St Stephen's Church, Low Elswick facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Stephen's Church, Low Elswick |
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Tower of St Stephen's Church, Low Elswick
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| 54°57′49″N 1°38′24″W / 54.9635°N 1.6401°W | |
| OS grid reference | NZ 231 632 |
| Location | Brunel Terrace, Low Elswick, Newcastle |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| History | |
| Dedication | Saint Stephen |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Redundant |
| Heritage designation | Grade II |
| Designated | 14 June 1954 |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic Revival (Decorated) |
| Groundbreaking | 1866 |
| Completed | 1868 |
| Closed | 1 January 1984 |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Sandstone, Welsh slate roof |
St Stephen's Church is a historic Anglican church building located in Low Elswick, Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It is no longer used for regular church services. This means it is a "redundant church."
The church is officially recognized as a Grade II listed building. This special status means it is an important historical structure. It is now looked after by the Churches Conservation Trust. This group helps to protect old churches across England.
Contents
History of St Stephen's Church
Building the Church
The first stone of St Stephen's Church was laid on 19 November 1866. A famous local person, Sir William Armstrong, helped start the building. The church was finished in 1868. It was officially opened by Charles Baring, who was the Bishop of Durham at the time.
Changes Over Time
St Stephen's Church stopped being used for regular services on 1 January 1984. It was then given to the Churches Conservation Trust on 18 March 1987.
Sadly, the main part of the church building had a serious problem called dry rot. Because of this, most of the church had to be taken down. This happened between 1987 and 1988. Today, only the tall tower of the church is still standing.
Visiting the Tower
You can visit the very bottom part of the tower. However, you need to arrange your visit beforehand.
Architecture of the Church Tower
Building Materials and Style
The church was built using sandstone, which is a type of rock. Its roof was made from Welsh slate. The church was designed in a style called Gothic Revival. This means it looked like older Gothic churches from the Middle Ages.
Features of the Tower
The tower has three main sections, or "stages." It has openings for bells, which are called "bell openings." Near the top, there's a decorative row of stone blocks called a corbel table. Above that, there's a battlemented parapet, which looks like the top of a castle wall.
Spire and Bells
Strong arches called flying buttresses support a tall, eight-sided spire. The spire has small windows called lucarnes. Inside the tower, there are eight bells. These bells were made in 1880 by a company called John Taylor in Loughborough.
See also
- List of churches preserved by the Churches Conservation Trust in Northern England
