Weight: 810 lbs Diameter: 36" Bell 1 of 1
Dove Bell ID: 60180 Tower ID: 23581 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Southwick: St Columba
Overview
Grid reference: NZ 389 586
A large Victorian Basilica of red brick in the Romanesque style, set within a housing estate in the Southwick suburb of Sunderland on the north bank of the Wear. The church was built in 1888-90, designed by Charles Hodgson Fowler with a grant from the ICBS. This is a very large and impressive basilica which tends towards the Italianate in feel rather than the Byzantine, with clear lines and restrained use of decoration. The building consists of a long aisled nave with protruding shallow apse, lower apse to the south chancel aisle, both with semi-dome roofs. Pilasters define the bays, there is a Lombard frieze around the gable eaves.
Visiting and facilities
Building is closed for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
8 1/2- bay aisled nave, east sanctuary apse and south chapel apse, north-east organ chamber and vestry, west porches flanking baptistery. Detached campanile.
Dimensions:
Nave c 24m x 9.5m
Description of Archaeology and History
Southwick was originally a small hamlet which still boasted some Georgian houses until the redevelopment of the Post-war period. It developed into a suburb of Sunderland with ship-building yards and other industries in the late 19th century, the church was built to cater for the growing population. There was a large influx of Scottish and Irish workers and families, which may be reflected in the dedication and symbolic choice of Irish stone in the foundations, said to have come from or near St Columba's house.
The church was built in 1888-90, designed by Charles Hodgson Fowler with a grant from the ICBS. Hodgson Fowler was at this time an up and coming architect, soon to take up his post at Durham Cathedral. He designed many churches in the North-East and elsewhere during his long career, but this is a rare example of a Romanesque brick basilica from Hodgson Fowler, who generally preferred Early English designs.
It has similarities with the contemporary Roundhay St Aidan (Leeds) by R J Johnson which is however far more elaborate, and Blomfield's work at Gosport Holy Trinity; and more so Hodgson Fowler's and his sucessor W H Wood's church at Dawdon Colliery, St Hild & Helen, built 20 years later. Roman Catholic churches were of course often in this style taking their cue from Westminster Cathedral, and this could be interpreted as an expression of Hodgson Fowler's Anglo-Catholicism.
During the next two decades a scheme of decoration including murals and stained glass was commissioned from James Eadie-Ried, a Scottish Artist heavily influenced by the Arts and Crafts Movement, and completed by J Hampton. The mural in the west baptistry was added in 1952-3 by the local artist Leonard Evetts, and screens added to the aisles to define the chapels in 1960. The steel campanile was added in the 1970s by Charlewood & Curry.
Recent regeneration has centred around a new retirement village.
Exterior Description
This is a very large and impressive basilica which tends towards the Italianate in feel rather than the Byzantine, with clear lines and restrained use of decoration. The building consists of a long aisled nave with protruding shallow apse, lower apse to the south chancel aisle, both with semi-dome roofs. Pilasters define the bays, there is a Lombard frieze around the gable eaves. The aisles have single lights under drip-moulds, the clearstorey with paired lights under a drip-string which continues around the west end and over the large west roundel. The windows have sloping sills and are recessed in plain surrounds.
The pent west porches have three windows flanking boarded doors under moulded lintels, and one window beside each door in central section, blank where the baptistery apse with semi-dome rises from the roof. Blind tall organ chamber in north transept and L-shaped lower north vestry adjacent, and plain gabled south porch. The adjacent school (now hall) has domestic rectangular windows to the side walls and a lunette in the west elevation above a gabled block set at across it adjoining the west porch.
Building Fabric and Features
Nave
19th Century 8 1/2-bay aisled nave.
Apse
19th Century East sanctuary apse.
Apse Chapel
19th Century South chapel apse.
