St Clement's Church, Nechells facts for kids

St Clement's Church, Nechells was a church that belonged to the Church of England in Birmingham, England. It was once a local parish church, serving the community of Nechells.

Building a New Church: St Clement's History

The Architect and Construction

St Clement's Church was the very first church designed by the architect J.A. Chatwin. Construction began in 1859. The Bishop of Worcester officially opened the church on August 30, 1859. This special ceremony is called a "consecration."

Architectural Style and Features

A newspaper called Aris's Birmingham Gazette described the church as a "handsome ecclesiastical edifice." This means it was a beautiful church building. It was built in the "Geometric style of Gothic architecture," which is a type of design from the past. The church could hold 852 people.

The building cost £3,500, which included £300 for the architect's fee. People thought it was a very good deal for such a well-designed church in Birmingham. Other people described its style as "early Decorated." This style included a large round window (a rose window), special doorways, and an eight-sided tower (an octagonal turret) with a small pointed roof.

Expert Opinions and Drawings

About 100 years later, a famous expert named Nicholas Pevsner said that Chatwin's design was "very thorough." However, he also found it a bit "uninspiring." You can see two of Chatwin's original drawings for St Clement's online. These drawings show the church's floor plan and its gallery.

Parish Changes and Demolition

In 1860, St Clement's became its own parish. This meant it had its own local area to serve, separate from St Matthew's Church, Duddeston and Nechells. Later, in 1879, part of St Clement's parish was used to create a new parish for St Catherine's Church, Nechells.

Sadly, St Clement's Church was declared "redundant" in 1975. This means it was no longer needed for church services. By 1978, the church building was torn down.

The surviving buildings of St Clement's on Stuart Street pictured in 2014 (with the church hall to the left of the main porch), now used by the Birmingham Victory Unity Centre.

The Surviving Hall

Even though the church is gone, the hall next to it still stands. This hall was built in 1887 and designed by William Jenkins. Today, the Birmingham Victory Unity Centre uses this building.

The Church Organ

Original Organ and Rebuild

St Clement's Church had a large musical instrument called a pipe organ. This organ was made by Bewsher and Fleetwood and originally came from St James’ Church in Liverpool. You can find details about this organ on the National Pipe Organ Register website.

In 1907, the organ was rebuilt by a company called Halmshaw and King.

The Organ's Fate

After the church was torn down, no one knows what happened to the organ. Its location or condition today is a mystery.