church, there are five smaller chapels that are still used today:

• The Crypt Chapel, dedicated to St Francis.
• The Upper Chapel, above the Crypt, dedicated to St Alphege. This is where the Blessed Sacrament is kept.
• The Chapel of St Katherine of Alexandria, near the tower.
• The Chapel of St Thomas Becket, on the north side.
• The Chapel of St Antony of Egypt, on the south side.

Music at St Alphege Church

St Alphege Church has a very busy music department! They have choirs for boys, girls, ladies, and men. These choirs sing during services every Sunday and often during the week. They also put on bigger concerts once a month.

Talented Singers

Many young singers from St Alphege have become very good. Some have even won awards like "Chorister of the Year." Many go on to get special scholarships to sing at big cathedrals or famous universities like Oxford and Cambridge. The church also hosts concerts on Wednesdays and works with local schools to share music.

The Pipe Organ

The church has a huge pipe organ that is very old, from the 1600s! It has been fixed up and improved many times over the years. The beautiful wooden case around the organ came from another church in Birmingham around 1820. In 2014, the organ got some more updates, including a new control panel.

You can find out more details and see pictures of this amazing organ online on the National Pipe Organ Register.

List of Organists

Here are some of the people who have played the organ at St Alphege Church over the years:

• 1773 Mr Joseph Weston
• 1804 Mr Moore
• c. 1820 Miss Jane Fletcher
• 1847 Dr Stephen Hatherley
• 1856 Mr Thomas Anderton
• 1879 Mr Bond
• 1880 Mr De Lancy
• 1886 Dr Courtenay Woods
• 1936 Mr Monk
• 1942 Dr Richard Wassell
• 1949 Mr O'Feeley
• 1951 Mr Colin Frank Cecil Mann
• 1970 Mr Paul Hammond
• 1971 Mr Peter M. Gregory
• 2002 Mr Nigel A. Stark
• 2012 Mr Joe Cooper
• 2021 Mr Christopher Thomas