St Hilda's Church, South Shields facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Hilda's Church, South Shields |
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St Hilda's Church, South Shields
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| 54°59′47.25″N 1°26′15.81″W / 54.9964583°N 1.4377250°W | |
| Location | South Shields, Tyne and Wear |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Anglo-Catholic |
| Website | Church website |
| History | |
| Status | Active |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Parish church |
| Completed | 1811 |
| Administration | |
| Deanery | Jarrow |
| Archdeaconry | Sunderland |
| Diocese | Diocese of Durham |
St Hilda's Church, South Shields is an important church in South Shields, Tyne and Wear, England. It is part of the Church of England. The building is a Grade II listed building, which means it is a special historic place that needs to be protected.
A Look Back in Time
St Hilda's Church is very old. People believe it stands where a small chapel was built around 647 AD. This first chapel was started by St Aidan and looked after by St Hilda.
Over the years, the church has been changed and rebuilt many times. In 1675, some repair work was done by a person named Robert Trollope. Later, in 1753, a new section was added to the north side of the church.
Most of the church you see today was rebuilt between 1810 and 1811. Inside, the upper seating areas, called galleries, are held up by strong iron columns. During this rebuilding, some older parts were kept. These include a special stone font from 1675 and a fancy gold chandelier from 1802.
One of the most famous things inside the church is a model of a lifeboat. It was made by William Wouldhave in 1802 and hangs from the ceiling. This model is a reminder of the area's strong connection to the sea.
The Church Organ
St Hilda's Church has a wonderful organ. An earlier organ was built in 1788 by Donaldson of York. It was later rebuilt in 1850.
The organ used today was built in 1866 by Thomas Christopher Lewis. This was one of his first big projects outside of London. The organ has a beautiful wooden case designed by J F Bentley. It is very large, standing 26 feet high, 13 feet wide, and 18 feet deep.
In 1904, the organ was rebuilt and made even bigger. More recently, in 2003 and 2004, it was fully repaired and restored by Harrison & Harrison. You can find more details about this organ on the National Pipe Organ Register.
A famous musician named Ernest Farrar was the organist at St Hilda's from March 1910 to August 1912.
Images for kids
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A stone dated 1710 in the grounds of St. Hilda church
An old stone from 1710 found in the church grounds.
