St Chad's Church, Rubery facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Chad’s Church, Rubery |
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St Chad’s Church, Rubery
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| 52°23′35.45″N 2°1′9.14″W / 52.3931806°N 2.0192056°W | |
| Location | Rubery |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| History | |
| Dedication | St Chad |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Richard Twentyman |
| Groundbreaking | 1959 |
| Completed | 1960 |
| Administration | |
| Parish | St Chad, Rubery |
| Deanery | Kings Norton |
| Archdeaconry | Birmingham |
| Diocese | Anglican Diocese of Birmingham |
St Chad’s Church is a Church of England parish church in the town of Rubery, located in Worcestershire, England. It is named after St Chad, an important Christian leader from the 7th century.
History of the Church
The story of St Chad's began as a "mission church," which is a smaller church built to serve a growing community. It was originally part of the larger Holy Trinity Church, Lickey.
The First Wooden Church
The very first version of St Chad's was built in 1895. It was a small and simple building made of wood.
- It had a main room called a nave.
- At the west end, there was a bell tower, known as a campanile.
- The roof was decorated with red and blue tiles.
- The church could hold about 300 people.
- The total cost to build it was £530.
The architects who designed this first church were W. Jeffery Hopkins and A.B. Pinckney. In 1933, St Chad's officially became its own parish, meaning it was no longer just a mission church but the main church for its local area.
A New, Modern Building
Plans to build a bigger, more permanent church were delayed by the Second World War. After the war, work finally began in 1957. The new church was finished in 1959 and is the building that stands today.
This new church was designed by the architect Richard Twentyman. It was built in a "Modernist" style, which was a very new and different type of architecture for its time. The famous architectural expert Nikolaus Pevsner called the building "a fine Modernist example," praising its unique design.
The Church Organ
St Chad's has a special pipe organ that was moved from another church. It originally belonged to St Margaret’s Church in Ladywood, but when that church closed, the organ was brought to St Chad's. You can find more details about this historic instrument on the National Pipe Organ Register.
