St George's, Cullercoats facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St. George's Church, Cullercoats |
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| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | High church |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Cullercoats |
| Archdeaconry | Northumberland |
| Diocese | Newcastle |
| Province | York |
St. George's Church is a beautiful old church in Cullercoats, Tyne and Wear, England. It was built in the 1800s in a style called French Gothic. People still go there to worship, and it is a very important building, known as a Grade I listed building.
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A Church by the Sea
This church stands tall by the North Sea, like a lighthouse. A famous architect named John Loughborough Pearson designed it. The 6th Duke of Northumberland had it built in 1884.
The church has a very tall and impressive spire, which is 180 feet high! Long ago, this spire helped fishermen from Cullercoats find their way home. It also guided large ships coming towards Tynemouth.
Over the years, the church has had some repairs. Workers have fixed old stone, mended the roof, and cleaned the colourful stained glass windows.
Music at St. George's
Music is a very important part of St. George's Church.
The Church Choir
St. George's has a wonderful choir. Many people say it is "one of the best parish church choirs in the country." The choir sings for the main Sunday service and at special events during the week.
The Amazing Organ
The church has a very special organ. It was built by Thomas Christopher Lewis in 1885, just a few months after the church opened. The organ is in the south part of the church, right under the tower.
It has a powerful sound that can be heard clearly everywhere in the building, even when many people are there. This organ is quite large and was built in Lewis's grand style. It has mechanical parts for the keys and stops, and pneumatic parts for the pedals.
In 1987, the organ was fully restored by Harrison & Harrison of Durham. This organ is one of only a few designed by Lewis that have not been changed much over time. The church often holds concerts on bank holidays and in the summer, where people can come and listen to this amazing instrument.
Organists of St. George's
Here is a list of the people who have played the organ at St. George's Church:
- Mr. Smith 1884
- Mr C.H.S. Sherlock 1884 – 1891
- Charles Chambers 1893– unknown date
- Frederick Younger Robson 1897–1920
- May Baker 1920–1929
- Harry Davison 1930–1943
- Mr.G. S. Bell 1944–1947
- Colin Hayes 1947–1967
- Richard Capener 1967–1972
- David Jones 1972–1976
- John Harker 1976–1981
- Paul Ritchie 1981–2005 (David Noble helped out when Paul Ritchie was away from 1989–1991)
- Shaun Turnbull 2005–2011
- Robert Gage 2011–2012
- Jonathan Clinch 2012–2013
- Robert Gage 2013–2014
- Peter Locke 2014–2015
- Craig Cartwright 2015
- Andrew Reid 2017–present
Church Bells
St. George's Church has four bells that do not swing. Instead, hammers hit them to make a sound. These hammers are controlled by ropes from a special room. Two of the bells need to be repaired because their hammers were damaged in 2005. The smallest bell is used the most because it has a rope in a more convenient spot.
See also