Vestry
19th Century North east organ chamber and vestry
Porch
19th Century south porch and west porches flanking baptistery
Baptistery
19th Century
Bell Tower (monument)
19th Century detached campanile
Building Materials
Brick
19th Century Church built of brick
Sandstone
19th Century Red sandstone dressings
Slate
19th Century graduated Lakeland slate roof
Interior
Interior Description
The interior impresses through scale and design, but also because of its sumptuous and colourful decoration. The walls are whitewashed to backdrop to this, the arcade columns with cushion capitals of grey stone, plain but apparantly originally intended to be carved. Queen-post timber roof, painted green. The roofs of the aisles are panelled and painted red and white. The nave is fully pewed with long benches with squared moulded ends and panelled backs, the floor here is under red carpet.
The west baptistry has the Evetts mural behind the dark marble font, Christ within cross above the Agnus Dei and lanked by symbols of the Evangelists and two angels, the semi-dome painted blue. The organ is set in an arch on the north side of the nave in the eastern bay, the pipes rising up the wall. There are painted (blue) and gilded wrought-iron screens to the aisles, defining the chapels to St Aidan and the Virgin Mary in the eastern bays, the latter has chairs, the former good benches with squared ends and panelled backs, formerly choir stalls? Stained glass in many windows add colour, good leading and glazing to other windows.
At the east end the chancel arch is plain and round-headed, and around the apse within and continuing around the chancel arch walls giving the effect of a huge triptych are the richly coloured Eadie-Reid murals. This comprises groups of early British saints depicted by the Wear around the sanctuary apse beneath Christ in Majesty on the dome (the Mission to England). There are scenes from the New Testament in panels above a panelled dado along both aisles, and the Annunciation in the Lady Chapel in the south apse, forming a complete scheme complemented by the stained glass. Within the chancel there is a marble screen panelled in cream, green and red, and a marble and mosaic floor with circular patterns, also in the Lady Chapel.
Fixtures and fittings
Altar
late 19th / early 20th century Oak altar chest, tripartite with gilded panels with lozenge patterns, dressed with big six and gilded cross. A modern altar has been brought forward of the marble screen. Modern pine table in the Lady Chapel and St Aidan's chapel.
Reredos
late 19th / early 20th century the murals
Pulpit
Modern hexagonal pine, plain modern
Lectern
Modern Reading desk, pine
Font (component)
late 19th / early 20th century Square dark red serpentine marble font with Romanesque carved patterns in roundels around the bowl, colonettes to corners and thick central stem
Stained Glass (window)
late 19th / early 20th century Several windows in the aisles and Lady Chapel, mostly designs by James Eadie-Reid (some signed and dated, including one made after his death) and made by the Gateshead Stained Glass Co in an Arts and Crafts style, of high quality. They depict Apostles and the Virgin Mary. An important collection, to be understood in context with the building and murals. There are also several later windows by different local studios completing the Apostles group, and also St Paul and St Columba, also of good quality.
Organ (component)
late 19th / early 20th century A 2-manual organ, apparently a mix of several organs by important builders including Willis which may contain valuable historic material; currently out of action but probably worthy of research and restoration.
Bells
Portable Furnishings and Artworks
Registers from 1885
Churchyard
Grid reference: NZ 389 586
Burial and War Grave Information
The church/building is consecrated.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has been used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard is used for burial.
The churchyard is closed for burial by order in council.
The date of the burial closure order is N/A
It is unknown whether the churchyard has war graves.
National Heritage record for England designations
There are no records of National Heritage assets within the curtilage of this site.
Environment
Ancient, Veteran & Notable Trees
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
There are no records of Ancient, Veteran or Notable Trees within the curtilage of this site.
Renewables
| Renewable | Installed |
|---|---|
| Solar PV Panels | No |
| Solar Thermal Panels | No |
| Biomass | No |
| Wind Turbine | No |
| Air Source Heat Pump | No |
| Ground Source Heat Pump | No |
| Ev Charging | No |
Species summary
There are no records of species within the curtilage of this site.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
'Seek advice' Species
More information on species and action to be taken upon discovery.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
Further information
Sources
Showing 7 entries of 7 View All
Submit a change
If you notice something incorrect or missing, please explain it in the form below and submit it to our team for review.