St George's Church, Edgbaston facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St George's Church, Edgbaston |
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| 52°28′05″N 01°55′21″W / 52.46806°N 1.92250°W | |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Liberal Catholic |
| Website | www.stgeorgesedgbaston.org.uk |
| History | |
| Dedication | St. George |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Edgbaston |
| Diocese | Birmingham |
| Province | Canterbury |
St George's Church, Edgbaston is a special church in Edgbaston, Birmingham, England. It's part of the Church of England, which is the main Christian church in England. This church is a place where people gather for worship and community events.
Contents
The Story of St George's Church
St George's Church was built a long time ago, between 1836 and 1838. It started as a smaller church, like a helper church, for St Bartholomew's Church. The first building had a main area called a nave, two side areas called aisles, and upper seating areas called galleries. The person who designed it was an architect named Joseph John Scoles.
Later, in 1856, the church became bigger. An architect named Charles Edge added a chancel, which is the part of the church near the altar.
The church changed even more in 1884 and 1885. A famous Birmingham architect, J. A. Chatwin, made the church much larger and taller. He added a new, spacious nave, chancel, and a south aisle. The old nave became the north aisle, and the old chancel became a special area called the Lady Chapel.
Because of its important history and design, St George's Church was made a Grade II listed building on January 21, 1970. This means it's a building that is protected because it's historically or architecturally important.
Inside the Church: Beautiful Woodwork
The inside of St George's Church has amazing wooden decorations and furniture. These were made by a company called Bridgeman of Lichfield, following designs by J. A. Chatwin or P. B. Chatwin.
Some of these beautiful wooden pieces include:
- The special seats for the clergy (church leaders) and choir, along with a screen that separates areas (made in 1885).
- The wooden case around the organ (added in 1890).
- A decorative screen behind the altar, called a reredos (from 1903).
- A screen for the Lady Chapel (added in 1906).
Colorful Stained Glass Windows
The church has lovely stained glass windows from the late Victorian era. These windows were made by different artists and companies. Some were created by Burlison and Grylls, Heaton, Butler and Bayne, and Hardman & Co. of Birmingham.
One of the most special windows is in the Lady Chapel. It's a "Jesse tree" window, made by Charles Eamer Kempe. This type of window shows the family tree of Jesus, starting with Jesse, who was King David's father.
Leaders of the Church: Vicars
A vicar is a priest who leads a parish church. Here is a list of the vicars who have served at St George's Church over the years:
- Isaac Spooner 1837–1848
- Edward Lillingston 1848–1864
- George Lea 1864–1883
- Charles Mansfield Owen 1883–1903?
- Arthur William Thomson Perowne 1904-1913
- Edgar Basil Turbeville Farncombe
- William James Hughes 1951–1953
George Browning MC
- Arthur Lewis Burrell
- Donald John Walter Bradley 1971-1984
- Robert William Grimley 1984–1997
- Simon Thorburn 1997–2009
- Julian Francis 2011-2019
- Samuel Gibson 2020-
The Church Organ
The church once had a large organ built by Brindley & Foster in 1890. However, this organ is no longer working. You can find more details about it on the National Pipe Organ Register, which is a record of organs in the UK.
Who Played the Organ?
Here are some of the organists who played music at St George's Church:
- Mr. Evans (from before 1864 to after 1865)
- Charles John Blood Meacham (1888 – 1930)
- Leonard Norman Gibbons (1930-1948)
- David Bruce-Payne (1978 – 2003)
- Philip Ypres Smith (2003 – present)
See also
In Spanish: Iglesia de San Jorge (Edgbaston) para niños
