St Oswald's Church, Durham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St. Oswald's Church, Durham |
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St. Oswald's from Church Street
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| Location | Church Street, Durham, County Durham, DH1 3DG |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Previous denomination | Roman Catholic Church |
| Churchmanship | Traditional |
| History | |
| Status | Active |
| Dedication | Oswald of Northumbria |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Parish church |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* listed |
| Designated | 6 May 1952 |
| Years built | Late 12th century |
| Administration | |
| Parish | St. Oswald Durham |
| Deanery | Durham |
| Archdeaconry | Archdeaconry of Durham |
| Diocese | Diocese of Durham |
St. Oswald's Church is a historic Church of England building in Durham, County Durham. It is a parish church, which means it serves the local community. This church is very old, with parts of it dating back to the 12th century. It is also a grade II* listed building, meaning it's an important historical site protected for its special architecture.
Contents
History of St. Oswald's Church
The church you see today was mostly built in the late 1100s. It might even stand on the spot of an even older church! Over the years, it has been rebuilt and updated several times.
Key Building Changes Over Time
- In 1834, a builder named Ignatius Bonomi helped rebuild parts of the church.
- Later, in 1864, Hodgson Fowler worked on the church. He rebuilt the tower and the main part of the church where the altar is (called the chancel). He also added a special room for the organ.
Beautiful Stained Glass Windows
St. Oswald's Church has many beautiful stained glass windows. These windows tell stories or show pictures using colorful pieces of glass.
- The large window at the west end of the church was made between 1864 and 1866. It was designed by a famous company called Morris & Co. Some parts were even designed by the artist Ford Madox Brown.
- Other windows were created by companies like Kempe and Co. and Clayton and Bell.
A Fire and a New Organ
In 1984, a fire damaged the church's organ and part of the chancel. But the church was repaired! A new organ was built by Peter Collins. It was designed with ideas from the church's organist at the time, David Higgins. This new organ was placed in a new area at the west end of the church. It was later fixed up again in 2019.
St. Oswald's Church Today
Today, St. Oswald's Church is still an active church. It is part of a group of churches called the "Three Saints." This group includes Shincliffe St Mary, Coxhoe St. Mary, and Kelloe St. Helen. For a while, another church group, the Eastern Orthodox Church of St Cuthbert and St Bede, used St. Oswald's. However, they have now moved to a new location.
People Connected to St. Oswald's
Many interesting people have been part of St. Oswald's Church over the years.
Notable Musicians
- David Higgins was the organist and choirmaster from 1974 to 2006. He helped design the new organ after the fire.
- Will Todd, a famous pianist and composer, was a choirboy at St. Oswald's when David Higgins was in charge of the choir.
Important Clergy Members
- Anthony Belasyse served as the vicar (a type of priest) in the mid-1500s. He later became an important church leader in Colchester.
- John Bacchus Dykes was the vicar from 1862 until he passed away in 1876.
- Mowbray O'Rorke, who later became a Bishop in Accra, Africa, worked as a curate (a junior priest) here in Durham.
